The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), along with Colorado Mesa University are hosting four Focused Outreach Meetings to engage the public either participating in outdoor activities around the San Rafael Swell. Castle Country Radio was able to speak over the telephone with Dr. Tim Casey to get all the details.

“We conduct these meetings for the Bureau of Land Management across the country really, as field offices or national monuments that are run by the Bureau of Land Management. They get ready for a planning process of some sort, usually a recreational planning process, but that might be part of a much larger resource management plan revision or something like that. So they’re trying to update their sort of rules, and regulations, and their understanding of how they deliver the resources that people need,” said Dr. Casey. The focused outreach effort will provide the BLM with the publics’ perceptions, opinions, preferences and attitudes about the management of the landscape as a public outdoor recreation area.

The area up for discussion is the San Rafael Swell in Emery County. “That area in particular has had a few designations changes in recent years and so they need to sort of update what the recreation plan is for the area. So that’s where we come in, the focus groups are essentially focused on the area really. They’re open to the public, any members of the public that want to come and participate. Anybody over the age of 18 that can join us at one of those venues, they will all be the same, so you only need to attend one of them,” stated Dr. Casey. Through an interactive group setting, participants will be encouraged to speak freely and answer questions. This will give BLM a better understanding of the public’s desires and expectations for how to manage the public lands administered by the BLM Price Field Office.

The Focused Outreach Meetings will last approximately 90 minutes and will be held as follows:

July 19           10:00 am                John Wesley Powell Museum in Green River

July 19           7:00 pm                  Swell Conference Room in Castle Dale

July 20          10:00 am                Swell Conference Room in Castle Dale

July 20           7:00 pm                  Carbon Fairgrounds & Event Center in Price

If you are unable to attend but would like to submit a comment you may do so by sending it to nrc@coloradomesa.edu. Any questions about the Focused Outreach Meetings please direct them to Dr. Casey at (970) 248-1095.