COLORADO – In Gunnison County, Colorado, community leaders are working together to maintain the economic, health and recreation benefits of a community that is the gateway to endless public lands.

Established in 2017, the Sustainable Tourism & Outdoor Recreation Committee exists to address issues such as trail planning, designated camping and habitat protection. Like many destinations across the west, the Gunnison Valley has seen a steady increase of visitation to the national forests, national parks and BLM lands that surround the community centers of Crested Butte and Gunnison. This increased pressure on public lands is being met in stride, thanks to the role of the STOR Committee, USDA Forest Service, National Forest Foundation, and their commitment to shared stewardship.

Gunnison County encompasses approximately 2 million acres of public lands; almost 82% of the total area of the county. The county is home to:

• five national forests,
• a national recreation area,
• the mighty Gunnison River,
• seven wilderness areas, and
• the Gunnison Field Office of the BLM which manages the popular Hartman Rocks Recreation Area.

While the public lands stretch on seemingly forever, increased visitation creates impacts to natural resources and sparks conflict among users. The region is experiencing record-high use, evolving recreation styles, human/wildlife conflict, climate change and more. The STOR Committee has successfully navigated several land-use issues by taking a collaborative, balanced approach that considers a diversity of interests, ranging from ranching to mountain biking to tourism.

Appointed members have the authority, to the maximum extent feasible, to vote on issues before the committee without having to seek counsel from their nominating entity. In this way, the STOR Committee serves an important purpose in acting swiftly to prioritize projects, leverage resources and maximize impact. The committee also developed the Gunnison County Stewardship Fund in partnership with the NFF to pay for on-the-ground stewardship of public lands.

The Gunnison County community has placed a high priority on collaborative, community-based problem solving and the work being done by the STOR Committee is a prime example of the shared stewardship maxim being promoted by the USDA Forest Service.