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BLM LIBRARY lanagement 88057643 and National Scenic Strategy Historic Trails Work and Plan Produced by U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management National Landscape Conservation System National Scenic and Historic Trails Program Washington, D.C. :^ "^ "*•.;*1A(?<^-'4*;^*(SJKm' K^ GV 191.67 ^^^HHf' "^^f ^* .T7 ^^^^^p. U.5.DCTAMTMtNTQ L362 ^^^^Hjf 2006 ^^^^^^^I^^^K* National Landscape Conservation System and Open Healthy, Wild, BLM-WO-GI-06-020-6250 Dear Reader The Bureau ofLand Management's (BLM) National ILie BLM manages land along 2 national scenic trails Landscape Conservation System Office is pleased to and 10 national historic trails in 10 western States. provide you with the National Scenic and Historic Ihc agency manages more miles ofnational historic Trails (NSHT) Strategy and Work Plan. The purpose trails than any other Federal agency, llie Bureau is ofthis national-level strategy is to provide a 10-year also the trail administrating agency for the Iditarod framework for the development ofprogram guidance National HistoricTrail in Alaska, and partners with and direction for improved management ofthe BLM's the National Park Service in this role for the El NSHT Program. The strategy contains a mission Camino Real deTierra Adentro and Old Spanish statement, followed by a set ofgoals, objectives, National Historic Trails across six southwestern States. and actions. The work plan outlines the priorities, The BLM also manages seven major trail-related timeframes, and responsible offices. The BLM visitor centers, often in partnership with State or local expects to implement the strategy over the next 1 government agencies and interest groups. years, according to funding, staffing, and priorities. All work in the strategy is based on authorities in The BLM appreciates the public comments received the Federal Land Management and Policy Act, the on the draft strategy from organizations, associations, NationalTrails System Act, the National Historic industry, government agencies, and private citizens. Preservation Act, and other related law and policy. The comments are reflected as appropriate in the direction contained in the final document. It is only The strategy focuses on improving the BLM's through this diverse public participation that we can administrative oversight functions for this program, cooperatively effect positive change in our resource enhancing visitor services and recreation management, programs. providing consistent direction for the protection and development oftrail resources in a multiple-use environment, and advancing partnering with trail .T7 organizations and other agencies along these trails. Recommended by: Elena Daly, Director National Landscape Conservation System Office Bureau ofLand Management Approved by: ral Center P.O. Box 25047 Denver, Colorado 80225 Kathleen Clarke, Director Bureau ofLand Management BLMNationalScenicandl-listoric TrailsStrategyand Work Plan i y^.-Y '4- ^*^ •- ,3*jf' .*• Coiiteii^^^'^^ Introduction 1 Background 1 Issues 2 Authority 2 Process 3 BLM National Scenic and HistoricTrails Strategy 5 Statement ofPolicy from the NationalTrails System Act 5 Objectives, Purposes, and Definitions ofthe National Trails System Act 5 Mission Statement 6 Goals 6 Administrative Goal 7 Resource Goal 9 Partnership Goal 13 Visitor Goal 15 BLM National Scenic and HistoricTrails Work Plan 17 AppendixA. Glossary 21 Appendix B. Bureau ofLand Management National Scenic and HistoricTrails MileageTable 23 Appendix C. Map ofthe Bureau ofLand Management National Landscape Conservation System National Scenic and HistoricTrails 25 BLMNationalScenicandl-iistoric Trails Strategyand Work Plan Hi pUjJt. PONY SS TRAIL I860 1861 Introdiictidn m K. The NationalTrails System Act passed in 1968, Ihe BLM also manages, comanages, or provides establishing the National Trails System. The Act resources for seven major trail-related visitor centers, states that "/;/ order toprovidefor the ever-increasing often in partnership with State or local agencies outdoor recreation needs ofan expandingpopulation and groups. Tliese centers are the El Camino Real andin order topromote thepreservation ofpublicaccess International Heritage Center (New Mexico), to, travelwithin, andenjoymentandappreciation of Fort Benton (Montana), National HistoricTrails the open-air, outdoorareas andhistoric resources ofthe Interpretive Center (Wyoming), National Historic Nation, trailsshouldbe established.... " The Bureau of Oregon Trail Interpretive Center (Oregon), Pompey's Land Management (BLM) is entering the 37''' year Pillar Interpretive Center, Sacajawea Interpretive ofmanaging and administering designated National Cultural and Education Center (Idaho), and Scenic and HistoricTrails. the CaliforniaTrails Interpretive Center (under development in Nevada). To date, the BLM manages land along 2 National ScenicTrails totaling 608 miles, and 10 National Background HistoricTrails totaling 4,877 miles in 10 western — States (Appendix B BLM National Scenic and The Bureau's responsibility for managing and HistoricTrails Mileage Table). The National Scenic administering congressionally designated trails dates Trails include the Pacific Crest and the Continental back to the passage ofthe National Trails System Act Divide, and the National HistoricTrails include the in 1968, which included the designation ofPacific Iditarod, Nez Perce, Mormon Pioneer, Lewis and Crest National ScenicTrail. This trail exists, in part, Clark, Oregon, California, Juan Bautista deAnza, on BLM-managed land. In 1976, the Federal Land El Camino Real deTierra Adentro, Old Spanish, and Pony Express. The BLM Eastern States Office is Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) referenced the NationalTrails System, reaffirming BLM's researching potential connections with the Potomac involvement with these trails. Agency responsibility Heritage National ScenicTrail in Maryland and Virginia. On some additional national trails, the increased with the designation offive more trails in 1978, and the scope ofthe work changed when the BLM may manage subsurface oil and gas or mineral Department ofthe Interior named the BLM as trail leases, where the surface is managed by another agency or private entity. About 80 BLM Field Offices administrator for the Iditarod National HistoricTrail in Alaska. During the 1980s, one more trail was manage more miles ofNational HistoricTrails than added. Three trails were added in the 1990s and four any other Federal agency, whereas about 15 offices in the 2000s. To date, seven major trail-related visitor work along the National ScenicTrails. centers have been built or are under construction for these trails involving the BLM. In addition, the Bureau administers (serves as lead agency for) the Iditarod National Historic Trail in The BLM uses policy guidance from related laws, Alaska, and collaborates with the National Park regulations, and policies for consistency in planning, Service in this role for El Camino Real de Tierra mitigation, and other actions across the agency for Adentro and Old Spanish National HistoricTrails. these trails. One regulation exists for the Continental Trail administration includes coordinating all Divide National ScenicTrail regarding motorized use. Federal, Tribal, State, and local governments, trail organizations, advisory councils, interested private The Bureau participates as a member ofthe Federal landowners, land users, and other interested parties Interagency Council onTrails, including the National to plan and manage the trail (National Trails System Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Federal Highway Act). The National Park Service administers 17 Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Scenic and HistoricTrails, and the U.S. and others. The group presently operates under a Forest Service administers 4. BLMNationalScenicandHistoric TrailsStrategyand Work Plan Memorandum ofUnderstanding focusing on uniform Improvements in planning, plan coordination, and implementation and a seamless interagency approach mitigation are needed. This includes the statutorily to management, where possible. The Bureau also required comprehensive trail management planning maintains partnerships with approximately 16 and agency land use and activity planning. It also National Scenic and Historic Trail organizations includes the potential location and mitigation for new dedicated to the advocacy, preservation, and day-to- projects implemented within National Scenic and day care ofthese trails. HistoricTrail settings and viewsheds. With the creation ofthe National Landscape Partnerships with other agencies anci trail Conservation System (NLCS) Office for oversight of organizations can create opportunities and challenges. Congressional and Presidential designations in 2000, These include roles, lines ot authority, levels of BLM National Scenic and Historic Trails are now involvement, training, volunteer care, tracking of managed as one program. The NLCS Office works volunteer time, job titles and position descriptions, BLM closely with the recreation, cultural resotirces, partnership relations, agreements, and seamless and engineering groups, as well as others, to help ensure a consistent management approach. Last, funding is a basic and essential program Issues component. Budget levels, tracking, accountability, justifications, workload measurement, staffing levels, staffing time, partner contribtitions, challenge cost- The need for a strategy and work plan stems not share, and other factors contribute to the stability of only from the addition ofnew trails to the System, the National Scenic and Historic Trails Program in the growing trail administration responsibilities, new agency and must be addressed. visitor centers, and policy improvement, but also from a growing number ofmanagement issues in the BLM Authority field. These issues not only concern staffand managers, but also trail organizations and other public land interests and users. This National Scenic and Historic Trails Strategy and Work Plan provides a framework for the development Recreational use is increasing significantly for some ofprogram guidance and direction for BLM for the trails because ofevents such as the Lewis and Clark next 10 years.' The strategy and subsequent work Bicentennial, reenactments, retracing, and recent will be based on existing laws, regulations, executive trends in heritage tourism. Trail issues involve orders, agency policies, and departmental and agency visitor use conflicts, sanitation, visitor centers, strategic plans. These documents include the Federal trail ethics, vegetation and soil loss, historic site Land Policy and Management Act, NationalTrails vandalism, visitor health and safety, law enforcement, System Act, the National Historic Preservation Act travel management, interpretation, and education. and related laws. Executive Order 13195 "Trails for Concerns surface with partnership work, integration America in the 2V' Century," the Department ofthe ofvisitor centers with trail administration and Interior's Strategic Plan, and the BLM's Priorities for management, and with the high cost ofconstruction Recreation and Visitor Services. The NLCS Office and operation ofvisitor centers. Public issues arise has developed this national strategy with input from with trail access, land acquisition, land disposal or various Bureau programs, agencies, trail organizations, exchange, easements, permitting, and trespass. and public land interests. Both scenic and historic trails are congressionally designated and share common objectives and purposes in the National Trails SystemAct. This strategy-level document therefore addresses them collectively. In work plan implementation,how- ever,distinctions will be drawn between these two trail types,as appropriate. BLMNationalScenicandHistoric TrailsStrategyand Work Plan This strategy and work plan will only guide the Process National Scenic and Historic Frails Program tor the Bureau, not all components oi the National Trails The basis ofthis strategy stems from work completed System Act. National Recreation Trails and the at a facilitated Bureau ofLand Management National Rails to Trails Program are also included in the Act, Scenic and HistoricTrail Workshop held at the but are outside the scope of this document because Mission Inn in Riverside, California, in March ofdifferences in levels ofdesignation, varying uses, BLM 2004. After the workshop, a core team of trails purposes, complexity, processes, unique constituency program staff, assisted by a management advisory groups, and relative size and mileage ofthe programs. group, analyzed and compiled the workshop product These other trails may be acidressed in the ongoing into an initial Draft National Scenic and Historic series oftrail and travel management strategies by Trails Strategy and Work Plan. The initial draft was BLM the National Recreation Group, including such reviewed internally, and comments were addressed products as the National Management Strategy for and incorporated by the core team. The next draft Motorized Off-HighwayVehicle Use and the National was circulated for general public comment between Mountain Bicycling Strategic Action Plan. April 29, 2005, andJuly 1, 2005. The comments received from that review are incorporated into this final document. BLM NationalScenicandl-listoric TrailsStrategyand Work Plan 3