Mountain Bike Outreach Action Plan

3-5-97

Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Dept. of Interior

The following program goal explains to our publics and BLM employees where we want to be by the year 2000. The action plan identifies six audiences that we need to work with to accomplish our overall goal. Major objectives, messages, actions, and tools are identified for each target audience .

Local BLM offices can use this outline as a guide for developing a specific outreach action plan.

OVERALL PROGRAM GOAL

BLM will identify and implement diverse mountain bike opportunities into the multiple use system of trails and roads by the year 2000. These opportunities will be enhanced by a proactive, educational program emphasizing safety, fitness, ethics, and environmental protection and appreciation.

ACTION PLAN BY TARGET AUDIENCE

1. CYCLIST ORGANIZATIONS

We determined this audience to be critical in achieving our goals. Cyclist organizations include local bicycle clubs, League of American Wheelman (LAW), International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA), BikeCentennial, etc. It has been proven repeatedly with other recreation user groups that we can accomplish more with their input at the start of a project or plan. We can save dollars by obtaining their support early, put in trails they will use, and recruit their volunteer time to accomplish projects.

Objectives

Help BLM identify routes that will be of interest to cyclists.
Distribute information to cyclists on route locations, ethics, work assistance needs, and
public input opportunities.
Provide useful input as management plans are developed.
Provide assistance with rider education and ethics programs.
Help support funding for BLM's efforts in the political arena.

Messages

Participation with BLM land managers will:
Influence agency policy.
Facilitate access.
Show members you are involved.
Provide more accurate information on trails.
Increase miles of trails.
Legitimize the sport.
Provide media coverage.

Actions

Develop a list of local, state, regional, and national bicycle groups.
Participate in meetings of local, state, regional, and national mountain bike organizations.
Provide material for use by organizational in-house media on where trails are, ethics,
and other education topics.
Co-host/host activities such as competitions, fun rides, trail clean-up, and maintenance
days.
Enter formal agreements for specific support such as trail work, trail rangers, and
publication development.
Contact all known groups during route identification (inventory) and management plan
development.
Present awards during organizational meetings where peers are present and assure
extensive publicity.
Implement Adopt a Trail type programs.

Tools

Literature and videos on trail locations, ethics, volunteer opportunities.
Mailings.
Awards program (use existing volunteer awards program) .

2. INDUSTRY

This audience was determined to be key for assisting BLM in distributing information to the public about land ethics and access and to participate in cost share projects.

Objectives

Have industry accept responsibility for promotion of safe, responsible, and
environmentally sound mountain bike use through its advertising and promotional
efforts.
Use industry-wide communications tools to get the word out on BLM opportunities,
funding/ volunteer needs, ethics, and public participation opportunities.
Provide input, materials, and funds for project development, especially pilot projects.
Help promote support for BLM's efforts in the political arena.
Establish recognition programs for organizations and agency (local, state, federal)
employees.
Provide assistance or funds to develop printed material on opportunities, education, and
ethics.
Advise BLM personnel to avoid existing "monopolies" or creating new ones. In other
words, every company should be given equal opportunity to be partners with BLM.

Messages

Participation with BLM land managers will:
Influence agency policy.
Facilitate access.
Show customers you are involved.
Provide more accurate information on trails.
Increase miles of trails.
Legitimize the sport.
Provide positive media coverage.
Provide opportunity for technological development.
Increase sales and total use.

Actions

Develop mailing list of companies in the mountain bike business.
Participate in trade shows with specific actions companies can take.
Contact companies to work out specific actions that will benefit both BLM and the
company.
Emphasize challenge cost share projects, joint publications, and pilot projects.
Reward participation with recognition and publicity.
Supply materials for industry to use promoting use of public lands, ethics, and other
educational topics.
Present awards during industry meetings so peers are present and ensure extensive
publicity.

Tools

Mailings.
Display, video, and list of projects for trade shows.
Literature and videos on trail locations, ethics, partnership opportunities.
Awards program using existing volunteer awards program.

3. INTERNAL BLM

Most of BLM's efforts were directed at this audience in 1992. The messages, actions, and tools will enable local offices to work with the other identified audiences.

Objectives

Develop a commitment to mountain bike management.
Establish as standard procedure an inventory for potential mountain bike trails in
Resource Management Plan inventories, Recreation Area Management Plan
development or project planning. Be sure to include user groups in the identification
process.
Involve industry and organizations in development of cooperative mountain bike
projects.
Help recreation planners facilitate cooperative identification of projects from targeted
publics.
Track mountain bike use through automated Recreation Management Information
System (RMIS).

Messages

Be proactive rather than reactive.
We are not asking for new money or positions. This is just a share of Recreation 2000
priority.
Successful cooperative projects bring good management and recognition with minimal
staff time and budget.
Seek out and encourage mountain bike enthusiasts from all areas of the organization to
participate in mountain biking activities.
Don't identify trails for the sake of activity work cooperatively with users to ensure
productive projects.
Be willing to work with user groups who want to identify trails.
Integrate trails with other initiatives such as Watchable Wildlife, Adventures in the Past,
the Back Country Byway program, etc.
There are a number of existing funding sources available for trail projects. We can do
much within existing capability.
There is a significant potential for partnerships that provide people, labor, and money to
supplement BLM's land base.
Partnership on projects by providing input on design, financial contributions, and labor.
Help establish effective recognition programs.
Help promote funding of BLM efforts through appropriate partnerships.

Actions

Share results of successful pilot projects.
Give recognition to employees as they complete successful projects.
Direct sale the program to line managers and recreation program leaders by including
them in fun rides and other mountain bike activities.
Gather and distribute educational material on the impacts of mountain bike use - the
growing demand and best management tools.

Tools

Video magazine segments.
Informal (easy) system of reporting successful pilot, cost share, and volunteer projects.
Educational material on the impacts of bike use, the growing demand, and best
management tools.
Awards for individuals and or groups that implement successful trail projects.
Mountain bike presentation at 1993 BLM national recreation workshop and ride.
List of organizations for information to unaffiliated riders.
Utilize other BLM specialists who happen to be mountain bike enthusiasts.

4. UNAFFILIATED CYCLISTS AND OTHER RECREATION USERS

This is perhaps the most nebulous audience. Approximately 5% - 10% of mountain bikers belong to an organized group or subscribe to a bicycle magazine. This leaves a tremendous number of people that need to be reached using different outlets.

Objectives

Obtain their input during project development and development of management plans.
Obtain their help to promote BLM's efforts in the political area.
Demonstrate ethics through riding behavior to help develop a peer pressure expectation.
Possible development of unexpected partnerships with individuals.
Bring in touch with organized groups.

Messages

Increase miles of trails
Facilitate access
Improve safety of riding.
Increase enjoyment of riders.
Reduce adverse impact on environment.
Reduce risk of getting lost or being injured.

Actions

Inform local/regional media of activities, volunteer opportunities, and public
involvement.
Distribute/display informational and educational material at popular riding locations.
Emphasize volunteer work and ethics. This includes interpretation.

Tools

Literature on trail locations, ethics, volunteer opportunities .
Interpretive signs on trail regulations, ethics, etc. Most of these can be in generic form
for use in any location.
List of organizations for information to unaffiliated riders.

5. OTHER AGENCIES

Although BLM is the nation's largest land manager, much of the lands are not blocked creating patchwork land patterns intermixed with private lands and those managed by other agencies. In order to have a truly successful program, we need to work closely with state and other federal land managers to achieve common goals.

Objectives

Develop cooperative mountain bike projects and partnerships that emphasize diverse
mountain bike opportunities.
Extend trails through other federal and state lands and tie them to local, county, state,
and federal recreation areas.
Encourage other agencies to develop mountain biking policies and outreach.
Join or participate strongly with state trails and bicycle committees. Most states have
statewide trail committees. Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, and Oregon currently
have state bicycle coordinators. Arizona and Colorado have governor appointed
committees with BLM representation .
Promote statewide mountain biking advisory groups and participate in interagency
mountain bike activities.

Messages

Successful cooperative projects bring good management and recognition with minimal
time and money.
Working cooperatively with other agencies helps ensure productive projects and
continuity.
Cooperation can result in identifying more trail miles for all users.
Cost savings, one stop shopping, and better public service result.
Other agencies may have scarce resource staff capability (i.e., landscape architects) that
can be shared.
More extensive publicity for trails projects and BLM.

Actions

Share/cooperatively develop educational and informational materials.
Cooperate on cost share/matching fund projects.
Enter formal and informal agreements with USFS, NPS, State, and others to simplify
exchange of money, materials, and information.
Promote joint projects that use shared volunteers or shared donated funds.
Coordinate planning efforts with travel councils, local communities, and county
governments.
Coordinate an interagency informational meeting.

Tools

Samples of various types of agreements to facilitate use by field offices.
Catalog of literature, videos, signs, etc., once those called for in other actions have been
developed.

6. LOCAL INTERESTS IMPACTED BY CYCLING

Cycling events and recognized trail systems have a tremendous economic benefit to local communities. The Slick Rock Trail in Moab and the annual "Ride the Rockies' are great examples of how local towns can benefit. However, BLM also has to recognize its more traditional users such as the ranchers, miners, and local businessmen. As evidenced by the National Back Country Byways Initiative, locals tend to support a project if they are consulted before final decisions are made.

Objectives

Provide opportunity for local businesses to be involved in the benefits generated by
mountain bike use and reduce any potential negative impacts to their businesses.
Minimize opposition to mountain bike use.
Minimize impacts that mountain bike use causes to other uses.
Messages
Mountain biking is a legitimate use of public lands and is going to occur. We should
work together to direct that use instead of just watching it happen.
Mountain biking can provide positive economic impacts to local communities without
significant disruption if that use is properly planned for and directed.

Actions

Involve other land users and local communities in all mountain bike use planning so
conflicts can be identified and mitigated.
Work with local businesses to cosponsor events and facilities so they can get their
message to cyclists.
Track mountain bike use so that visitation figures can be provided to local communities.

Tools

Mailings, public meetings, individual contact during planning.
Speak to local governments, visitors bureaus, and chambers of commerce about
mountain biking activities.
Track mountain bike use and opportunities through BLM's automated Recreation
Management Information System (RMIS).

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