Escalante Interagency Visitor Center 2018

The Escalante Interagency Visitor Center in southern Utah serves visitors to the lands within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NPS), Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument (BLM), and the Dixie National Forest (USFS). The expanse of land managed by these three agencies offers ample opportunity for a true wilderness experience for the ever-increasing number of visitors. In 2017, nearly 150 million people visited the Escalante area. Much of this use is concentrated into several easily accessibly and therefore more popular areas causing an increase in recreation-related impacts. These impacts include illegal campfires, graffiti, litter, human waste issues, and groups exceeding size limits.

During this Hot Spot, we removed 100 pounds of trash, restored 3 miles of trail, and facilitated 120 volunteer hours

Solution

During the Hot Spot week, the Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers teamed up with staff from all three agencies to execute a week of targeted trainings, service projects, and visitor outreach. We facilitated an on-site programs workshop for local guides and outfitter employees who are permitted to bring visitors into Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. This workshop was focused on how these guides could effectively communicate Leave No Trace practices that would enable their clients to recreate in the monument without negatively impacting the land. The Team also lead a roundtable with employees from the three agencies who are charged with making management decision for all of the Escalante area. During this session, the group identified the most pressing impacts in the area, discussed ways of educating different user groups and decided on the best methods for promoting clear, consistent, and relevant Leave No Trace messaging beyond the Leave No Trace team’s time on site.