The Challenge of Meeting Open Space Needs in Utah Steve Burr and Dale Blahna Institute for Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Utah State University

2 Rapid Growth Cities and communities experiencing growth rates exceeding the national average

3 A Number of Problems Lack of infrastructure Increased cost of living Changes in land values Lack of planning to manage growth Resulting environmental and social impacts Perceived decline in quality of life

4 Certainly True in the State of Utah High rate of in-migration Highest birthrate in the nation Concentrated growth-- sixth most urban state High rate of land and resource use Poor zoning regulations encouraging sprawl

5 The State of Utah A Metropolis More than four-fifths of Utah’s population now lives in a metropolis, --The Greater Wasatch-- a ten county region of urbanization.

6 The Greater Wasatch lBy % increase in GW-- 1.6M to 2.7M people Adding 43,000 people every year 84% increase in developed land (590 square miles) lBy Five million people in Utah

7 A Perceived Quality of Life Amenity Values Values placed on the natural resource amenities of: Clean Air and Water Scenic Beauty & Aesthetics Wildlife & Habitat Outdoor Recreation

8 Critical to These Natural Resource Amenities l Protection and preservation of Open Space: Undeveloped land that retains most, if not all of its natural characteristics; or Land that is managed for the sustainable development of natural resources.

9 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project l Purpose: Identify open space needs, priorities, and initiatives for each of the seven Planning Districts in Utah. l Focus on issues related to: outdoor recreation amenity values ecological services

10 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Seek input from key stakeholders: land management and planning professionals; state and local officials; community leaders and residents. l Identify action strategies for addressing open space needs.

11 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Three Phase Process 1.Utah’s Great Outdoors Conference 2.Statewide Key Informant Mail Survey 3.Public Meetings-- Presentations of Findings and Opportunities for Stakeholder Input

12 Utah’s 7 Planning Districts and 29 Counties l Bear River l Wasatch Front l Mountainland l Uintah Basin l Central l Southeastern l Southwestern

13 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Utah’s Great Outdoors Conference l 176 participants in 19 different groups responded to these two questions: What are the most pressing outdoor recreation and open space needs in your region of the state for the next 20 years? What are the most pressing outdoor recreation and open space needs for specific towns and communities in your region for the next 20 years?

14 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Utah’s Great Outdoors Conference Results: l Question # items identified: “Preserve the wetlands and wildlife areas surrounding the Great Salt Lake.” l Question # items identified: “Small communities have insufficient funds for purchase of critical lands or development of recreation facilities.”

15 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Statewide Key Informant Survey l To further validate and prioritize the importance of outdoor recreation and open space needs for each Planning District that were identified at the Conference. l To obtain stakeholder attitudes toward 25 open space protection tools.

16 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Statewide Key Informant Survey l 287 Surveys Mailed l 182 Returned l 63% Response Rate Utah’s Great Outdoors A survey conducted by Utah State University’s Institute for Outdoor Recreation and Tourism and the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation Spring 1999

17 Statewide Key Informant Survey Results--Open Space Needs l Statewide Cooperation/partnerships in planning for and provision of open space Trails/corridors for recreation and access Education for children and adults directed at proper use, minimizing impacts, and importance of open space Developing access and managing open space

18 Statewide Key Informant Survey Results--Open Space Needs l Northern Utah Water quality and quantity, wetlands, riparian areas, and wildlife habitat Protecting access to mountain canyons and public lands Open space protection in urban, suburban, and developing areas Land acquisition-- identification and funding

19 Statewide Key Informant Survey Results--Open Space Needs l Rural Utah Long-term, reliable funding for development and maintenance Long-range planning-- cooperation and assistance Specific projects with economic benefits Community quality of life as one result of economic benefits Historic/heritage sites

20 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Public Meetings l Present prioritized listing of outdoor recreation and open space needs for each Planning District. l Seek out stakeholder comments on these findings. l Ask participants to identify existing and potential projects addressing outdoor recreation and open space needs.

21 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Public Meetings l Presentations: To approximately 350 individuals at 19 different meetings throughout the state; Association of Governments (AOG) meetings in each Planning District; Travel Region meetings; City/County Councils meetings; Special Groups (e.g. Public Lands Forum)

22 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Results of Public Meetings l Over 300 specific outdoor recreation and open space projects identified for the seven Planning Districts in Utah. l A broader picture of the social and political context in which open space planning must occur in Utah.

23 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Major Themes Evident 1. Two broad types of open space needs: Specific Purpose Projects individual trails water projects visitor centers heritage sites parks wildlife habitat General Concerns funding education partnerships planning

24 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Major Themes Evident 2. There are two different orientations toward open space values. Some major differences in opinion exist between stakeholders in urban/suburban and rural planning districts regarding the purpose and value of open space.

25 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Major Themes Evident l Urban/Suburban stakeholders emphasize protection of open space for non-use or intrinsic values, along with recreational and access needs. For community aesthetics and amenities For controlling growth and development For providing ecological services -wildlife habitat -wetlands/riparian protection -water quality

26 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Major Themes Evident l Stakeholders in rural areas are more concerned with the use value or instrumental value of open space. To help meet local economic needs through outdoor recreation and tourism development To retain public access for recreation To retain traditions of multiple use of natural resources on public lands

27 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Major Themes Evident l Key challenge to successful, long-term, statewide funding and planning efforts… …is providing opportunities to enhance both the use and environmental protection roles of open space simultaneously.

28 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Major Themes Evident l Need to meet recreational access/use and wildlife/habitat protection needs simultaneously, whenever and wherever appropriate and possible.

29 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Recommendations l Linking these two orientations is possible. l Will require an explicit and balanced effort to bring these together. l Especially important to encourage support and collaboration with rural areas of the state.

30 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Major Themes Evident 3. Open space linear corridors and water-related resources are critical. Linear corridors mentioned most often: -trails and paths -bikeways -OHV routes Corridors implied by projects identified for: -parkways-riparian corridors -riverways -wildlife corridors -canyon protection & access -corridors linking communities & towns

31 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Major Themes Evident Water-related projects are considered important throughout the state. In rural areas, focus is on providing or improving reservoir and river recreation. In urban/suburban areas, water quality, wetlands/riparian protection, and wildlife habitat are of equal or greater importance.

32 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Recommendations l To enhance long-term benefits from statewide coordination and funding will require Specific Purpose Projects to be designed to simultaneously meet recreational development and use goals along with natural resource and environmental protection goals.

33 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Recommendations l Many types of linear recreation lands and open space, such as greenways, need to be viewed in a wildlife context as providing corridors for migration and access to other habitat blocks.

34 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Major Themes Evident 4. Funding, funding, funding… Stakeholders throughout the Planning Districts view funding as a key role for state agencies. Not simply providing funds, but also providing technical advice and coordination for identifying and acquiring funds.

35 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Recommendations l Provide a larger portion of funds to rural Planning Districts. Distributing funds on per capita basis is problematic. Many urban/suburban residents travel to rural areas of the state for recreation. Tourists visit many of the rural areas. Puts a higher level of pressure on rural resources and infrastructure.

36 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Major Themes & Recommendations l Long-term and consistent sources of funding important for rural areas. l Long-term resource protection and amenity/ecological service values are statewide concerns. l Funding should be used to encourage Planning Districts to help protect these broader social values.

37 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Major Themes Evident 5. Local Control--State Coordination In general, stakeholders see great value in statewide coordination of open space planning and funding efforts, but at the same time want to retain local control.

38 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Recommendations l Focus on projects that meet local needs. Large pool of existing and potential open space projects in all planning districts. Priorities can be identified by local stakeholders. Local needs should be a starting point for statewide planning and funding priorities.

39 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Recommendations l But also emphasize that such projects must meet broader state needs. Funding criteria should recognize both use and non-use values of open space. Funding should help meet local needs as well as broader state level needs. Open space planning and funding must be a joint effort between local and state agencies and stakeholders.

40 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Major Themes & Recommendations l Planning and funding criteria for a project might include evidence that it: Meets both local and state level needs; Has local community support; Is part of larger scale planning efforts;

41 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Major Themes & Recommendations l Planning and funding criteria for a project might include evidence that it: Meets objectives related to amenity and ecological service values... even if the project focuses on use; Is part of a collaboration or partnership; Has an educational component.

42 Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space Project Major Themes & Recommendations l New methods for combining human values of open space and wildlife/habitat protection in project planning, funding, and implementation are needed. l Will require more collaborative efforts in social and ecological research.

43 The Challenge of Meeting Open Space Needs in Utah Steve Burr and Dale Blahna Institute for Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Utah State University 5220 Old Main Hill Logan, Utah (435)