OUTDOOR RECREATION COUNCIL MEETING
On October 19th, the Outdoor Recreation Funding Advisory Council met to hear public comments from different departments, groups, and businesses as they shared their policy recommendations or potential projects to fund. Director Susan Buxton, Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR), presented the potential projects; the Council received numerous presentation requests.
Stephen Arnett, Environmental Program Manager for the Idaho Military Division, was the first to present to the Board. He discussed two recreational topics with 170,000 acres of land: 150,000 acres is Bureau of Land Management (BLM) owned land, and the remaining is state public land. They are seeing issues arise due to illegal dumping and shooting on both state and federal lands. The Division has worked with natural resource agencies, including BLM, IDPR, Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), and Idaho Department of Lands (IDL), and has also used the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Director Buxton was interested in their work with NEPA and how IDPR could work with the Military Division to use their NEPA resources. Mr. Arnett also commented on their biologist's primary focus being the rangeland and their work with vegetation.
Tom Williams, Idaho Foundation for Parks and Lands Board member, requested funding to help with the lands gifted to the Foundation to turn into public parks. This funding was to help with the construction of parks cost on the donated land. Director Keely, Idaho Department of Commerce, presented on the increase of tourism being one of the biggest incomes for Idaho.
Nathan Ogden, Co-Founder of Chair of Hope, shared his story of becoming a quadriplegic in a skiing accident twenty-two (22) years ago and how he decided not to let that stop him from enjoying the outdoors. Mr. Ogden and his family started the Chair of Hope to help others who can’t access or afford a wheelchair, and they work with individuals in Idaho and across the nation. He understands that accessibility can’t be everywhere but should be provided where possible. Nikeela Abrams, Founder of Idaho for All, shared the story of her accident, then started her group to create opportunities for others who are disabled to enjoy the outdoors as well. She requested funding to help purchase more equipment and storage for people with a disability to enjoy outdoor recreation.
Johanna DeFoort, President of Central Idaho Trail Riders Alliance, discussed that they are a 501(C)3 based out of McCall that focuses on education and safety on and off the trail and trail motorcycle riders. They work with the “Access for All” collaboration. The Alliance has requested funding in the Boulder area outside of McCall that would enable them to clean up and clear areas to build trails for all to access.
Larry Laxon, Director of Valley County Parks, shared with the Council that the biggest missing link is the lack of access to public lands. He emphasized that the growth and the parks are there, but the access is not. He shared requests for specific trails to be built and agreed with Ms. DeFoort that specific trails are a great potential opportunity. Mr. Laxon also discussed their work on Clear Creek and other projects. He expressed their gratitude for IDL’s help and the work their team does. Director Dustin Miller, IDL, thanked him and his employees and mentioned the hard work of managing the public endowment lands.
Mel Leviton, Executive Director of Idaho State Independent Living Council (SICL), stated they are the only agency fully governed by people with disabilities. She shared her story of how she got sick twenty years ago and is now a paraplegic. She spoke about how she had a vision when she first started to get back outside and be able to camp. It took time and planning to figure out where she needed to be to be able to camp. She encouraged the Council to use the same mindset, to take the time to figure out where they want to be and see what paths they need to take. She encouraged and requested for more ADA-compliant places and for existing infrastructure to be updated and fixed. Ms. Leviton also discussed having braille signs and videos on their website in ASL, as it is different from English.
Bill Meyers, Idaho Attorney, presented to the group not on behalf of his firm but for himself on behalf of his volunteer work as a ski patroller. He shared the growth that affected areas and used Bogus Basin as his example, as the growth has expanded from 300,000 (2022) to 500,000 (2023). He requested the Council look at opportunities for funding minimization and litigation support, along with funding for volunteer equipment and facility assistance. He stressed that they are doing this on their own time and providing their equipment, products, and funding to help volunteers. This would aid them dramatically.
Aaron Lieberman, Executive Director of Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association, spoke on their goals to disperse project use, focus on areas with high congestion, and upgrade underutilized areas. He encouraged these ideas along with enhancing adjacent areas, access points and ongoing maintenance.
Representative Ned Burns (D-26) spoke on behalf of his district and discussed the ongoing quagga mussel issue. He advocated for part of the funding to create water cleaning stations for those with boats, paddle boards, kayaks, and other water equipment to prevent further issues. There should also be educational opportunities for recreators on what to watch for. He mentioned that IDL and IDPR could collaborate to control these stations as the Idaho Department of Agriculture has done a lot on the groundwork of handling the quagga mussels this far.
Craig Utter, Executive Director of Idaho Coalition of Land Trust and Payette Land Trust, spoke on ways to work with agencies on conserving endowment land around McCall. The proposed project is finding access routes in Ponderosa State Park and other state subdivisions. He encouraged the growth of access points, as they are on trails, but there is a lack of access points reached, as well as the growth of population and tourism creating an additional barrier.
Director Buxton then transitioned to discussing presented projects and how the increase in recreation affects residents' lands and growth. She spoke on who to collaborate with, such as IDL, IDFG, Idaho Sportsmen, and others.
Director Buxton explained the four (4) ideas proposed. The first was the Power County East Fork Rock Creek project to add 25 campsites and vault toilets. This would be a new unit, as it is twenty-five minutes from the existing park. Director Miller shared there have been many issues with damage to the area, and the land was closed because of these resource damages. Director Fredericks asked if it would be upfront of $1M or distributed over time. Senator Lent (R-33) shared tourism has grown without the facility and campgrounds growing.
The next project idea presented was the Ponderosa State Park in McCall, one of the busiest state parks in Idaho. The expansion of the park would be on the land owned by IDL. Director Buxton explained the Department would need two to four (2-4) Full Time Positions (FTPs) to manage the area if extended, then would have to receive ongoing funds for the FTPs. The cost of the project would be $9.6M. There is a possibility for collaboration of recreational opportunities for IDPR and IDL to enter into a lease agreement or for IDL to exchange the parcels with IDPR.
The third project idea is the Horsethief Reservoir Management Transfer, Valley County. This would transfer the management and operation of Horsethief Reservoir from the IDL to the IDPR, costing $2M. This includes campsites and improvements of Kiosks, site markers, six loops, three paved, and three primitives. There would be a total of 110 campsites, boat ramp improvements, and forest management as well.
Last was Henry’s Lake Park Expansion in Fremont County. This would expand the park, adding trails, facilities, and overnight accommodations. The project would cost $2,875,000. It would take till 2028 to finalize and finish the transfer of title, the design layout to be written and approved, and trail construction to start and finish. An “endowment conservation fee” could be added to the. Fees could be used for additional expenses, such as for any overnight stays and on top of the existing IDPR collects.
The Council opted for a deadline of November 6, 2023, for all potential projects. On November 7, 2023, the Council will have its next meeting to review additional projects submitted and discuss their recommendations moving forward.
