The Public Lands Foundation presents the Grand County Trail Mix with its 2013 Landscape Stewardship Certificate of Appreciation and this Citation.  The Foundation grants this recognition to honor private citizens and organizations that work to advance and sustain community-based stewardship on landscapes that include, in whole or in part, public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

The Grand County (Utah) Non-Motorized Trail Committee, known as “Trail Mix,” was established by the Grand County Council in 1999.  Trail Mix was set up to represent the bicyclists, hikers and equestrians of Grand County.  The impetus for the formulation of the committee was to provide Grand County’s non-motorized recreation input into the Moab Bureau of Land Management Resource Management Plan revision.  As part of that effort, Trail Mix was tasked by the Grand County Council to formulate a Non-motorized Trails Master Plan for the entire county.

Trail Mix is a voluntary committee made up of Grand County citizens representing the three non-motorized groups.  Private lands make up around 6% of the land ownership in Grand County.  Thus, working with Federal and State agencies is a priority of the Trail Mix Committee.  The committee’s monthly meetings are all public meetings, and Trail Mix has become a community forum for Grand County on trail and recreation issues.

Trail Mix produced a Non-Motorized Trail Master Plan in 2005.  Those portions of the Master Plan that involved BLM-managed lands were provided to the BLM as part of the Resource Management Plan process.

Trail Mix also has been instrumental in obtaining funding and in working with the BLM, the National Park Service, and the Utah Department of Transportation to build a paved non-motorized trail system.  The system includes a non-motorized bridge across the Colorado River that is the keystone for the paths. This system is of great public benefit to recreation and tourism in Grand County (over 60% of the economy in Grand County is directly dependent upon tourism), and is a paragon of sustainable use.  Trail Mix has also secured over $18 million in grant monies for Grand County to fund these paved bike paths on BLM lands.

Trail Mix has worked hard to help keep non-motorized recreation a sustainable, environmentally friendly activity that powers the Grand County economy.  By doing so, natural, cultural and heritage resources are protected – which are the resources that visitors come to Grand County to enjoy.  Trail Mix keeps communications open among private land owners, local governments and state and federal agencies, building relationships to benefit the citizens of and visitors to Grand County.

The Public Lands Foundation is pleased to present the Grand County Trail Mix with its 2013 Landscape Stewardship Certificate of Appreciation and this Citation for invaluable contributions to the stewardship of America’s public landscapes.

September 13, 2013