Earlier this summer, MORCA was invited to tour Fort Ord National Monument with leadership from the Bureau of Land Management and its newly formed philanthropic arm, the Foundation for America’s Public Lands. Being recognized among the more than 245 million acres of public lands that the BLM manages, it was both gratifying and inspiring for MORCA to be invited, along with the Habitat Stewardship Project and F.O.R.T. Friends.
The stopover at Fort Ord was part of a larger national tour by the two federal agencies, visiting sites where local conservation and recreation organizations help steward BLM lands. With the release of BLM’s Blueprint for 21st Century Recreation earlier this year, the agency is working through several major shifts in how it prioritizes and supports outdoor recreation.
As evident by the visit to Fort Ord, the Blueprint will build on prior work of the existing Connecting with Communities BLM recreation strategy. A newer principle of change within the Blueprint is a shift from reactive recreation management to a proactive approach, emphasizing planning to address sustainable resource management needs.
Without a doubt, learning more about the agencies, the policies, and the people behind stewardship of the very trails we ride adds a whole new level of appreciation. MORCA encourages all trail users to become more familiar with the work that goes into providing amazing destinations for outdoor recreation, like our very own Fort Ord.
During the tour, all organizations in attendance took turns showcasing recent work. From irradicating massive swaths of invasive species to planting native species, and from wetlands species conservation to enhancing multi-use trails recreation, it was humbling to see how much work, and how much volunteerism, goes into helping Fort Ord thrive. MORCA is grateful for our long-standing partnership with the BLM and we look forward to doing more work together at the intersection of conservation and recreation, and along a path that benefits all trail users.