Policy and Advocacy Resources
This section is home to a growing list of resources pertinent to both individual recreationists as well as our Grassroots Groups, including: trends and the economic impact of winter backcountry recreation, winter recreation opportunities on public lands, the environmental impacts of winter over-snow vehicles and other tools to help get you informed and effectively engage in the issues that matter your group or favorite backcountry area.
We are currently in the process of building out these resources, so if you don’t see what you are looking for a particular resource please Contact Us.
Memorandum of Understanding
Guide to Commenting in Land Management Processes
Winter Recreation Management On National Forests
- Winter Recreation Planning Case Studies, June 2014
- Best Management Practices for Forest Service Travel Planning, April 2015 (full report)
Best Management Practices for Forest Service Travel Planning (peer-reviewed articles published July 2016)
- Snowmobile Best Management Practices for Forest Service Travel Planning: A Comprehensive Literature Review and Recommendations for Management – Introduction to Snowmobile Management and Policy
- Snowmobile Best Management Practices for Forest Service Travel Planning: A Comprehensive Literature Review and Recommendations for Management –
Water Quality, Soils, and Vegetation - Snowmobile Best Management Practices for Forest Service Travel Planning: A Comprehensive Literature Review and Recommendations for Management – Wildlife
- Snowmobile Best Management Practices for Forest Service Travel Planning: A Comprehensive Literature Review and Recommendations for Management – Winter Recreational Use Conflict
Trends & Economic Contribution of Human-Powered Snowsports
Teton-West Yellowstone Region Backcountry Winter Recreation Economic Impact Analysis, 2013:
What the Science Says About Snowmobiles
Winter Recreation on Western National Forest Lands: A Comprehensive Analysis of Motorized and Non-Motorized Opportunity and Access
Leave No Trace Ethics for Backcountry Snowsports
(adapted in conjunction with Winter Wildlands Alliance and Vermont Backcountry Alliance, partners of the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics)
From the Resort to the Backcountry – 10 tips for being safe and responsible in and out of bounds
Current Efforts
How NEPA Saved a High Sierra Sanctuary from Becoming a ‘Winter Disneyland’August 2, 2019 - 12:10 pmFrom the beginning, the National Environmental Policy Act has been an important tool for skiers seeking to protect wild backcountry areas. Right now, the Forest Service is considering some broad, potentially devastating changes to how it implements NEPA that could scale back your ability to have a voice over your public lands. Their proposed changes […]
The Forest Service Doesn’t Want To Hear From YouJuly 24, 2019 - 4:01 pmThe Forest Service has proposed eliminating public comment opportunities and creating new loopholes to expedite logging, mining, and road building on the 193 million acres of National Forests and Grasslands across the country.
June Policy Update: Good Bills, Travel Plan Objections, NEPA on the RopesJune 27, 2019 - 5:20 pmPresident Nixon signed the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) into law on January 1, 1970. With summer solstice in the rearview mirror, it’s time to start looking forward to the coming winter! Just kidding. Here at Winter Wildlands we love summer too! Earlier this month our staff gathered for a staff retreat at City of […]
Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization promoting and
preserving winter wildlands and a quality human-powered snowsports
experience on public lands.
