Winter Wildlands Alliance recently had the opportunity to partner with EcoFlight, taking to the skies to gain a unique aerial perspective on winter recreation management. These flights brought together local stakeholders and sparked valuable conversations about how we can better manage and enjoy our wild snowscapes. Last fall, Winter Wildlands Alliance and a diverse group of local stakeholders called on the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests (GMUG) to tackle winter travel planning as a step in implementing the new forest plan.  Following up on this letter, we have been pursuing opportunities to support community-based winter travel planning. Taking to the skies is one of those ways. 

Our Colorado Policy Manager, Brittany, organized flight tours over the Gunnison and Uncompahgre portions of the GMUG, bringing county commissioners, local stakeholders and advocates, and a backcountry forecaster together in the air to see the forest from a new perspective. These EcoFlights were not just about the views, they were about fostering dialogue and gathering crucial information to inform our advocacy efforts. As Jon Hare, Advocacy Director for WWA’s Grassroots Group, High Country Conservation Advocates said:

“It’s great to have a snapshot [of the landscape] year-to-year in the late spring where we’re documenting the amount of use and where people are going…When we get to winter travel planning, we will not only have data from our trailheads, but a more 10,000-foot view of what use looks like.”