OCR Text |
Show Planning Gets Underway For Calf Creek, Deer Creek, Devil's Garden ESCALANTE Thirty-two students and their professor, all from Utah State University in Logan, spent four days, Nov. 12-16, assessing three sites in the Escalante area for special recreational recre-ational development with the objective objec-tive of providing recreational opportunities op-portunities on Bureau of Land Management lands. Professor Mike Timmons of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning (LAEP) has proposed a two-part project First, they will develop an overview which will evaluate recreational recre-ational and interpretive opportunities opportuni-ties along Utah's Scenic Byway 12 corridor as it traverses BLM admin-' admin-' istered lands, from its beginning at US 89 on the west to Boulder on the east Second, they will execute development devel-opment plans for three sites in the Escalante Resource Area: Calf Creek Campground, Deer Creek Campground and the Devil's Garden area. Additional site development plans may or may not be prepared for other areas identified as part of the overview and depending upon the outcome of that study. Designs prepared will be presented pre-sented to the BLM at a final review and will include circulation (roads, parking, camping spurs, walks, etc.), schematic planting and grading, grad-ing, facility location (restrooms, water, signs, shelters, etc.), and schematic elevations or thumbnail sketches of a proposed facility's appearance. The BLM, in availing itself of the service provided by LAEP design de-sign studios, understands that the fundamental goal of LAEP is the instruction of students and their academic development. Students are encouraged to approach designs studies with an open mind, leading to a wide ranging array of potential solutions. While LAEP does not present the work of its students as equivalent equiva-lent to that of professionals, their designs, nevertheless, have been widely and significantly used. The only cost to the BLM will be $2,500 at the end of the project to cover anticipated cost of transportation trans-portation to the area, materials and supplies, photographs, maps, and repro-graphics The students and their instructor traveled down from USU in vans and stayed at agency facilities in Escalante, camping out one night at Devil's Garden. They took part in a general discussion at the new interagency inter-agency facility in Escalante on Friday morning before beginning their activities, with Craig Sorenson, recreation planner for the BLM, taking the lead. The students were encouraged to develop plans with vission and innovation which will provide for long term flexibility flexibil-ity and adaptability. The students said they felt they can inject a sensitivity sensi-tivity for the land with a focus on use rather than abuse. Assisting with goals and orientation were Larry Davis, superintendent at Anasazi Indian Village in Boulder, and Susan Finto, information specialist spe-cialist at the interagency office, and Harriet Priska, one of Escalante's newer residents and correspondent for the Garfield County News. Sorensen emphasized the BLM is interested in input from local residents res-idents on highway 12 and the three sites proposed for development. |