The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) was enacted in 2020 and is the single largest investment in public lands in U.S. History. GAOA funding provides federal land management agencies with critical resources to address deferred maintenance on our public lands. Through this funding, the National Forest Foundation has partnered with the U.S. Forest Service to plan, design, and implement projects that address overdue and much-needed maintenance on the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests.
The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests cover more than 3.2 million acres of land that range in elevation from 5,000 to over 14,000 feet. The GMUG is a vast and diverse landscape, with mountain streams cascading through dense forests of spruce-fir, meadows interspersed in aspen groves, and riparian oases throughout sagebrush and oak shrublands. In addition to their own intrinsic value, these ecosystems also support critical services—such as clean water, clean air, and healthy soil—and endless outdoor recreation opportunities.
Kiosk installation on the GMUG National Forest. Photos by Taylor Hefftner.
One of the ways the Forest Service communicates with the visiting public about the resources and opportunities on the Forest is through informational kiosks. Kiosks are critical infrastructure to supply information to visitors about recreation sites, trails, roads, fire restrictions, camping, and much more.
When the Great American Outdoors Act passed in 2020, the GMUG National Forests submit a project proposal to replace 49 kiosk structures across all five Ranger Districts. When approved for funding, the GMUG and National Forest Foundation (NFF) agreed to partner on the project. GAOA projects focus on improving conditions of public lands for present and future generations – which aligns squarely with the NFF mission to bring people together to restore and enhance our National Forests and Grasslands
Visit to Wood Products, a sign manufacturing facility. Photos by Joe Kurle.
The NFF helps in the planning, coordination, and implementation of the kiosk project. This includes working with local and regional contractors to build the new kiosk structures, develop the maps for each kiosk, design and print informational posters, as well as install the new infrastructure on the Forests.
All of this work is not possible without the support of local and regional businesses. The project started in the fall of 2021 and aims to have new infrastructure on the ground in the summer of 2022 and informational poster boards up in the spring of 2023.
Cover photo by Joe Kurle.
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As you’ve just read, the National Forest System is large and varied. Your unrestricted support enables the National Forest Foundation to work across the entire National Forest System so we can apply funds to the highest priority projects. Please consider making a general gift today to support this critical work by clicking here. Thank you!
