The public lands tourism management toolkit is a 16-month cooperative project between the bureau of land management (BLM) and the institute of outdoor recreation and tourism (iort) at utah state…

The public lands tourism management toolkit is a 16-month cooperative project between the bureau of land management (BLM) and the institute of outdoor recreation and tourism (iort) at utah state university. The projects purpose is to develop and deliver a research-informed, stakeholder-driven resource that empowers BLM staff and partners to plan for and manage tourism more sustainably across BLM-managed lands. The toolkit will provide practical guidance, professional training, and digital tools to help address the growing complexity of visitor use, enhance recreation experiences, protect resource values, and support local economic and community development. To achieve this goal, the project team will carry out six sequential phases of work. First, an internal working group and an external advisory panel composed of BLM staff, tribal representatives, and tourism professionals will be convened to guide project implementation. Second, the team will conduct 58 virtual focus groups and a series of key informant interviews with BLM field staff, tribal partners, and gateway community stakeholders. These engagements will inform the design of the toolkit and ensure IT reflects diverse geographic, cultural, and operational contexts. The third phase will focus on the development of toolkit content, including four core modules centeredon understanding tourism dynamics on public lands, mitigating visitor impacts through sustainable practices, engaging communities and stakeholders in tourism management, and leveraging data and technology for informed decision-making. The toolkit will include planning resources (e.g., checklists, templates, communications guides) and detailed case studies highlighting effective partnerships and fieldbased solutions. All materials will be published on an open-access digital platform that meets federalaccessibility standards. In the fourth phase, a four-part webinar series will be produced and delivered via usus extension system to showcase the toolkit and promote dialogue among land managers. In parallel, a self-paced, online training course will be developed using usus canvas-based platform. This course will include interactive modules, video instruction, quizzes, and practical applications, and will be freely available to BLM personnel and partners. Phase five will involve pilot testing of the toolkit and training program at 23 BLM field offices to gather usability feedback and assess implementation feasibility. In the finalphase, the project team will deliver a comprehensive final report and executive summary detailing methods, key findings, and performance metrics. Expected deliverables include: a publicly available online toolkit with four themed modules, more than a dozen downloadable resources, and a handful of exemplary case studies a four-part live webinar series with at least 100 attendees per webinar a self-paced online training course with at least 50 enrolled participants evaluation reports tracking toolkit usage, knowledge gains, and user satisfaction a final report and executive summary for BLM internal use the projects primary beneficiaries are BLM recreation and visitor services staff, who will gain enhanced capacity to manage tourism effectively and responsibly. Secondary beneficiaries include tribal and gateway community partners who contribute to and rely on tourism-related planning and the broader recreating public, who will benefit from improved access, safety, and visitor experiences on public lands. By aligning with the department of the interiors priorities, the toolkit advances collaborative stewardship, expands access, and supports evidence-informed decision-making. IT also strengthens blms ability to realize the indirect benefits of outdoor recreation by promoting community partnerships and economic resilience.