Pagosa Area Recreation Coalition (PARC) Strategic Recreation & Conservation Plan
SE Group provided planning, technical analysis, and facilitation for a landscape-scale recreation and conservation strategy spanning the Pagosa Ranger District, Archuleta County, portions of Mineral and Hinsdale counties, Southern Ute tribal lands, and a complex mix of federal, state, local, tribal, and private ownership.
The planning process brought community priorities, recreation demand, land-management direction, and natural-resource considerations into a shared framework for future investment. SE Group synthesized existing plans, demographic and tourism data, recreation-use patterns, land-management guidance, and spatial conservation information while facilitating coordination among more than 50 representatives from agencies, local governments, tribes, recreation groups, conservation organizations, outfitters, and tourism interests.
Landscape-scale, multi-jurisdictional planning
SE Group developed a shared recreation and conservation framework across county, municipal, tribal, state, federal, and private landscapes, aligning community priorities with land-management direction and regional investment needs.
Engagement-informed priorities
Community and stakeholder engagement directly informed recreation priorities and future project concepts. Two rounds of the Community Recreation Survey generated 1,385 responses, about 10% of the study-area population. An additional ~200 responses were received during public review of the draft plan.
The engagement process identified priorities ranging from maintenance and infrastructure to wildlife protection, user conflicts, visitor capacity, trail development, river recreation, and year-round recreation needs. A 40–50-member task force provided an ongoing forum for recreation, conservation, land-management, government, tourism, and community perspectives to shape the plan.
Data as a tool for decision making
SE Group paired community knowledge with technical evidence to understand how recreation operates across the landscape. Analysis included approximately 1,085 miles of summer and winter trails and recreation roads, visitation and human-mobility trends, demographics, tourism patterns, wildlife and biodiversity information, land-management direction, and existing recreation assets.
The PARC Mapping Atlas brought recreation, land-management, and conservation data together in an interactive platform. Partners used the Atlas to explore recreation opportunities, wildlife priorities, management constraints, and potential areas of conflict—creating a shared spatial foundation for project discussions.
Actionable project-prioritization framework
SE Group translated research and engagement into a portfolio of future recreation and conservation projects. Project concepts were shaped through public feedback, task force collaboration, existing planning guidance, agency coordination, and spatial analysis.
A transparent prioritization framework provided a consistent method for evaluating projects based on regional benefit, demonstrated community need, feasibility, funding readiness, partnerships, conservation outcomes, accessibility, and long-term management capacity. This framework helped PARC focus limited funding and staff resources on projects positioned to deliver meaningful regional value.
The final plan also established a path from planning to implementation by identifying opportunities for funding coordination, grant pursuits, regional collaboration, recreation data collection, public information, stewardship, and continued project evaluation.
Plan outcomes
This project was finalized last month. It identified a number of priorities including trail sustainability projects, strategic acquisitions and wildfire management initiatives. You can learn more about the project by visiting the project website here
