Keep Sedona Beautiful asks you to read the following press release from the Greater Sedons Recreation Collaborative Working Group on motorized recreation.

To address growing concerns and changing conditions regarding motorized recreation in the Sedona area, the Greater Sedona Recreation Collaborative (GSRC) has issued a report to local, state, and federal land managers and jurisdictions.

The report (Proposed Strategies for Motorized Visitor Use Management in the Greater Sedona Area) addresses three main motorized recreation challenges: 1) high volume of use and recreational demand; 2) limited physical infrastructure and sensitive environments; and 3) inappropriate or illegal user behavior. The report also includes consensus-driven proposed strategies to address these challenges including setting speed limits, issuing permits, route engineering, improving signage/barriers, increasing enforcement, robust education programs, and continued voluntary eforts.

“After extensive research, analysis, and discussion, the GSRC Working Group developed a set of strategies to address the complex multi-jurisdictional issues facing the Sedona area. We feel these proposed strategies are well thought out, and if implemented by the land managers will greatly lessen the negative impact of motorized recreation in our area”, said Craig Swanson, member of the Motorized Working Group.

The GSRC was co-convened in 2022 by the Coconino National Forest, the City of Sedona, Arizona State Parks and Trails, Yavapai County, and Arizona Game and Fish to partner with and solicit input from key partners on a range of recreation concerns. Southwest Decision Resources was chosen to facilitate this collaborative process. Based on early feedback from interviews with local stakeholders, the facilitation team and Co-Conveners chose to frst focus on motorized recreation. A balanced group of key partners was convened to form the Motorized Recreation Working Group including local residents in geographies within or adjacent to common motorized recreation areas; non-governmental recreation groups; stewardship and environmental organizations; ranching permittees, local law enforcement, and the Red Rock OHV Conservation Crew (RROCC) members, a group of motorized recreation business owners (see below Working Group representation).

The Working Group dove into identifying issues and exploring possible courses of action. After over a year of extensive research, data gathering, discussion, and consensus-based deliberation, the Working Group has arrived at a set of proposed strategies to address many of the concerns surrounding motorized recreation in and around the Sedona area. Consensus was achieved when “everyone generally agreed, and could live with the decision”. Most strategies received full consensus while others have close to full consensus.

“The consensus process was challenging with so many differing views on managing recreation. While the Working Group didn’t always agree on a particular issue, with so many perspectives we were able to get to a full consensus on a lot of strategies being proposed”, said Nena Barlow, member of the Motorized Working Group.

The Co-Convening entities that participated in the process provided technical and legal guidance where appropriate, but they did not participate in any consensus discussions to best allow the Working Group to share their priorities and ideas on strategies. Now, the Co-Conveners will consider the Working Group’s proposed strategies for potential implementation and continue to partner with the Working Group for implementation as appropriate.

The full report titled Proposed Strategies for Motorized Visitor Use Management in the Greater Sedona Area can be viewed at www.greatersedonarecreation.com. In addition, the public is invited to learn more about this effort in a set of upcoming public events, also listed on the website.

Released by the GSRC Motorized Recreation Working Group:

  • Amanda Maxwell, Sedona Westerners
  • Annie Glickstein, Friends of the Forest
  • Becki Ross, Windmill Mountain Ranch
  • Carl Jackson, Broken Arrow Resident
  • Craig Swanson, Keep Sedona Beautiful
  • DeAnna Bindley, Bear Mountain Resident
  • Heather Klomparens, Verde Front Trails Working Group, Yavapai County Community Health
  • Janet Johnson, Bear Mountain Resident
  • John Fitzgibbons, Pink Jeep, Red Rock OHV Conservation Crew
  • Kelley Malek, Sedona Westerners
  • Kevin Adams
  • Matt Caldwell, Red Rock OHV Conservation Crew, Tread Lightly!
  • Melissa Pontikes, Friends of the Forest
  • Nena Barlow, Red Rock OHV Conservation Crew, Barlow Adventures
  • Pandora Harris, Schnebly Hill Resident
  • Pete Sanders, Sedona Metaphysical Association
  • Stephanie Giesbrecht, Backcountry Horsemen, Verde Front Trails Working Group
  • Tim Angus, Red Rock OHV Conservation Crew, Outback ATV