SORA AWARDED $470K GRANT
Siskiyou Outdoor Recreation Alliance (SORA) has been awarded a Recreation & Tourism grant for the South Siskiyou Sustainable Recreation & Trails Partnership, a sustainable outdoor recreation planning project. The project is one of several grants awarded by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) governing board on December 9. Nearly $5 million in grant funding was awarded to 11 different trail and trailhead planning and improvement projects in Lassen, Mariposa, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Plumas, and South Siskiyou Counties.
"The project would not have qualified to apply for SNC funding last year," said Mt. Shasta resident Laurel Harkness. "But with the passage of Senate Bill 208, introduced by Senator Dahle and signed into law by Governor Newsom, South Siskiyou County, portion of Shasta, and Trinity counties are now included in the Sierra Nevada Conservancy service area." Harkness worked with Senator Dahle's office to initiate the legislation.
Siskiyou Outdoor Recreation Alliance will receive $470,000 to initiate and establish a multi-year collaborative outdoor recreation planning process. “This project is about engaging South Siskiyou County communities in sustainable outdoor recreation planning and prioritizing projects for future funding,” said Justi Hansen, executive director of Siskiyou Outdoor Recreation Alliance. SORA will invite land management agencies, tribes, private landowners, outdoor recreation and economic development organizations, health care and social services professionals, local businesses, community members, and governments to collectively identify shared values, existing assets, and local recreation infrastructure and stewardship needs.
Project partners will also include a professional planning and design firm and a community facilitator.
The South Siskiyou Sustainable Recreation & Trails Partnership project will lead to a recreation and trail plan that reflects South Siskiyou County communities' cultural, ecological, and socio-economic needs. The Partnership will build on the work completed by various nonprofits, local governments, and the existing multi-use trail infrastructure within the region and will adopt existing conceptual plans. The project is intended build a shared vision, reduce the duplication of efforts, harness the expertise of stakeholders, and maximize resources that can be leveraged for the development of sustainable recreation infrastructure to meet the needs of residents and visitors alike. The effort is a commitment to the rural outdoor recreation economy and the natural resources of south Siskiyou County.
"A well-designed plan will make South County communities eligible to apply for future recreation infrastructure funding—so this kind of project is well worth the effort, " says Hansen.
The South Siskiyou Sustainable Recreation & Trails Partnership will explore the viability of connecting the communities of Weed, Mt. Shasta, Dunsmuir, and McCloud via multi-use trails. It will also focus on expanding safe, non-motorized linkages between trails and other recreation areas, such as lakes and parks, public transportation, and downtown regions within South Siskiyou communities.
"Making multi-use recreational trails accessible by foot, bike, and public transportation to neighborhoods, schools, and city centers is a key characteristic of healthy, well-designed, and economically vibrant communities.", said Hansen.