Blueribbon Coalition Inc

In 1987, shortly after Clark Collins--Founder and first Executive Director of the BlueRibbon Coalition-- was told by then Idaho Governor John Evans that recreationists were "not politically significant." Clark worked with other recreationists in a huge undertaking to educate all users of public lands in Idaho on how our resources were not being preserved FOR the public, but rather FROM the public. This effort sowed the seeds of what would ultimately become the BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC).

Since then, the Coalition has grown into a national non-profit voice for recreationists with members in all 50 states.  From our headquarters in Pocatello, Idaho, BRC strives in our advocacy efforts to improve the availability of access on public and private lands and waters for responsible recreation. We promote equality of access, recreational diversity and management options that protect the land, but also promote recreation in a managed and environmentally sustainable fashion. The essence of our efforts is encompassed in our mission statement:

The BlueRibbon Coalition champions responsible use of public lands and waters for the benefit of all recreationists by educating and empowering its members to:

• Secure, protect, and expand shared outdoor recreation access and use
• Work collaboratively with land managers and other interest groups
• Educate the general public, media, elected officials, and other decision makers on recreation and access issues
• Promote equitable and responsible land management
• Affect the political and administrative process
• Support recreation on, and promote respect for, private property
• Encourage appropriate enforcement of the law

In addition to our "on the ground" efforts, the BlueRibbon Coalition provides a robust website of information from all across the United States to keep enthusiasts abreast of land use issues and agency planning. Visitors to our website have the additional options of signing up for action alerts on issues specific to their area or national issues, and they may sign up for our RSS feed for recreational access news and information.

Moreover, we periodically publish state level updates, utilizing direct mail to distribute those to our members and member organizations to help keep the recreation community informed. BlueRibbon Coalition also makes judicious use of social media and attendance to recreational events to educate, inform and facilitate involvement by enthusiasts in public land use planning projects.

Through our Legal Action Program, BRC was among the first and is still among the very few uniquely providing an affordable legal element to our advocacy efforts. We give feet to the voice of off-highway recreation by educating legislators, administrative rule makers and decision makers. We coordinate our national actions and often partner with other national associations to maximize impact and ensure prudent use of precious resources.

For more on the BlueRibbon Coalition's story, visit us online at: www.BlueRibbonCoalition.org.