Integrating Recreation in NEPA

Building Relationships and Trust

In this episode of Planning the Wild, Rachel Franchina and Leander Lacy discuss the critical role of trust and relationships in recreation planning and conservation. They explore the importance of inclusivity in conservation efforts, the need for equitable access to outdoor spaces, and the significance of building trust with communities. Leander shares his unique journey into conservation, emphasizing the human dimensions of natural resources and the necessity of engaging diverse voices in the planning process. The conversation highlights practical examples of trust-building in action and the hopeful outlook for the future of conservation efforts. Resources * https://lacyconsultingservices.com/ [https://lacyconsultingservices.com/] * Building and Sustaining Trust Workshop [https://www.recpro.org/2026-pre-conference-workshops#BuildingandSustainingTrust] - May 11, 2026 in Duluth, MN About Leander Leander Lacy is a world-renowned conservationist, public speaker, The Green Mind Podcast host, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Scientist, Wildlife Biologist, Conservation Coach, and has been in the conservation field for over 18 years. As an independent contractor he has worked with organizations and agencies around the world to ensure conservation efforts are sustainable and that the benefits are realized equitably to all communities with a specialist emphasis on communities historically excluded from conservation planning and implementation. His work includes impact assessments, community assessments, equity research, capacity building for community engagement, facilitation, and keynote speaker.

Visitor Use Management Framework

In this episode of Planning the Wild, Rachel is joined by Maureen Finnerty, chair of the Interagency Visitor Use Management Council. Maureen shares about the origins of the Visitor Use Management (VUM) framework, a tool built from lessons learned across federal agencies like the NPS, Forest Service, BLM, and others. The conversation covers how the flexible framework is helping to make planning more proactive, adaptable, and ultimately more resilient in the face of growing visitation and natural challenges. Resources: * IVUMC Training Resources [https://visitorusemanagement.nps.gov/VUM/Training] * SORP VUM Resources [https://www.recpro.org/visitor-use-management-resources] About Maureen Maureen Finnerty is a recreation and visitor experience planner for the National Park Service. She has worked for the National park service for over 20 years in a variety of capacities, but always focused on visitors and the visitor experience in some way. She currently serves as the chair of the interagency visitor use management council. She is based in Colorado and spends all of her free time skiing, running, and fishing on public lands with her family and two dogs.

Mid-level Recreation Planning

In this episode of Planning the Wild, host Rachel Franchina welcomes Mary Ellen, a seasoned recreation planner with extensive experience in land management. They discuss Mary Ellen's journey into recreation planning, the importance of collaboration, and the critical elements of effective recreation planning. The conversation delves into mid-level recreation planning, its distinction from NEPA, and the significance of engaging diverse perspectives in planning processes. Mary Ellen shares her insights on the evolving landscape of public land management and expresses hope for the future as more people become involved in protecting and enjoying public lands. Resources * Find Mary Ellen's books here [https://maryemerick.com/] About Mary Ellen Mary Ellen spent 35 years in remote and wild places, working for all four land management agencies. As a recreation planner, she led teams in developing vision and solutions for places as varied as wilderness, wild and scenic rivers, trail systems, and highly visited frontcountry. She worked in all levels of land management, from her start as a seasonal worker to details in the Washington Office. She retired from full-time work in 2024 to write novels and spend more time in the woods.

Site Planning and Design

In this episode, Rachel Franchina discusses the foundations of recreation planning with guests Nancy Brunswick and Brad Cownover, both experienced landscape architects and recreation planners. They share their personal journeys into the field, emphasizing the importance of creativity, site planning, and understanding user needs in designing effective recreation spaces. The conversation also touches on the evolution of recreation planning within the Forest Service and the significance of the built environment in enhancing user experiences. Finally, they express hope for the future of public lands and the opportunities for collaboration in managing these vital resources. About Brad Brad is a strategic advisor and consultant with thirty years of experience leading sustainable recreation planning, scenery management, and accessible design across federal agencies, nonprofits, and private consulting. His work is place-based, providing benefits to the broader landscape and local communities. He has national and international experience in developing and leading stakeholder workshops, training, and presentations for scenic byways, visual stewardship, and sustainable tourism. Previously, Brad has served as Pacific NW Regional Landscape Architect for the USDA Forest Service, the Chief Landscape Architect for the Bureau of Land Management, and as Director of Scenic Conservation for the nonprofit Scenic America. About Nancy Nancy Brunswick was the regional landscape architect for the Intermountain Region of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, responsible for working with forests and their landscape architects in Utah, Nevada, southern Idaho, and southwestern Wyoming. Her first career assignment was as the west zone landscape architect on the Dixie National Forest in southern Utah. She transferred into a partnership position in 2000 with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highways Administration and the America's Byways Resource Center as the first Federal lands byway specialist working with the resource center staff. She was responsible for developing training resources for interpretation, planning, and scenic conservation for State and local byway organizations. Before moving to Ogden, UT, she was the forest landscape architect and recreation program manager on the Cibola National Forests and Grasslands in New Mexico. Brunswick was a contributing author and helped manage development of Sustainable Recreation Site Design Guide, published by the US Forest Service National Technology Development Center in 2024. She was also a contributing author for "Scenic Byways: A Design Guide for Roadside Improvements," which received an award from the National Association for Interpretation. While working with the America's Byways Resource Center, she was a project manager and a contributing author for "Conserving Our Treasured Places: Managing Visual Quality on Scenic Byways."

Integrating Recreation in NEPA

In this conversation, Rachel Franchina speaks with Linda Marigliano, a recently retired Recreation and Wilderness Program Manager, about her extensive career in recreation management within the Forest Service. They discuss the importance of leading with passion for the land, evolving public engagement strategies, and the integration of recreation into broader planning efforts. Linda shares her journey into conservation, the significance of partnerships, and the ongoing challenges and opportunities in managing public lands. The conversation highlights the shift in societal values towards experiences over material goods and the growing recognition of recreation's role in land management. About Linda Linda is a recently retired recreation/wilderness program manager who also served on the forest plan revision team for the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Jackson. She was drawn to the area in 1979 while volunteering as a backcountry ranger in the Tetons and over the years has led several recreation planning efforts, served on Interagency Wilderness Character Monitoring Committee, taught courses for the Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center, and served on the Interagency Visitor Use Management Council. She continues to work on behalf of the land and people as a volunteer with continued focus on visitor use planning, public engagement, and promoting responsible, respectful use. Her husband Mike is an ecologist and together they enjoy hiking, backcountry skiing, and occasional road trips to the desert.