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Image Courtesy of Wade Wixom
History of the ZRC
History of the ZRC
In 2008, a group of local stakeholders from the Zion Region assembled to discuss National Scenic Byway designation for Utah State Route 9. This also included the development of interpretive wayside signage at select pullouts along the highway.
The Zion Canyon Corridor Council (ZC3), as it came to be known, eventually broadened its scope to include subjects like illegal camping and rural transit. In 2015, another collaborative effort emerged in conjunction with the University of Utah: the Zion Regional Collaborative (ZRC). Soon after its creation, the ZRC absorbed the ZC3. Today, the ZRC meets quarterly to discuss regional concerns and cooperative solutions.
Timeline
Timeline
2008: The Zion Canyon Corridor Council meets for the first time. The “ZC3” comprises a group of regional stakeholders, including the BLM, Zion National Park, corridor municipalities, Washington County, the 5 County Association of Governments, and more. The ZC3 forms initially to seek National Scenic Byway designation, but quickly takes on a variety of regional projects.
2008 - 2016: The ZC3 continues to meet bi-monthly, completing projects like the development of a Corridor Management Plan and Interpretive Plan for the Zion Scenic Byway, a Zion Canyon Corridor Futures Study with USU and SUU, and a Camping Study with RISD.
August 2015: Zion National Park hosts a Collaboration Clinic, in anticipation of the Park’s upcoming Visitor Use Management Planning process. Attendees agree on the importance and helpfulness of collaboration and communication throughout the region.
2016: The University of Utah conducts a Situation Assessment of the region, engaging local stakeholders about concerns, challenges, and opportunities in the area.
July 2016: A group of stakeholders meet again, in the format of the Western Zion Canyon Collaborative Planning Workshop. This effort is facilitated by the University of Utah. The group decides to continue this effort, naming it the Zion Regional Collaborative.
Winter 2016/2017: The Zion Regional Collaborative absorbs the Zion Canyon Corridor Council (ZC3) to avoid duplicating efforts.
March 2017: The ZRC establishes Purpose, Operating Protocols, and Norms for Workshops.
2016 - Present: The Zion Regional Collaborative hosts quarterly workshops to facilitate communication in the region and continue progress on mutually beneficial projects. The ZRC supports subcommittees who tackle specific subjects, like Messaging and Transportation. The Collaborative develops an Integrated Transportation Vision for Zion Canyon, a Regional Multi-Use Feasibility Study, and more. The group continues to work towards the goals initially laid out by the ZC3 and later reinforced by the founding of the ZRC.
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