By Navarro Guerra & Cody Snow
As current design students many of our projects are heavily based in theory and speculation, however, working with the Bears Ears National Monument Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has pushed us to focus our design efforts on real, actionable products. For the first time in our process, our research had real world implications on the solutions we sought to discover. Furthermore, working with a partner required us to focus on their expectations and the regulations governing the BLM. We are also forced to consider the greater context around the land we seek to alter. Although the BLM is one of the primary governing bodies overseeing Bears Ears National Monument, there are a plethora of additional partners, residents, and considerations that must be taken into account for any project in the area.
In order to effectively collaborate with the BLM, we first oriented ourselves to the intricacies of the BLM website. We had to gain an understanding of the rules and regulations the BLM must uphold when governing the monument and familiarize ourselves with the land and various challenges they face. We were fortunate enough to speak with BLM Staff that were able to further inform our understanding of the area. During these conversations, members of the BLM were able to highlight challenges such as accessibility, trail proliferation, land preservation and many more that presented opportunities for design intervention. Combining these challenges with our own personal interests allowed us to narrow in on an opportunity area of transportation and accessibility.
We began looking at various transportation methods across Bears Ears in conjunction with the various concerns related to the use of Off Highway Vehicles (OHV’s) on BLM land. During this period, we discovered an article proposing change to e-Bike regulation, kickstarting more specific research into bike transportation. We theorize that by incorporating a platform for e-Bike transportation, we might mitigate many of the transportation challenges that BLM struggles with. After analyzing our research on the trail systems, accessibility, and management processes within Bears Ears, we are proposing a platform for on site rentals of site tailored e-Bikes as an alternative transportation method. We hope that these e-Bikes will give more access to more people across Bears Ears, as well as reduce OHV traffic in turn reducing impacts on the environment. Such rentals could generate funding as well as improved management tools.
After presenting our research and opportunity proposal to the BLM, we were surprised to find that our choices in drawing out the research changed the way they viewed the issue of e-bikes. Prior to our presentation we feared our work would not have impact since they are already experts in their own field. As outsiders we were able to bring a new set of eyes to existing data and change the way the they might consider implementing e-Bikes. Rather than looking at e-Bikes as a more destructive alternative to mountain bikes, how might they be viewed as a positive choice when compared to OHV’s? Moving forward, we hope to design a component of this e-Bike platform that responds to the considerations of specific regions of the monument and changes the way users travel across Bears Ears for the better.