(Press Staff Photo by Makayla Grijalva)
Gila National Forest road crew worker Patrick Garcia helps direct a bulldozer during refurbishment of the Little Walnut trailhead near Silver City.
Grant County is moving one step closer to developing a master plan to guide improvements to outdoor recreation opportunities — opportunities that community leaders say will play a key role in diversifying southwest New Mexico’s mining-reliant economy.
On Tuesday, a review committee recommended to Grant County commissioners that they award a contract for developing the master plan to SE Group, a national company with offices in Utah, Colorado and Vermont that specializes in community planning and outdoor recreation enhancement strategies. The company has designed trails and open space master plans for Colorado communities like Frisco, Estes Valley and Snowmass, as well as for outdoor recreation destinations in other states.