Public Lands Interpretive Association
Public Lands Interpretive Association (PLIA) is a cooperating (or interpretive) association whose mission is to “inspire and educate the public about the natural and cultural heritage resources of America’s public lands.”
PLIA provides those wanting to visit public lands with information and educational materials such as up-to-date fire news and alerts, and an online map center with Bureau of Land Management,[1] Forest Service, and other maps helpful to users of public lands.[2]
PLIA is one of more than sixty 501c(3) not-for-profit interpretive associations which support public land agencies throughout the United States. The national umbrella organization of interpretive associations is the Association of Partners for Public Lands.
History
PLIA (formerly Southwest Natural and Cultural Heritage Association) was formed in 1981, and is affiliated with the US Fish & Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management.[3]
Revenues are derived from PLIA sales outlets, a campground concession, publishing and product development, online sales, and by providing customer service for the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Net revenues support PLIA’s interpretive and educational efforts.
Sales Outlets and Areas Managed by PLIA
Arizona
USDA Forest Service:
- Clifton Ranger District Office, Clifton
- Sabino Canyon Visitor Center, Tucson
- Palisades Visitor Center, Mt. Lemmon
- Sierra Vista Ranger District Office, Hereford
- Williams Visitor Center, Williams
New Mexico
USDA Forest Service:
- Glenwood Ranger District Office, Glenwood
- Sacramento Ranger District Office, Cloud Croft
- Lincoln NF Supervisors Office, Alamogordo
Bureau of Land Management:
- El Malpais Visitor Station, Grants
- New Mexico Public Lands Information Center, Santa Fe
- Rio Grande Gorge Visitor Center, Pilar
- Wild Rivers Recreation Area, Cerro
- Art Zimmerman Visitors Center
- Valley of Fires National Recreation Area, Carrizozo
- Valley of Fires National Recreation Area Visitor Center
Oklahoma
US Fish and Wildlife Service
- Witchita Mountain Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
Campgrounds
Since 1991, PLIA has operated four campgrounds, doing business as Southwest Recreation, under a special use permit on the Williams Ranger District on the Kaibab National Forest near Williams, Arizona.
Campground locations:
- Kaibab Lake
- White Horse Lake
- Dogwood Lake
- Cataract Lake
Valles Caldera National Preserve
In 2004, PLIA began providing customer and concierge services for the Valles Caldera National Preserve. These services include reservations for recreational activities, general information about the history and natural history of the preserve, and assisting customers with bookings and inquiries.
American Frontiers: A Public Lands Journey
In 2002 the PLIA mapped out a Canada-to-Mexico trek exclusively on public lands called American Frontiers: A Public Lands Journey.[4] This was the first trek through the United States done entirely on public land.
Publications
| Date | Publication |
|---|---|
| 2010 | Six New Mexico Recreational Maps |
| 2009 | Ducks at a Distance, 12th edition |
| 2004, 2008 | Trail Guide to Lincoln National Forest, 2nd Revised Edition |
| 2001 | Out and About in a Day: Outdoor Fun on Northern Utah’s Public Lands |
| 1999 | Trail Guide to Lincoln National Forest, Wild and Scenic Rio Chama |
| 1998 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge |
| 1997 | Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, Delores River Guide |
| 1995 | Trail Guide to Pecos Wilderness |
| 1994 | Wild and Scenic Rio Grande, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Visitor Guide to Sandia Mountains |
| 1992 | Visitor Guide to Coconino National Forest |
| 1991 | Visitor Guide to Mogollon Rim |
| 1990 | Visitor Guide to Kaibab Forest (North), Visitor Guide to Kaibab NF (South) |