Public Lands Interpretive Association
Encyclopedia
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, Forest Service, and other maps helpful to users of public lands.
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.
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.
Bureau of Land Management:
Campground locations:
. This was the first trek through the United States done entirely on public land.
Cooperating Associations
Cooperating Associations, also known as interpretive associations or natural history associations, support the interpretive, educational and scientific programs and services of governmental land management agencies such as the National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife...
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, Forest Service, and other maps helpful to users of public lands.
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.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.
Arizona
USDA Forest Service:- Apache Sitgreaves NFApache-Sitgreaves National ForestThe Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest is a United States National Forest which runs along the Mogollon Rim and the White Mountains in east-central Arizona and extending into New Mexico, USA. Both forests are managed as one unit by USDA Forest Service from the forest headquarters in Springerville,...
: - Clifton Ranger District Office, Clifton
- Coronado NFCoronado National ForestThe Coronado National Forest includes an area of about 1.78 million acres spread throughout mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico....
:
- Sabino Canyon Visitor Center, Tucson
- Palisades Visitor Center, Mt. Lemmon
- Sierra Vista Ranger District Office, Hereford
- Kaibab NFKaibab National ForestAt 1.6 million acres the Kaibab National Forest borders both the north and south rims of the Grand Canyon, in north-central Arizona. It is divided into three major sections: the North Kaibab Ranger District and the South Kaibab and are managed by USDA Forest Service...
:
- Williams Visitor Center, Williams
New Mexico
USDA Forest Service:- Gila NFGila National ForestThe Gila National Forest is a protected national forest in New Mexico in the southwestern United States established in 1905. It covers approximately 3.3 million acres of public land, making it the sixth largest National Forest in the continental United States...
:
- Glenwood Ranger District Office, Glenwood
- Lincoln NFLincoln National ForestThe Lincoln National Forest is a protected national forest in the State of New Mexico in the southwestern United States. It was established in 1902 and covers 1,103,828 acres...
:
- Sacramento Ranger District Office, Cloud Croft
- Lincoln NF Supervisors Office, Alamogordo
Bureau of Land Management:
- El Malpais National Conservation AreaEl Malpais National Conservation AreaThe El Malpais National Conservation Area is a federally protected conservation area in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The El Malpais National Conservation area was established in 1987 and is managed by the 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, Lawton
- 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 LakeKaibab LakeKaibab Lake is located about northeast of Williams in North Central Arizona.Camping is permitted at the campgrounds managed by the Public Lands Interpretive Association.-Fish species:* Rainbow Trout* Largemouth Bass* Sunfish* Catfish...
- 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 JourneyAmerican Frontiers: A Public Lands Journey
American Frontiers: A Public Lands Journey was a not for profit publicity project intended to raise awareness about public lands in the United states. It involved teams of travellers making their way across the United states, from Mexico to Canada, while avoiding private...
. 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) |