The BLM is currently revising their Field Office-wide planning document that will provide guidance on local projects for the next 15 to 20 years. The public can follow the progress of this planning process and provide timely comments by visiting Cedar City Field Office

The 5-Mile Picnic Area has been popular picnic site for local residences for over 90 years. Located four miles south of Parowan on SR 143 and one mile east up Bowery creek, it is nestled in the vermillion and red rock formations. In 2017, floods created by the Brian Head fire scar that took out most of the picnic sites and caused extensive damage to the area. Iron County secured a permit from the Dixie National Forest to reconstruct the site and should be open to the public in the summer of 2024.

This project is a resilient water solution for Cedar Valley in Iron County. It will sustainably supply the valley with 15,000 acre-feet (AF) of court decreed water rights owned by the District. This new source will help restore aquifer levels that have been declining, and provide safe and reliable water for the future

The project will enhance winter recreation opportunities for both motorized and non-motorized uses on Cedar Mountain located off Scenic Highway 14. Parking areas will be constructed to allow safe winter parking and high quality winter recreational experiences, while promoting economic benefits for local businesses in rentals, guides, and sales of snowmobiles, sled, and cross-country skis. The parking areas are planned to be complete by the 2024/2025 winter season.

The mission of the Vision Iron County is to bring stakeholders together and create an atmosphere of collaboration for recreation planning.

Iron County and the BLM are planning an International Mountain Trail Challenge Association (IMTCA) course dedicated to the sport of equine mountain trail. The course will be constructed on Bureau of Land Management lands in the Three Peaks Recreation area in Iron County. The course will provide numerous obstacles and challenges including bridges, teeter-totters, a trench, water obstacles, a gate, logs and balance beams. The course will provide a fun and family-oriented atmosphere to broaden opportunities for both the rider and the horse. These courses are very popular around the world and would be professionally designed, constructed and aesthetically pleasing to fit in with the natural landscape. The course should be finished by 2025.

The western portion of Iron County has eight Horse Management Areas designated for wild horse management. The federal government has jurisdiction over wild horses as detailed in the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act. The BLM is the lead agency on wild horse management. For more management information, visit the sites below:

In 2018, The Range-wide General Conservation Plan for the Utah prairie dog in Residential and Commercial Development Areas (GCP) went into effect. This plan allows landowners or developers to get authorization to build on private property that has Utah prairie dogs or their habitat. The clearance area is the area where Utah prairie dog development surveys are required to determine if there are prairie dogs present or not on the property. The GCP requires that Utah prairie dog development surveys before any ground-disturbing activities take place. The GCP also has provisions that help conserve Utah prairie dogs while managing or preventing conflicts with humans.

Water in Utah is managed by the State. For questions relating to water (well drilling, water rights, stream alterations, adjudication, etc.) contact the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Water Rights Division.