Initiation of the Shooting Dialogue

In 2003, the Tucson Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in the process of developing a management plan for the Ironwood Forest National Monument, requested that the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution conduct a situation analysis on issues related to recreational and other types of shooting (excluding hunting). Safety concerns and resource damage were identified as significant concerns in the Ironwood Forest National Monument, and the assessment was viewed as an important tool to gain an understanding of public attitudes, and perceived opportunities for addressing these issues.

Believing that issues surrounding shooting could not be adequately addressed without taking a basin-wide approach, BLM sought to identify opportunities to work with a wide array of stakeholders to define a common vision for resolving resource management and public safety issues. The BLM provided the initial funding for the situation assessment; however, in the early stages of the project, the USDA Forest Service's Coronado National Forest and the Arizona Game and Fish Department joined as co-sponsors.

Dialogue participants include federal, state and local government agencies, public land users and organizations (e.g. National Rifle Association, shooting clubs, conservation organizations, hiking and other recreational user groups, etc.), representatives from the Arizona Governor's Office, Congressional representatives, and other affected parties.

Between May and December 2003, a neutral facilitation team under contract to the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution conducted a situation assessment regarding recreational shooting issues within the Tucson Basin. The assessment team interviewed agency personnel, recreational shooting organizations and individuals, various other public land user groups, and affected individuals. The assessment included an analyses of stakeholder interests, identification of points of agreement and possible areas of controversy, and recommendations for designing a process to build a collaborative support for resolving issues associated with shooting.

The report, "Recreational Shooting in the Tucson Basin: The Potential for Collaborative Dialogue and Action" completed in January 2004, concluded that widespread support existed for convening a public dialogue about shooting in the Tucson Basin. Recommendations included organizing a directed, outcome-oriented process with few meetings and clear, tangible results. Participants in this dialogue would include representatives from all affected stakeholders, and they would be encouraged to work together to ideIssues of Concernntify, analyze and resolve issues, and develop specific actions that could result in concrete outcomes. The full report can be obtained online at - Tucson Basin.

For the purposes of this project, participants agreed to define the Tucson Basin as the area within a 30-mile radius surrounding the junction of Interstate 10 and Interstate 19. This designation has no legal, political or geographic significance - it was chosen simply for defining an area around which discussions would focus. In actuality, public lands where shooting is a legal activity or formal shooting venues are outside this designated area.

Because of the rapidly increasing urban populations throughout the Tucson Basin, land managers and communities are faced with many issues related to urban expansion, including the growing interest in shooting. Four in particular are of concern:

Table of Contents

Colt 32-20 Model 1911  Colt 32-20 Model 1911 The ATF defines 'antique' firearms as firearms that were built in  .. full details Call