Ponderosa State Park General Development Plan
The Ponderosa General Development Plan (GDP) provides a future development and management direction for Ponderosa State Park.
With an extensive public involvement process as its foundation, the plan inventories the existing natural system within the parks boundaries and determines the limitations and opportunities presented by the site, and also analyzes and responds to the growing recreational demand in the area.
Improvements outlined in the Ponderosa GDP are intended to: concentrate visitors use at the less sensitive south end of the peninsula, thus sparing the more sensitive northern areas from the brunt of user impacts; provide additional day-use facilities to accommodate increasing day-use visitation; streamline fee collection and camper registration; reduce resource degradation resulting from intense visitor use with physical developments and structures; reduce conflict between user groups; improve interpretive facilities; and provide additional support facilities for boaters on the Payette Lake. These improvements have been identified to occur in appropriate areas within the park as outlined in the park’s land use plan.
The Land Use Plan
An individual park within the system cannot be all things, to all people. A well-balanced recreation system requires the use of a broad range of resources in carrying combinations. These vary from intensively developed sites providing diverse recreational opportunities for large groups, to undisturbed primitive areas providing natural enjoyment for limited numbers.
A land use plan defines the pattern for human activity in a given area. It establishes the character of a place by determining what happens, where it happens and to what degree it happens. It controls use and development, and arranges park activities and facilities in such a manner as to obtain a balance between visitors enjoyment of the park and protection of the resource. (CLICK HERE TO SEE PONDEROSA STATE PARKS CLASSIFICATION MAP)
The Ponderosa GDP recognizes the significant natural resources present in the park. These resources present diverse and high quality recreational, interpretive, and educational opportunities. The land use plan for Ponderosa State Park prescribes the best use of the lands within the park for providing additional needed park opportunities, within the framework of resource protection and perpetuation.
As identified by the Ponderosa State Park GDP under Main Management Principles, appropriate developments within the park might include: group-campgrounds, individual campsites, lodges, marina facilities, boat launches, swimming beaches, visitor/interpretive centers, program areas, trails, trail head facilities, staff housing areas, maintenance yards, and other similar facilities.