The GNAR Initiative exists to help Western gateway communities, their regions, and public lands around them thrive and preserve the things that make them special. The Initiative does this by leveraging our three pillars – research, education, and capacity building – to help communities and land managers throughout the West prepare and respond to challenges.
Small cities and towns outside of significant natural amenities such as national parks, public lands, ski areas, and scenic rivers throughout the western United States are becoming increasingly popular places to visit and live. As a result, many of these "gateway" and natural amenity region ( or GNAR) communities grapple with “big city” issues, including severe congestion, lack of affordable workforce housing, and concerns about sprawl.
Yes! In their 2020 article in the Journal of the American Planning Association, Dr. Danya Rumore and Dr. Philip Stoker Stoker defined a "gateway community" as:
Tourism and outdoor recreation are driving new opportunities for local communities in many rural places. Analysis of recent news articles and solutions shared with Aspen CSG by rural practitioners provide perspective on how to do economic development diff...
Although many locals are worried about the future, they are well-positioned to address the challenges they face, according to the 2023 We Will Park County report presented by the Park County Community Foundation. The foundation surveyed more than 850 peop...
Gateway communities face a host of challenges that tend to be invisible to shorter-term visitors. What happens in Vegas may, perhaps, stay in Vegas — but for families trying to live in Utah’s popular recreation communities like Springdale, Moab, and Park ...
I was thrilled to see Utah Gov. Spencer Cox’s recent announcement of the National Governors Association “Disagree Better” Initiative, which aims to help Americans move past polarization and engage in conflict in a more healthy way. I am grateful that some...
