John Knoblock is the Central Wasatch Commission’s outgoing Stakeholders Council Chair. In this role he has actively participated in nearly every System Committee meeting, every Stakeholders Council meeting, and every Board meeting for the last two years. Since his term is up at the end of the month, we wanted to give him a chance to share his thoughts on his tenure in a podcast-style exit interview. To make it a special event we asked him to choose a location in the Central Wasatch that he’s passionate about. For reasons that become increasingly clear through the duration of the conversation, he had me meet him at the foot of Grandeur Peak on a sunny summer morning where the latest section of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail has recently been completed.

The conversation switched back and forth as we ascended the singletrack trail, but a strong narrative thread ran throughout: Whether the topic is trails, transportation, or conservation, John touts the importance of embracing long-term thinking. Without a decent grasp of history, he says, it’s hard to remain committed to big and important projects. This newest section of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, for example, took him more than 20 years to finish. By the end of our walk, 20 years seemed like a much shorter duration than it did at the trailhead. The Mountain Accord is only 10 years old and the Central Wasatch Commission is only seven years old, John reminds us–and big goals such as the Central Wasatch Conservation and Recreation Area Act (CWNCRA) could take 20 years to complete, but they will get done.

Chapters

00:00 The Journey of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail

01:52 Connecting Community and Nature

04:51 The Urban-Wildland Interface

09:00 Land Acquisition Challenges

12:54 Trail Development and Community Involvement

15:48 Trail Design Considerations

19:47 Legislative Challenges and Opportunities

25:32 The Role of IMBA and Community Support

30:52 Incremental Progress vs. Comprehensive Solutions

34:54 Ski Resorts and Legislative Support

35:30 Reflecting on Two Years of Progress

41:08 Building Collaborative Relationships

47:59 The Long View: Patience in Progress

54:07 Education and Long-Term Thinking

01:01:08 Finding Common Ground in Conservation

01:05:51 The Personal Connection to Nature#BonnevilleShorelineTrail #CentralWasatchCommission #landacquisition #communityinvolvement #traildevelopment #urbanwildlandinterface #outdoorrecreation #environmentalprotection #legislation #IMBA #CentralWasatch #MountainAccord #collaboration #environmentalconservation #longterm thinking #stakeholderengagement #recreation #communitydialogue #sustainabledevelopment

Mountain Accord https://cwc.utah.gov/mountainaccord/

Central Wasatch Commission https://cwc.utah.gov/

Visitor Use Study https://cwc.utah.gov/visitor-use-study/

CWNCRA https://cwc.utah.gov/legislation-and-federal-designation/

Donate to CWC Project work https://cwc.utah.gov/contribute/

Trails Utah https://trailsutah.org/