Paying For Our National Forests

Written in December 2001

As an RVer, you've probably spent time visiting and enjoying our national forests. If you've been to certain forests across the country, such as Shasta-Trinity Forest in California, the Sawtooth National Forest in Idaho or the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Georgia, you probably noticed it cost $2-$5 to access the area for the day.

These parks, along with 78 others in 34 states are part of the Recreation Fee Demonstration Program, also known as fee demo-a test program created through a legislative rider to a budget appropriations bill passed in 1996. The bill allows the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to charge admission fees in up to 100 forest service sites across the country.

Now, five years after the bill's introduction, the U.S. Forest Service is working to make fee demo permanent. This has caused both positive and negative feelings among the RVing community. Some people disagree with the program because of its apparent double taxation-once through federal income tax and again at the national forest entrance. But according to the U.S. Forest Service, the tax dollars actually allocated to the recreation budget from federal tax dollars is considered minute-about $1.80 per $10,000.

Another concern is that fee demo allows the Forest Service to partner with the recreation industry and other large corporations, resulting in a commercialization of our national forests. For example, the New York state park system currently has an official soft drink. Do we want our national parks and forests to move in this direction? Do we want to allow companies to contribute funding and have the ability to become a national forest's corporate sponsor? Many say, "No way."

An article written by the Environmental News Network states that supporters of a forest service corporation partnership are, "�into management of recreation, and one of the objectives is to concession out public land management. In the long run Disney could have parks on public lands." The Forest Service is frequently hit with this accusation and has published this rebuttal:

"The Forest Service offers a range of opportunities, from very rugged and undeveloped wilderness to developed campsites for recreational vehicles. Use of the land is largely determined through the forest planning process.

By law, the public must be included in the process of developing these plans. Congress has designated over 35 million acres within National Wilderness Areas. That means that over 18 percent of the total 191 million acres of national forests and grasslands are preserved as Wilderness and use of those lands is restricted by law. In addition, certain Wild and Scenic Rivers, and other lands are specifically designated and use of those lands are also restricted from development."

Even with hundreds of groups lobbying for the removal of the fee demo extension from the 2002 Interior Appropriations bill, on November 6, 2001, President Bush extended recreation fees until September 30, 2004, by signing the Interior Department spending bill. The bill allows federal agencies to expand fees to more recreation sites. The fees raised $176.5 million nationwide in 2000, paving the way for improved land, facilities and services. Improvements made possible by fee demo revenue include retrofitting campsites and other facilities for people with disabilities, installing trail and interpretive signs for the increasing number of ethnic visitors; expanding hours of operation at park facilities, maintaining thousands of miles of trails, increasing parking areas, improving public safety and upgrading restroom facilities.

Based on a survey administered by the Forest Service, "The public accepts the fees, especially when they see direct benefits to the site where they paid." Last year, 95% of the money collected was returned to the area where the visitor paid, helping to make benefits apparent.

Even though most of the feedback from park users has been positive, the forest service is still testing parts of the plan. One important aspect currently being researched is whether fee demo is pricing low income families out of the forests.

Although most RVers are not considered low income, they may still benefit from the Forest Service's efforts to accommodate all demographics. Most fee demo forests now offer free places, free days and annual passes, giving visitors a significant savings from the per-day price. Project managers are currently monitoring certain populations like seniors and people on fixed incomes, to develop other ways to reduce the fee's impact.