Deschutes National Forest: Trail Fee Collection

Trail Fee Collection on the Deschutes National Forest is NOT creating a supplemental income source for trail maintenance.

Wild Wilderness obtained the following data directly from the Bend Fork-Rock Ranger Office of the Deschutes National Forest [PHONE (541) 388-5664].

What we have presented here, are the allocated and budgeted funds available for motorized projects, non-motorized projects, and for wilderness projects for the years 1996-1998. Trail Fee collection began in 1997, but no funds were budgeted from this source until 1998.

The data clearly show that:

Funding for non-motorized projects is declining

Funding for wilderness is declining

Funding for motorized projects is constant, or increasing

Combined Non-motorized and Wilderness budgets were cut by $40,700 between 1997 and 1998.

New "supplemental" revenues budgeted from Trial Fees are $40,000, i.e., just equal to the reduction in allocated budget for the same time period!

CONCLUSION:

Trail Fees are not creating a source of revenue to supplement funds available for trail maintenance. Instead, projects budgets for 1998 were REDUCED by the amount of NEW MONEY expected to be collected from Trail Fees (after deducting 38.5% for overhead).

Trail Fees are being collected ONLY for non-motorized and wilderness use of the forest. Allocated funds for these uses have been dramatically slashed. Trail Fees are not being collected for motorized use of the forest. Budgets for motorized projects is stable or rising!

Thus, on the Bend Fork-Rock District of the Deschutes National Forest, the demonstration recreation fee program is a total failure. Non-motorized forest users are now paying trail fees, but are getting nothing in return. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS will result from this trail fee program in 1998 for "on-the-ground" improvements. The local Forest Service will, however, receive an additional $25,000 for OVERHEAD from these trail fee payments. It is unlikely, however, that $25,000 will actually pay the cost of enforcement and additional TAXPAYER dollars will almost certainly be spent giving "tickets" to those who dare to go hiking on their public lands without purchasing a permit!

ACTUAL DATA:

Recreation Trails Funding For the Deschutes National Forest (TABLE 1)

Funds allocated or budgeted to each category (dollars)

YEAR	Motorized	Non-Motorized	Wilderness	Non-Motorized plus Wilderness	Trail Fee
1996	$42,618	$66,500	$76,100	$142,600	N/A
1997	$38,700	$46,500	$88,400	$134,900	N/A
1998	$45,000	$41,900	$52,300	$94,200	BUDGETED: Administration $25,000 Maintenance $40,000

Recreation Trails Funding For the Deschutes National Forest (Table 2)

Fund allocated amongst these 3 categories (% of total)

YEAR	Motorized	Non-Motorized	Wilderness
1996	23%	36%	41%
1997	22%	27%	51%
1998	32%	30%	38%

Recreation Trails Funding For the Deschutes National Forest (Table 3)

Total of federally allocated funds for motorized, non-motorized and wilderness trails (dollars)

YEAR	Total Funds Allocated	Total Funds PLUS anticipated share of trail fees for maintenance
1996	$185,218	$185,218
1997	$173,600	$173,600
1998	$139,200	$179,200

This document was prepared by Wild Wilderness. To learn more about ongoing industry-backed congressional efforts to motorize, commercialize, and privatize America's public lands, contact:

Scott Silver, Executive Director,
Wild Wilderness
248 NW Wilmington Avenue, Bend OR 97701
Phone (541) 385-5261 E-mail: ssilver@wildwilderness.org