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Quoted from appended article:
[Besides commercial ventures, the Forest Service is seeking other partnerships that would ease the burden of recreation management.]
In this short article we see;
1) public facilities being privatized
2) forest recreation being commercialized
3) recreation fees increasing
4) cheap labor replacing USFS labor
5) still more concessionaires being solicited
and
6) the FS using outsourcing to get out from under what they are now calling " the burden" of recreation management.
In this short article we see the future and it is not the future I'd hoped my child would get to enjoy when he became a man.
Scott
--- begin quoted ---
http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/stories/20060611/localnews/102353.shtml
Local News - Sunday, June 11, 2006
Private company will run 7 parks
All are owned by U.S. Forest Service
By DEBBIE GILBERT The Times
Last year, the U.S. Forest Service closed several recreation areas in the Chattahoochee National Forest in order to save money.
This year, the agency is taking a step that hasn't been tried in
Georgia before: allowing a commercial outfitter to run some of the
forest's facilities.
Tennessee-based Chattahoochee Outdoor Adventure has been granted a
five-year, special-use permit to operate seven recreation areas,
including Lake Winfield Scott, DeSoto Falls, Boggs Creek, Morganton
Point, Lakewood Landing, Deep Hole and Toccoa River Sandy Bottom.
Lakewood is a boat-launch facility; the others are campgrounds, and some of those also have day-use areas.
"The concessionaire will be responsible for fee collection, security
patrol, cleaning restrooms, mowing lawns, things like that," said
Alison Koopman, recreation manager for the Brasstown ranger district in
Blairsville.
In return, starting next year, Chattahoochee Outdoor Adventure will be
able to add attractions that could help the outfitter earn a profit.
"This is a forward-thinking company that's looking toward the future
and wants to offer services the Forest Service is not able to provide,
including guided hikes, fly-fishing instruction, canoe and bike rentals
and campground stores," Koopman said.
"These things could bring more folks to the area and also increase revenue."
Larry Luckett, recreation and facilities manager for the Chattahoochee
and Oconee national forests, said a percentage of the fees collected by
the company would be returned to the Forest Service.
"But the concessionaire can hire employees at a lower price than we can and take the difference as profit," he said.
The advantage for the Forest Service, Luckett said, is that rangers
will be able to spend more time out in the backcountry, instead of
performing mundane tasks such as emptying trash cans.
"Our work force has decreased over the last 10 years, dropping from 265
full-time employees to about 190, even as visitor usage of the forest
has grown," he said. "This (concession) arrangement allows us to make
better use of the employees we have."
Luckett said users of the seven recreation areas won't notice much
difference this summer. But next year, the operating hours and length
of season may be expanded, and there may be slight increases in fees,
reflecting the higher level of services offered.
Luckett said the Chattahoochee National Forest won't be bringing in any
additional concessionaires this season, but officials are looking at
attracting more companies in the next fiscal year.
Besides commercial ventures, the Forest Service is seeking other
partnerships that would ease the burden of recreation management.
For example, the Chattahoochee National Forest's most popular
attraction, Anna Ruby Falls near Helen, has been without a gift shop
since the Forest Service severed ties with a volunteer group last year.
Now the agency is in negotiations with Georgia State Parks to have Unicoi State Park take over management of Anna Ruby Falls.
The two properties are adjacent, and people have to drive through the
state park to reach the falls. Visitors often have been confused about
jurisdiction, since the state and national facilities charged separate
parking fees.
Unicoi's staff also is experienced in customer service and retail, operating a gift shop inside Unicoi Lodge.
Luckett said the Forest Service hopes to reach an agreement with the state park by October.
Contact:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
; (770) 718-3407
Contact: Chattahoochee National Forest, Brasstown ranger district: (706) 745-6928
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- Privatization 
