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The appended article from today's press provides an unusually clear example of how the US Forest Service and the private sector are conspiring to commercialize, privatize and motorize our public lands.
What I found interesting about this particular article was the near perfect polarization of interests it displays. Three conservation spokespersons were interviewed and their statements were in almost perfect agreement. Three commercial and/or motorized recreation spokespersons were interviewed and their statements were similarly in near perfect agreement.
One representative of the USFS was interviewed. With which group do you suppose he was aligned???
I would just add that advertising has long been understood to be prohibited by law on the national forests and MUCH has been written on the specific legal status of advertising on chair lifts.
The fact that the USFS has proposed changes to their rule book, will not change the LEGAL status of advertising. But unless someone sues the USFS and forces them to abide by the law, it appear that they will play by their own rules.
Scott
--- begin quoted ---
December 01, 2005
Commercialism in national forests?
By BRODIE FARQUHAR -Star-Tribune correspondent
Changes to U.S. Forest Service policies will open the door to commercialism of national forests, critics charge.
The proposals are similar to plans for the National Park Service to
encourage solicitation of donations from concessionaires and increase
marketing opportunities for recreation-oriented businesses in national
parks.
"It means they (recreation-oriented businesses) can do any damn thing
they want," said Scott Silver of Wild Wilderness, a conservation group
that favors nonmotorized recreation.
The proposal -- published in the Federal Register the day after
Thanksgiving -- would change long-standing rules in the Forest Service
manual governing advertising and sponsorship in connection with
concessions involving privately owned improvements operated under
special use permits on forest lands. It allows holders of concession
permits -- such as ski resorts and marinas -- to advertise inside
buildings and other interior spaces they own, and encourages
cooperative relationships and sponsorships that promote public
participation in the management of national forests.
Silver said that while the language sounds innocuous, it represents yet
another advance in a conservative drive to privatize public lands, or
turn management of public lands over to private businesses.
"This is just a back-door injection of corporate influence over our
public lands," said Tim Preso, an EarthJustice lawyer based in Bozeman,
Mont.
The Forest Service itself acknowledges a tradeoff in the Federal
Register announcement: "The Forest Service wants to encourage
concessionaires to promote public participation in the management of
NFS lands by proposing public services, evaluating solutions to
specific natural resource management problems, and promoting
conservation awareness and public health and safety."
Because these endeavors may cost money without generating a monetary
reward, concessionaires have encouraged the Forest Service to consider
sponsorship and advertisement as ways to generate funding for these
types of activities.
Ads on chairlifts
A new interim directive, which takes effect immediately, will allow
advertising on the restraining bars of chairlifts at ski resorts on
national forests -- a practice banned in recent years by the Forest
Service. That's good news for Aspen, Colo., businessman Matt Jay, whose
Ripple Media Co. invented something called MapLinks -- a 4-foot-long
panel that can be bolted to a restraining bar. MapLinks features trail
maps, an ad for a commercial sponsor and a public service announcement,
and is provided free to ski areas.
According to Geraldine Link, director of public policy for the National
Ski Area Association, MapLinks had a pilot program for the past two
years in Aspen. Instead of digging for, fumbling and dropping paper
maps, skiers used MapLinks to plan which trails they'd take, she said.
"Skiers gave it an overwhelmingly favorable response," Link said.
According to news coverage by Ski Magazine, the MapLinks pilot program
came after vigorous lobbying of Congress and Forest Service officials
by MapLinks owner Jay. Questions raised by the MapLinks issue
apparently led the Forest Service to reassess and update its rules
about ads on national forest lands, which hold 60 percent of the
nation's ski areas.
Steve Sherwood, Forest Service recreation director, attributed the
revised policy to requests for policy clarification from the ski
industry and specifically the National Ski Area Association.
More advertising
Andy Stahl, director of the Forest Service Employees for Environmental
Ethics, said the new policy replaces language that put tight
restrictions on advertising on national forest lands.
"This looks pretty open-ended in scope," he said.
Like the National Park Service, the Forest Service has long operated
under the belief that public lands should be an escape for a public
that is inundated by ads in the private sector. Along those lines,
Stahl said, both agencies have limited signs to the availability and
location of goods, services and facilities, but never allowed overt
commercial messages, such as logos for specific companies or products.
"This is all about name-brands and name-brand branding," Stahl said.
Yet Link, of the National Ski Area Association, predicted that the public will not notice many changes.
Brian Hawthorn, spokesman for the Blue Ribbon Coalition of
off-road-vehicle interests, said such a policy could help with public
recognition of public service programs initiated by industry. For
example, the Hummer Helps program invests money in trail improvements.
A Hummer logo would be nice recognition, he said.
Public participation
Stahl described the Forest Service's encouragement of "public
participation" in public lands management as "bizarre and unnecessary."
He speculated that the vague language could result in industrial
propaganda display cases, extolling the benefits of timber sales or
livestock grazing on public lands, sponsored by timber companies or
cattle associations.
"This is much broader than present language," Stahl said.
Sherwood emphasized the desire to bring more recreational and
educational opportunities to the public. For example, the private
sector could sponsor nighttime snowshoe trips, for which it could be
publicly and appropriately recognized. He noted that Forest Service
line officers must authorize such activities, require business plans
and run official reviews of bona fide service and products.
Sherwood said the recognition of sponsoring businesses would be the
visual equivalent of how National Public Radio recognizes sponsors on
the air -- short and to the point, and not pumping a particular product
or service.
Want to learn more?
See the proposed Forest Service policy change in the Federal Register
online at
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a051125c.html#Forest%20Service.
Want to have a say?
Comments about the policy change must be received in writing by March
27, 2006. Send comments by mail to USDA, Forest Service, Attention:
Carolyn Holbrook, Recreation and Heritage Resources Staff (2340), 1400
Independence Ave., SW., Stop 1125, Washington, D.C., 20250-1125, or by
fax to Carolyn Holbrook, (202) 205-1145, or by e-mail to
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- Privatization 
