FUNDING QUALITY PUBLIC LANDS AND WATERS
RECREATION PROGRAMS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Goals
1) discuss and recommend ways to define desired levels of
recreation opportunities on federally-managed lands and waters,
including scope, volume and quality measurements;
2) review and assess current alternative means to fund
recreation services and facilities at federal recreation sites,
including appropriations, fees, volunteerism, federal/state/local
partnerships (including state- and locally-provided funding under
such programs as Wallop-Breaux, the Recreational Trails Program,
Transportation Enhancements and state OHV funds),
permits/concessioner agreements (including the Private/Public
Ventures initiative of the Forest Service);
3) develop a strategy to improve agency utilization of
currently-available funding tools, including training and staffing
changes; and
4) identify new funding tools needed to adequately fund federal
lands and waters recreation programs, including but not limited to
Phase II of fee demo or permanent fee legislation and to revisions
to federal surface transportation programs.
Description
Recreation opportunities on federal lands and waters face
substantial challenges, including lack of clear goals and
standards, inadequate information regarding visitor desires and
satisfaction and funding. While several agencies have sought to
develop comprehensive recreation strategies (notably the Forest
Service and the Bureau of Land Management and the recent work of
the National Recreation Lakes Study Commission) and all agencies
have sought to better document backlogs in maintenance and new
facility needs, much remains to be done to articulate goals and
develop action strategies for meeting those goals. In addition,
legislative successes in the 106th Congress added new tools and
opportunities, including a revitalized Land and Water Conservation
Fund.
One of the concepts being voiced with increasing frequency is the
need for a comprehensive review of recreation needs and
opportunities, a process most recently undertaken by the
President’s Commission on Americans Outdoors (1985-1987). There
are several potential mechanisms for such a review.
In the short term, federal agencies providing recreation
opportunities and their partners must increase awareness and
utilization of tools which boost the capability to deliver quality
to current recreation activities. The American Recreation
Coalition (ARC) produced “Toolbox for the 21st Century: Delivering
Top-Notch Visitor Services on Federal Lands” in 1997, which
describes a large number of alternative funding strategies and
programs and provides illustrations of use of these tools. Plans
for converting this manual into a training program and on-line
resource have not progressed, despite interest by leading agency
officials. Manual excerpts follow.
Legislatively, there are several opportunities and needs. The
National Recreation Fee Demonstration Program was extended for one
year under the appropriations act for FY01. Congressional action
is needed by September 30, 2001, to allow annual fee sales
subsequent to that date. An outline of a proposed Fee Demo Phase
II follows, developed cooperatively by ARC and the House Interior
Appropriations Subcommittee. In addition, action is needed soon to
insure appropriate public lands provisions in the post-TEA 21
surface transportation measure. Other potential avenues to boost
resources include the next surface transportation measure (due in
2003), the next farm bill (2001) and various education, health and
conservation initiatives.
Action Team Leaders
Silver Team
David Brown
Executive Director
America Outdoors
Knoxville, TN 37939
865-558-3595, FAX 865-558-3598
dbrown@telcocom.com
Gold Team
Alan O’Neill
Executive Director
Outside Las Vegas Foundation
2252 Morning Mesa Avenue
Henderson, NV 89052
702-647-5079, FAX 702-837-3451
Action Team Resource People
Joe Meade
Director of Recreation, Southwest
Region
USDA Forest Service
517 Gold Avenue, SW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
505-842-3442, FAX 505-842-3800
jmeade@fs.fed.us
Tom Ross
Assistant Director for Recreation & Conservation
National Park Service
Post Office Box 37127
Washington, DC 2001 3-7127
202-565-1200, FAX 202-565-1204
tom_ross@nps
Wlibur LaPage
Parks, Recreation & Tourism Program
Department of Forest Management
University of Maine
5755 Nutting Hall
Orono, ME 04469-5755
207-581-2834, FAX 207-581-2875
Will Lapage@umenfa.maine.edu
Scott Silver, Executive Director,
Wild Wilderness
248 NW Wilmington Avenue, Bend OR 97701
Phone (541) 385-5261 E-mail: ssilver@wildwilderness.org