October 20,
1999-Draft
THE
RECREATION AGENDA
PART
I
INTRODUCTION
Americans cherish the national
forests and grasslands for the values they provide--clean water, clean air,
natural scenic beauty, important natural resources, protection of rare species,
majestic forests, wilderness, a connection with their history, and opportunities
for unparalleled outdoor adventure. Recreation visitors want a great deal from
the Forest Service in terms of settings, experiences, facilities and services;
and they will expect even more in the future. Recreation is the fastest growing
use on the national forests and grasslands.
The national forests and
grasslands offer a diversity of opportunities across the Recreation Opportunity
Spectrum. We manage 63% of the Wilderness system in the lower forty-eight
states, and a much larger percentage of backcountry
experiences.
We also take care of 4,268 miles
of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System; 399 wilderness areas in the National
Wilderness Preservation System; 133,087 miles of trails; 383,000 miles of
authorized roads; more than 277,000 heritage sites; over 4,300 campgrounds; and
31 National Recreation, Scenic Areas and Monuments. As outstanding as these
assets are, we are more than a custodian of a recreation
infrastructure.
As Americans increasingly rely
on non-Federal forestlands for a variety of goods and services, the Federal and
non-Federal sectors must work together to plan for the future. Two- thirds of
the nation's forests are in non-Federal ownership. As on federal lands, the
future use of these forests is moving from product use to an aesthetic and
ecological management. State and Private Forestry programs, State Foresters,
private foresters and communities are developing an ever-increasing set of
knowledge, skills and tools to meet society's desire for open space, management
of urban sprawl, and new applications of agroforestry.
As one of the multiple benefits
from these resources, the national forests and grasslands contribute $134
billion to the gross domestic product, with the lion's share associated with
outdoor recreation. Resource-based travel and tourism provide a window through
which an increasingly urban society can enjoy and appreciate the natural world.
The Forest Service has a unique "niche" or brand of nature-based recreation to
offer. This brand of recreation includes an undeveloped setting, a built
environment that reinforces this natural character, and an array of services
that complement enjoyment of these special wild places.
The Forest Service has the
opportunity to open that window to special places and experiences even wider to
reflect changes in demographic trends and recreation visitor preferences. We
will serve as a catalyst among tourism professionals in working together in
travel and tourism opportunities. We will seek tourism professionals that can
represent the diversity of existing and potential customers.
Both our deteriorating
infrastructure, estimated at 1.7 billion dollars, and our recreation customers
are demanding more. This agenda is aimed at meeting as much of that demand as
possible with the highest quality experiences and within ecological and social
limits. These limits include impacts on the resource, impacts on experiences of
other visitors, and capacity limits of the recreation
infrastructure.
Management of these cherished
resources requires a long-term viewpoint and investment strategies. Years of
declining budgets and a dwindling recreation workforce have made the challenges
even more formidable. The Agency has responded with innovative efforts such as
the fee demonstration program, permit streamlining, non-governmental
partnerships, and help from volunteers. We must find even more innovative ways
to accomplish the work to be done.
This agenda will guide us in
doing four things: protect the ecosystem to guarantee that special natural
settings are available for future generations, increase service satisfaction and
education of Americans about their public lands, build community connections to
expand available resources, and improve relationships to get the job
done.
PART
II
THE
STRATEGIC CONNECTION
The Forest Service has developed
common goals to implement the two laws that guide Forest Service strategic
planning, the Resources Planning Act (RPA) of 1974 and Government Performance
and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993.
· Restore and Protect Ecosystems
· Provide Multiple Benefits for People within the Capabilities of Ecosystems
Recreation Use Tactical Goal: The Forest Service is committed to
providing high
quality recreation opportunities by providing customers a suitable
setting for
recreation and maintaining the desired ecosystem condition.
· Ensure Organizational Effectiveness
Our long-range strategy for
meeting RPA and GPRA goals is the agency Strategic Plan. The Natural Resource
Agenda, and this subcomponent, The Recreation Agenda, will serve to accomplish
near-term goals and objectives of the long-range Strategic Plan.
The Natural Resource Agenda has
four emphasis areas: watershed health and restoration, sustainable forest
ecosystem management, forest roads, and recreation. Recreation goals and
objectives are influenced by and integrated into the other three areas where
appropriate.
This document, "The
Recreation Agenda", addresses recreation as the fourth component of the
Forest Service Natural Resource Agenda. The term "recreation" here refers
to the breadth of experiences visitors enjoy on the national forests and
grasslands. Recreation in this sense does not refer to what we do as an
agency, or to functional units containing that name, or to the
academic/professional discipline of recreation. This social component of our
business is the responsibility of employees working in many functions throughout
the agency.
The Recreation Agenda
serves as an umbrella
document for all recreation elements of the heritage program "It's About Time"
and the Wilderness agenda "Thinking Like a Mountain." These two complementary
documents will be released in the near future. The Recreation, Heritage and
Wilderness Resources staff in the USDA Forest Service Washington Office is the
designated lead for implementation of these three interwoven strategies.
PART
III
KEY
ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Settings
Protecting the long term
productivity and integrity of the landscape setting is essential to the
recreation experience. The enjoyment of scenery is central to recreation
experiences and travel/tourism opportunities. Quality habitat is necessary for
wildlife observation and hunting. Fishing is dependent upon having clean water
and productive fisheries. Quality natural settings and well-designed structures
and signing must work in harmony to enhance and protect those
settings.
· Restore Natural Character
Through skillful application of recreation and ecological planning, scenery
management, and social research, we will identify attributes essential for ecological
sustainability and which make such places valuable to people. We will then focus on
protecting, enhancing, and restoring those attributes. Maintaining this natural character
will include management of noxious and exotic species and other elements that affect
the perceived natural and scenic quality of the landscape. Attention to design of
structures and signs can reinforce rustic character and image within the built
environment.
· Invest in Facilities
We estimate there is a $1.7 billion dollar backlog in repair and maintenance of existing
facilities. We must prioritize facilities to be upgraded to meet health, sanitation and
accessibility standards. New construction will focus on resolving resource impacts,
meeting identified demand, and diversifying local economies. Appropriations are not
sufficient to bring all existing facilities to an acceptable standard, nor construct new
facilities that meet changing customer demands or reduce environmental impacts. We
must partner with volunteers, non-governmental organizations, other agencies, and
private sector business partners to get the job done.
· Serve a Growing and Diverse Public
Ethnically diverse and urban segments of our society are growing rapidly, but their use
of the national forests and grasslands is not increasing proportionately. We will use
demographic data and research findings to better allocate resources, and to align our
settings, services, and facilities to these populations.
· Showcase Nationally Designated Areas
We have the stewardship responsibility for outstanding nationally designated areas
where facilities and services are languishing. We will emphasize the thirty-one National
Recreation and Scenic Areas and National Monuments, National Scenic Byways,
National trails and historic sites as showcases for quality recreation and as laboratories
for new initiatives. We will capitalize on unique offerings of each special designation.
We will examine innovative funding criteria for these areas.
· Ensure Safety and Security
An experience in the outdoors is inherently challenging, but we must take preventive
measures to reduce criminal activity and have people comply with laws and regulations
to protect the setting. As part of the built environment, we need to use materials focused
on preventing problems from natural hazards-wildlife, avalanche, road conditions,
weather. Facilities will be built to withstand vandalism and long-term use.
· Provide Access to Recreation Opportunities
With the rapid development of areas that surround national forests, many critical public
access points are in jeopardy. It is important to work with local governments and
private landowners to plan together for the future of public rights of way. With changes
in use patterns on the forest transportation system, it is important that all trail
enthusiasts work together to plan for future uses. Universal accessibility continues to be
a priority and will become increasingly important as the baby boomer population ages.
Services
Attention to social science and
marketing research over personal opinion will help protect resources and shape
the services we provide for people. We need better information on when, where,
how, and what services should be delivered. We need to make use of a variety of
data and delivery sources. These sources include Forest Service employees,
national forest permit holders, contractors, private sector partners, and the
Agency's research and technology arms.
· Provide Social Science Based Research
We need to utilize social science and marketing research in determining types and
delivery of services. We must utilize the resources of Research and Development and
the Technology and Development Centers within the Forest Service to address
improved customer services and technology developments to reduce operations costs.
· Provide Trip Planning Information
We need to improve the availability of information so customers can select settings to
match the experiences they desire and know what to expect before they arrive. Through
natural resource interpretation and conservation education, customers may learn how to
enhance their experiences and participate with minimum impact on the land.
· Ensure Services for All Americans
We need to learn more about settings and services sought by urban, minority and under-
served populations. Recreation planning and implementation will incorporate the needs
of all people, including people with disabilities. We will recruit minority employees to
better serve ethnic minority customers. We will ensure that law enforcement and other
service providers are responsive to the issues of our diverse customers. We will
evaluate access and fairness in program delivery as we formulate services.
· Provide Seamless Delivery
We need to work more closely with other agencies and partners to give customers
seamless delivery of information and services, both inside and outside forest
boundaries. We need to conduct market research cooperatively with local, state, and
regional tourism providers. We must work jointly to monitor customer satisfaction
during the entire recreation experience, not just the segments provided by one agency
or entity.
· Enhance Conservation Education/Interpretation
Learning-based recreation is a significant opportunity for both visitors and local
communities. We have the ability to instill a land ethic with natural resource
conservation messages in millions of Americans that visit the national forest. We
manage delivery systems at our eighty-one visitor centers and in natural settings where
programs are delivered beyond these facilities. Significant resources are required to
maintain facilities, staffing and quality programming. Innovative tools need to be
explored for long-term sustainability of learning facilities and programs. It will take
coordinated partnerships by Forest Service employees, community educational
institutions, volunteers, non-governmental organizations, contractors, and permit
holders to sustain the potential of natural resource conservation education and
interpretive programs long-term.
Communities
Strengthening community connections is vital for ecosystem planning, economic development and to tap into existing community networks and resources. Making connections with new constituencies, including urban populations, as well as underserved and minority people, is critical in order to respond with future relevant services.
· Promote Connections for Community
Sustainability
We need to plan together in order to support community objectives for building
recreational programs, facilities and services that contribute to local and regional
economies and quality of life. The economic health of communities relies increasingly
on the tourism industry, especially in gateway communities. The Forest Service will
join commercial ventures, non-governmental organizations, trade associations, state
organizations and educational institutions in forming viable and sustainable nature-
based tourism industries. When connected to a national forest setting, the Forest
Service has a stewardship role in evaluating tourism offerings to ensure they are in the
public's best interest and meet ecological constraints and high environmental standards.
The agency will provide programs like Passport In Time and Heritage Expeditions.
· Conduct Planning Across Boundaries
Because fires, diseases, insects, and even recreationists know no boundaries, State and
Private Forestry, National Forest Systems, and Research and Development will
collectively employ a large network of local, regional, state, and multi-state partners.
Together these groups can address education, communications, tourism, and
stewardship issues that impact or are impacted by recreation.
· Promote Stakeholder Collaboration
The most fundamental Forest Service role is management of the forests. We will
expand opportunities for community input into forest planning. We will welcome
environmental interests, recreation and tourism industries, state, tribal, and local
governments to join us in discussions regarding future uses of the national forests and
grasslands. The close community connection is important to both rural and urban
communities.
· Address Issues In Urban National
Forests
National forest's located one hour or less from metropolitan areas with populations of
one million or more are growing in number. These forests are increasingly important
because they contribute to the quality of life of millions of people. The agency has the
opportunity to become a leader in promoting good land stewardship in communities
through the Urban and Community Forestry program. Urban people are placing greater
demands on the Forest Service for a wide range of travel and tourism services,
educational opportunities, and experiences. Emerging issues such as limits to growth,
carrying capacity, competing uses and multi-cultural diversity have occurred on these
forests first. They can serve as learning centers or "Windows to the Future" for other
forests facing urbanization issues.
Establishing professionally managed partnerships and intergovernmental cooperative efforts are a significant means to accomplish the recreation job. Tribal government relationships need to be strong to achieve mutual goals. New skills, a spirit of cooperation, and new legal authorities may be necessary to reach long-term resource management and financially sustaining programs.
· Strengthen Business Partnerships
To deliver a recreation program, the Forest Service will need to continue to rely on
strong relationships with the recreation industry, travel and tourism providers, outfitters
and guides, permit holders and concessionaires. Declining budgets were the original
catalyst, but as the private sector found ways to get the job done at a lower cost, we
learned that these relationships also enhanced the variety and quality of services. There
is a need to look at long term investment and authorities for both existing and future
development.
· Review Professional Business
Practices
We will improve business relationships with contractors and permit holders by making
it easier for them to do business on the national forest. Streamlined processes will
involve less paperwork, impose fewer delays, and be more predictable. We will train
Forest Service personnel to become knowledgeable of business parameters such as
marketing research, profit and loss, contract and permit administration.
· Create "Other" Partnerships
In addition to the private sector business partnerships, there is a growing interest and
need to expand other partnerships in the management and delivery of recreation. These
include community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations, tourism
organizations, interpretive associations and volunteers. We will become clearer and
more consistent in how we work with partnerships, and distinguish them from
contracts, permits, and other business relationships.
· Promote Federal, State and local Government
Cooperation
Many of our long-standing relationships with federal, state, and local public agency
representatives will need to be even closer in order to maximize efficiencies, and plan
for future recreation opportunity.
· Work With Tribal Governments
We will work with tribal governments to plan together for mutually beneficial
recreation activities.
WHERE
WE WOULD LIKE TO BE IN 2006
We are working toward improving
the capability of the nation's forest and grasslands to provide diverse, high
quality outdoor recreation opportunities. Visitor satisfaction and safety have
improved because visitors see improvement in facilities, services and
opportunities. This has resulted from actual customer surveys that have
identified important values. We have completed an inventory of facilities,
roads, and trails and have a targeted investment plan to reduce deferred
maintenance. We have completed an analysis of high-use recreation areas and have
focused management, maintenance and development to targeted areas for
improvement. We have begun to restore areas where sustainability could not be
attained with existing use patterns.
Our Wilderness, heritage and
protected areas are more capable of sustaining benefits and values. This is due
to improved research, baseline information, indicators, and cooperative
relationships with other agencies and States. We have targeted investment in
areas where human use impacts and threat of ecological degradation were the
greatest.
We have improved professional
management practices so that we are more effectively working with the private
sector and other partners to produce services and improve facilities. We have
streamlined paperwork processes. The taxpayer is less burdened due to cost
recovery programs that are now in place. We have deployed innovative tools to
expand available resources to our highest priorities. We have expanded and
targeted fee areas based upon evaluation of the pilot programs. We have worked
to gain new authorities to allow long-term investment by the private sector. We
have comprehensive authorities to allow partnerships by non-governmental
organizations in support of recreation and volunteer activities. Our Forest
Service workforce is more aware and skilled in business practices, partnership
development and performance outcomes.
Citizens and interest groups are
engaged in both productive dialogue and management activities affecting the
recreation resource. Citizens are making a difference on the land, in volunteer
stewardship of recreation areas, trails, and education programs. We have
stronger collaborative relationships between diverse trail interests working
together to maintain opportunity and access.
Accessibility to programs and
services by a diversity of people and members of underserved/low income
communities is improving. Community networks and partnerships are helping to
improve delivery systems. Contract, permit, and business opportunities have
grown.
Our urban community connections
are manifested in increased support and understanding of both natural resource
management issues and how forests contribute to liveability and quality of life.
The idea of green space now includes urban and forest connectivity. This has
been brought about by a significant increase in conservation education and
volunteer opportunities tied to land stewardship on both national forest and
private lands.
We are participating in focused
planning efforts with rural communities, tribal governments and private
landowners to achieve mutual goals for ecological, economic and social
sustainability. We have identified the most important places that recreation can
contribute to these goals. We are working together in projects to achieve the
goals.
PART
V
MISSION
STATEMENT
Our recreation program is
founded on quality customer service based on thorough knowledge of wants and
needs. It sustains ecosystems, highlighting special places and stimulates rural
economies. Efforts in natural resource conservation education connect people to
the land, providing them with the tools they need to make informed actions
related to sustaining natural and cultural resources. We pride ourselves in
innovative partnerships and collaborative relationships to accomplish the
recreation job. We serve new constituencies, urban populations, underserved and
low-income people to maintain relevancy of national forests for future
generations.
PART
VI
6
POINT ACTION PLAN 2000-2006
1. Market
Research- "Know The People We Serve".
Determine public values, expectations, and conflict perceptions using social science
research. Use this information in the redesign of services, facilities, and programs.
· Expand/continue the training of staff in social science-based research and
professional marketing, like the Marketing Resource Group.
· Establish projects for a customer focused "Recreation, Technology, and Development
Unit" of the Forest Service. This team would survey public needs, values,
expectations, and work with management on field application.
2. Invest In Special Places- Our Nationally Designated Areas, Restore Selective
Areas "Loved to Death", and Plan for the Future of Water Based Recreation.
The areas selected would focus on improving rural community economic
sustainability and collaboration, reducing unacceptable ecological damage, enhancing
the built environment and reducing deferred maintenance. Completion of facility, trail
inventory baseline data would be part of the analysis. Selective use and application of
appropriate investment tools would be a feature of areas funded.
Priorities: Select 10 Geographic Areas for renovation and enhancement that contain:
· nationally designated areas, Scenic Byways, Monuments, National Register
Historic Places,
· areas "Loved to Death" that need restoration, including urban National Forests and
popular wilderness areas, and
· recreation lakes to accommodate the future demand for water-based recreation.
Complete implementation schedules for these lakes.
3. Reduce Deferred Maintenance Using A "Toolbox" of Investment Techniques for
Long Term Financial Sustainability.
An investment plan would identify regenerative investment tools to reduce deferred
maintenance. The tools would include:
· Fee demonstration - Expand fees for valued services that can be returned to the site
for operations.
· Appropriated dollars - Invest dollars where no partnership interest exists and/or
subsidies are necessary for social equity and access objectives.
· Private sector investments - Seek authorities for long-term investment in existing and
future development.
· Other partnerships - Seek authorities for local community based "friends-groups" and
interpretive associations to cooperatively support recreation, stewardship and
educational programs.
· Volunteers - Develop training and management in large-scale volunteer programs.
· Training - Improve staff training in special use administration, use of the "Toolbox",
and business practices.
4. Invest in
Natural Resource Conservation Education and Interpretive
Services
· Urban+Forest Connections - Implement the Agency Strategic Outreach Plan to
urban people emphasizing youth education, natural resource relevancy. Work with
the 14 urban national forests and State and Private Forestry-Urban programs.
· Visitor Center Network - Identify 8 of the 81 existing visitor centers to participate in
a business plan pilot: Lewis and Clark, Northern Great Lakes, Mt. St. Helen's,
National Conservation Education Center (D.C.), Mono Scenic Area, Chattahoochee-
Oconee, and two other sites. The pilot would examine means to improve operations,
customer service through innovative management and partnership investment
strategies.
5. Business
Opportunity and Services for Underserved and Low Income
People
· Implement actions to improve business opportunity on the national forests in
contracts and special use permits.
· Implement priority actions in the Agency Strategic Outreach Plan to improve access
to services and programs.
6. Access
America
·Utilizing Land and Water Conservation authority identify key rights-of-way to
maintain critical access to National Forests.
· Provide training and resources for local units to develop stakeholder trail coalitions for
management of the Forest transportation system.
· Implement ADA plans at special areas targeted for funding.
PERFORMANCE
MEASURES
Ecologically and Financially Self-Sustaining Places
· Special place areas with completed plans, improved facilities, services, no
financial deficits.
· Restored areas - acres improved to productivity/sustainability.
· 20% of visitor centers operating with financial plans.
Deferred Maintenance Reduction
· 10% -20% of backlog completed per year, using the "tool box".
· % of sites meeting quality standards.
Service Satisfaction
· Periodic surveys of people over time, demonstrating improvement.
· 20% of existing visitor centers with quality customer service,
educational programming, and financially sustainable over time.
· New market based products and services offered.
Built to Fit/ Built to Last
· Longer facility lifecycle, documented in infrastructure database reports.
· % special areas renovated using the built environment guide.
Relationship Development
· Collaborative coalitions - numbers of groups established and maintained over
time.
· Partnership investment dollars toward deferred maintenance, good
communication.
· Community support - NGOs, civic groups involved, special events held.
· Volunteers trained and work accomplished.
Community Sustainability
· Economic surveys - baseline and periodic surveys to determine recreation
economic impact to local communities.
Underserved /Low Income Reached
· People contacted and improved participation counts.
· New business opportunity - % of permits and contracts awarded.