Fewer People Visiting National Forests

Visits to national forests are way down this year, and have been steadily declining since 2004, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. Researchers are trying to determine why, and their guesses so far include high gas prices, rising visitor fees, and less interest in the outdoors as people live increasingly urban, television- and video game-centered lives.

From Oregon Live:

They say the decline is troubling for rural economies that increasingly look to tourism and recreation to replace revenue lost when logging dried up. It also may leave fewer people who champion the value of public lands.

“I think that there is cause for concern,” said Thomas More, a researcher at the U.S. Forest Service’s Northern Research Station in Vermont. “There’s some important consequences for rural communities and for people’s chance to get out and enjoy being in the outdoors.”

Visitors to national forests do not seem unhappy: More than 80 percent said they were satisfied with facilities and services at developed sites. The most common activity for forest visitors was viewing natural features, with 51 percent saying that was one of their pursuits.

Only 12 percent said they engaged in more traditional pursuits, such as fishing, and 9 percent hunted.

Stevens said some of the visitation decline may be driven by user fees national forests charge to bring in revenue that pays for recreational facilities. Fee systems in the Pacific Northwest include the $30 annual Northwest Forest Pass, required for parking at certain trailheads, picnic areas and other forest sites.

This isn’t good, especially since national parks need visitors in order to stay open and unspoiled.  I’m not sure how my area, Western North Carolina, compares to other places around the country, but here national forests are major recreation destinations. There are opportunities for fishing, swimming, boating, hiking, camping, skiing, mountain biking, mountain climbing and tons of other fun outdoor activities within a 1-2 hour drive. And, they always seem pretty busy. To stay home and watch TV instead of go out and do these things seems like such a waste.

So, next time you and your friends or family are all sitting around trying to think of something to do with a day off, head out to a national forest. They need your support!

Link [Oregon Live]
Photo credit: Flickr user Bill in Ash Vegas

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