States tell Congress to repeal federal recreation fee

[Judi Lynn]

Wednesday April 27, 2005

States tell Congress to repeal federal recreation fee
Associated Press

HELENA - Rich Vaughn says paying the U.S. Forest Service a daily fee so he can take his boat onto the Salmon River in Idaho, where he used to play for free, hurts his sense of fairness more than it hurts his wallet.

"It's public land that's held in trust for the American people, and to charge a fee to access that land is wrong," Vaughn said.
(snip)

In Oregon, the co-sponsor of that state's resolution said the legislator with whom he paired is his diametric opposite, a Democrat who used to be a state leader of the Sierra Club.

"The unifying factor was the displeasure with (land) management," said the co-sponsor, Republican farmer Gary George. "We have forests in terrible condition, terrible forest health. Then they charge us to go in and look at our dead trees. Folks are not too happy about it."
(snip/...)

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/latest/index.php?display=2005/04/24/build/state/30-recreation-fee.php

[Gman]

1. Gotta pay for Iraq somehow

[dcfirefighter]

2. I go the opposite way on this

Those lands that 'we' own as a country should be run like a (sustainable) business. 'We' should rent those lands out, or charge access to them, and share the revenue in the form of Social Security payments. 'We' should maintain those lands in a manner to maximise revenue and keep them healthy.

[MADem]

3. Problem with that is that "we" (meaning crazy uncle George)

...have been screwed over. The chimp has gleefully given over, for long periods, our resources to his cronies in assorted businesses, like ranching and lumber (no wonder the asshole's 'got wood') at fire sale prices. We should get a decent percentage of the cut, straight up, not these bullshit long term deals that allow these clowns to make money hand over fist.

[cornermouse]

4. Sustainable business?

Are you talking about charging realistically based fees for mineral or grazing rights or are you talking about something else?

I'm tired of seeing everything "run like a business". That appears to be code for pillage, rape, and burn when used by republicans.

[cap]

6. money money money

it's all money... nothing is done for the sheer joy of it ... nothing is done for beauty's sake...

got squeeze dollars out of everything ...

well, even the robber barons were forced to cough up for parks and museums and libraries ... free ones, I might add.

[Bridget Burke]

10. Maximize revenue?

Cut down all the trees as fast as possible. Will we still be building roads for the logging companies?

Details of your plan, please.

[Trillo]

5. Fees to see "our" land bothers me, too.

After the San Diego fire, we drove through the Cleveland National Forest, just to see what happened, and there were all these signs that threatened us that if we stopped in the next so many miles, we might get fined unless we had some kind of pass. It was the first time we'd seen these signs, and I worried that the car might break down.

When we were younger, we drove up there routinely from San Diego on a weekend day as a country getaway. We'd park for hours and hike a little, get in touch with nature, etc. Basically, get away from the growing hubbub of the city for a few hours or a day.

Now, even though "the people" supposedly own the land, they want to charge us if we "stop" and see it. How much longer till they decide to gate that community of trees?


edit: slightly changed title for clarity and reorganized P.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

7. My land is bordered by national forest

on two sides. Wonder if they'll require me to buy a pass if I walk on their side of the line?

[rodeodance]

8. you betcha they will

[Viking12]

9. The fee system is a precursor to privatizing the National Forests

The goal is to establish the forests as consumer goods to be managed by & for the extraction and recreational activities that generate the greatest revenue rather than for the ecological services provided by forests.

See:

http://www.freeourforests.org