Transcript The National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act

Welcome to: National Forest System
Trails Stewardship Act of 2016 Webinar
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This webinar will start at 2:00 PM Mountain Time
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There will be close to 100 people on this webinar
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Please mute your phones
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If you have a question use the Chat function – will respond as soon as we can
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This webinar will be recorded. A copy of the webinar and Powerpoint will be
placed on the NWSA website following this event.
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A Survey on the Act is found on the NWSA website. Please provide your
feedback on issues on the Act following this webinar. This information will be
provided to the Forest Service during Hike the Hill, February 12-15th.
Building a Wilderness Community
The National Forest
System Trails
Stewardship Act
H.R. 845 114th Congress November 28, 2016
Building a Wilderness Community
A Webinar presented by:
Randy Welsh
Executive Director
National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance
Who We Are
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The National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance’s mission is
to build a strong dynamic wilderness stewardship
community. We do this through information sharing,
grants, conferences and workshops.
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Check out our website at
http://www.wildernessalliance.org
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Today’s host: Randy Welsh, Executive Director, NWSA
Building a Wilderness Community
Webinar Goals
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Inform and Educate about the NFS Trails Stewardship Act
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Explain Opportunities for Wilderness Stewardship Groups
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Explain Deliverables Required by the Act
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Key Dates and Sequencing of Activities
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Seek Input on Criteria for Priority Areas
Building a Wilderness Community
History
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Long standing concern over Nation Forest Trail System maintenance
and operations.
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2013 GAO Trails Report
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Key Groups concerned with ensuring attention is given
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American Hiking Society
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Back Country Horsemen of America
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The Wilderness Society
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80 other Trail and Environmental Groups
Legislation Drafted to Focus on Key Issues with Low-to-No New Cost to the
Federal Treasury (i.e., not add to federal deficit)
Building a Wilderness Community
History
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Long standing concern over Nation Forest Trail System maintenance
and operations.
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2013 GAO Trails Report
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Key Groups concerned with ensuring attention is given
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American Hiking Society
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Back Country Horsemen of America – Randy Rasmussen
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The Wilderness Society – Paul Sanford
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80 other Trail and Environmental Groups
Legislation Drafted to Focus on Key Issues with Low-to-No New Cost to the
Federal Treasury (i.e., not add to federal deficit)
Building a Wilderness Community
2013 GAO Trails Report
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National Trails Assessment
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Improved data collection
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Better use of volunteers
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Improved Trail Training
FS Response:
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FS Trail Strategy
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Volunteer Assessment
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Better Performance Measures
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Improved Budget Models
Building a Wilderness Community
The National Forest
System Trails
Stewardship Act
H.R. 845 114th Congress November 28, 2016
Building a Wilderness Community
Section 1 – Short Title, Table of Contents
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Short Title:
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National Forest System Trails
Stewardship Act
Building a Wilderness Community
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Table of Contents
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Sec 1 – Short Title
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Sec 2 – Findings
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Sec 3 – Definitions
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Sec 4 – Volunteer and Partnership
Strategy
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Sec 5 – Priority Trail Maintenance
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Sec 6 – Cooperative Agreements
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Sec 7 – Stewardship Criteria for
Outfitters and Guides
Sec 2 - Findings
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157,000 miles of trail within the FS trails system
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All types – hiking, biking, horseback riding, water, motorized
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GAO – only ¼ to standard, $314 million backlog and annual backlog
of $210 million
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Threats to access, environmental damage and public safety from
backlog
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Budget limitations require more efficient use of existing resources
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Volunteers, partners, O&G’s play important role – Strategy needed
Note emphasis on no new funds, but improved efficiency
Building a Wilderness Community
Sec 3 - Definitions
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Outfitter and Guides – as per CFR 251.51
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Partner – “nonfederal entity that engages in a partnership”
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Partnership – arrangements that are voluntary, mutually beneficial
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Challenge Cost Share, Cooperative Agreements
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Priority Area – well defined region of NF as selected in Sec 5A
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Strategy – Volunteer and Partnership Strategy required by the Act in
Sec 4A
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Trail Maintenance – any activity to maintain usability and
sustainability of trails within the NFS
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Volunteer – as per Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972
Building a Wilderness Community
Sec 4 – Volunteer and Partnership
Strategy
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Not later than 2 years – so by Nov 2018.
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Publish in Federal Register
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“strategy to significantly increase the role of volunteers and partners in trail
maintenance”
5 Required elements
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“augment and support employees”
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“meaningful opportunities” in each Region
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“address barriers”
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“prioritize” in areas with most severe trail needs
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Goal – “increase trail maintenance by volunteers and partners by 100% within 5 years
Building a Wilderness Community
Sec 4c – Additional Requirements
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Study opportunities to use fire crews in trail maintenance
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Cannot jeopardize firefighting capabilities, public safety, or resource protection
Building a Wilderness Community
Sec 4d – Volunteer Liability
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Amends Sec 3 of Volunteers in National Forests Act of 1972
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Broadens definition of “volunteer”
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Covered by a mutual benefit agreement
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Supervised by cooperator as directed in agreement
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Agreement specifies work to be performed
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Applicable safety standards and protocols
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On-site visits by agency
Not later than 2 years – Nov 2018 – adopt regulations implementing this
section. Risk to be shared by all ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS.
Building a Wilderness Community
Sec 4e - Consultation
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Develop the Volunteer Strategy in consultation with:
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Volunteer and Partner Trail maintenance organizations
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Broad array of outdoor recreation stakeholders
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Other relevant stakeholders
Building a Wilderness Community
Sec 4f - Coordination
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Each Administrative Unit to develop a volunteer and partner coordination
implementation plan for the strategy.
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Define roles and responsibilities for unit staff
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Strategies to ensure sufficient coordination, assistance, and support for volunteers
and partners to improve trail maintenance
Building a Wilderness Community
Sec 4g - Report
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A Final Report is required
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Effectiveness of the Strategy
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Increase in volunteer and partner efforts as a result of the Strategy
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Miles and value of trail maintenance by volunteers and partners
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Status of stewardship credits for outfitters and guides (Sec 7)
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Recommendations for increasing volunteers and partners
Submit no later than 3 years after Act – November 2019
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Submit to both House and Senate committees
Building a Wilderness Community
Sec 5 – Priority Areas
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Within 6 months of enactment select no fewer than 9 and no more than 15
Priority Areas for increased trail maintenance accomplishments
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Each Region must have at least one priority area (9 Regions total)
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Criteria:
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Well defined region of NF with lack of trail maintenance
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Reduced access to public land
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Increase or risk of harm to natural resources
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Jeopardize public safety
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Trails impassable to intended users
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Increased future deferred trail maintenance costs
Building a Wilderness Community
Sec 5 – Priority Areas (cont’d)
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Sec of Ag must consider public input within 3 months of the Act – February 2017
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Consider range of trail users (both motorized and mon-motorized)
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At least one priority area per Region – 9 Regions – 6 extra areas
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Within 6 months of deciding Priority Areas
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Create an approach to substantially increase trail maintenance
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Consider public input on trail maintenance priorities and needs
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Consider costs and benefits
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Incorporate volunteers and partners
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Goal – Substantially increase trail maintenance in priority areas
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Regional coordinators may be engaged
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Review and revise priority areas as needed
Building a Wilderness Community
Sec 6 – Cooperative Agreements
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Secretary may enter into Cooperative Agreements with:
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State
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Tribes
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Local Government
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Private entity
Cooperative Agreements may:
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Improve trail maintenance in a priority area
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Implement the strategy
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Advance trail maintenance as deemed by the Sec
Building a Wilderness Community
Sec 7 – Stewardship Credits
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Pilot Program – within 1 year of Act – November 2017
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No less than 20 administrative units
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Offset all or part of land use fee
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For work performed – construct, improve, or maintain
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Trails
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Trailheads
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Developed sites
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Must be units that improve trail maintenance
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Must meet established Quality Standards
Building a Wilderness Community
Deliverables – from date of Act
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Input on Priority Areas – 3 months
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Selection of Priority Areas – 6 months
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Develop Approach in Priority Areas – 1 year
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Pilot Program for O&G Trail Stewardship Credits – 1 year
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Volunteer and Partner Strategy for Trail Maintenance – 2 years
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Adopt Volunteer and Partner Regulations – 2 years
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Report to Congress – 3 years
Building a Wilderness Community
So What Does This All Mean?
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Quick identification of Priority Areas
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May see some reprioritization of Resources to Priority Areas within allocations
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Great opportunity for more Volunteer and Partner Engagement
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Addresses barrier to volunteer use by OWCP Claims payments
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Cooperative Agreements available
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Testing of Outfitter and Guide trail maintenance – already done in some places
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Overall Goals
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more trail maintenance
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more people engaged
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better cooperation and coordination with agency
Building a Wilderness Community
Input on Priority Area Criteria
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Some discussion amongst Bill proponents on Priority area selection criteria
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Mixture of urban-proximate trail systems and historically significant backcountry/
wilderness complexes
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Areas with documented problems meeting trail maintenance and backlog needs
(e.g., news reports, Congressional actions, published data, etc.
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Areas where catastrophic events (e.g., beetle-kill, fire, wind throw, etc.) have
taken a disproportionate toll on trails and public access
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Areas where improved trail maintenance would provide historically underrepresented communities greater opportunity to connect with the National Forests
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Areas with a known presence of volunteer groups available to assist with the
priority work (and “shovel-ready” projects)
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Other?
Building a Wilderness Community
Other Criteria Issues
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Scale of Priority Areas
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District – Forest – Multi-Forest
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Geographic areas versus Administrative areas
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Within a contiguous area or spread around
Priority Areas by Type or Theme
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Local unit capabilities
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All motorized – All horseback riding – etc…
Staff – resources – interest
Others?
Building a Wilderness Community
Scale Issue
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With 157,000 miles of trail
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10% equals 15,7000 miles – approximately 2-3 Forests of trail
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1% equals 1,570 miles – approximately 1-2 Districts of trail
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How much is enough to show good faith effort?
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How much is enough to try to address the problem?
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Without additional resources does it matter?
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How many groups might be engaged in priority areas?
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How flexible are volunteers and partners to adjusting operations to chosen
priority areas?
Building a Wilderness Community
Survey – What do you think?
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NWSA has prepared a Survey Monkey questionnaire
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Priority Area Criteria
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Scale Issues
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Volunteer Strategy
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Go to NWSA Website http://wildernessalliance.org for link to survey
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Input received by Thursday, February 9, will be consolidated and submitted to
Forest Service at Hike the Hill event, February 14th.
Building a Wilderness Community
Thank You for Attending
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Questions?
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Use the Chat feature to type in a question.
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Will respond as quickly as we can on the webinar
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A copy of the Webinar and Powerpoint will be placed on the NWSA website
shortly following this event.

Be sure to leave your feedback on the National Forest System Trails
Stewardship Act of 2016 on the NWSA Website. www.wildernessalliance.org
Building a Wilderness Community
This Concludes our Webinar
Thank you for Joining Us
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For more information about this webinar, please contact:
Randy Welsh
Executive Director
National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance
[email protected]
Building a Wilderness Community