ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 28, 1991                   TAG: 9103280014
SECTION: NATL/INTL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

FORESTS MAY HAVE MORE FEES/ PROPOSAL INCLUDES CHARGE FOR PICNICS

The Forest Service is preparing a proposal to expand recreation fees at national forests by 70 percent, charging customers for the first time to use such things as picnic areas and boat ramps, officials said Wednesday.

The agency's push to increase recreation fee revenue from $14 million to $24 million annually is consistent with the administration's drive to have users of government lands and facilities pay a larger share of their costs, noted Gary Elsner, Forest Service assistant director for recreation and management.

The National Park Service charges entrance fees to national parks and levies additional charges for camping services, but the Forest Service currently has the authority to charge only for the use of campgrounds with full water, toilet, cooking and garbage facilities.

National forests differ from national parks in that they allow a variety of commercial activities, including logging and mining, while most commercial resource work is prohibited in national parks.

Forest Service Chief Dale Robertson told a congressional subcommittee this month the additional receipts, minus the mandated 25 percent share to counties, would be returned directly to the forest where they were collected.

Environmental leaders and other critics of the additional fees say national forests are public lands that should be enjoyed for free. However, Jay Watson of The Wilderness Society said Congress is likely eventually to approve the fee expansion.

Elsner said the Forest Service has found much public support for the proposal, which currently is being reviewed by the Agriculture Department and is likely to be formally offered to Congress in another month or two.

"People say they are happy to pay the fees if the money comes back for that particular campground," he said.

New fees on the rustic campsites would range from about $3 to $8 daily, while the fees for picnic areas and boat launching would range from $1 to $3. 


 by CNB