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Originally published on www.aore.org
ANN ARBOR, MICH. – June 17, 2016 – Today, the U.S. Forest Service announced new guidance that will improve the operation of the agency’s outfitter-guide permitting system. This new guidance will streamline the process for issuing permits to outdoor leaders that take people outdoors. These improvements will provide more access to federal lands and waters for a wide range of users, including programs that provide outdoor experiences to historically underserved youth.
The guidance is in the form of a letter from the Chief of the Forest Service distributed throughout the agency that describes how agency staff should interpret the agency’s outfitter-guide permitting policy. The purpose of the Chief’s letter is to adjust the way U.S. Forest Service staff apply the policy so that the process of issuing permits can be completed more quickly and efficiently. The Chief’s letter also describes certain situations where outdoor activities have such minimal effects that they can be authorized without requiring permits at all, further simplifying the process for getting people out on public lands.
“Thanks, U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell, for taking strong action to streamline the recreation permitting process and providing new opportunities for AORE members to visit the National Forests,” said AORE Executive Director Jeannette Stawski. “Your actions will reduce barriers for university, military and community recreation programs, connect more people to public lands, and help build the next generation of conservation leaders.”
This new guidance is a big step forward in AORE Access and Permitting Committee’s campaign to increase opportunities for guided recreation on public lands and waters. It will help numerous AORE members get more people outdoors, and help us build the constituency for public lands.
With the release of this guidance, AORE’s strategy shifts to implementation. Members of our Access and Permitting Committee will develop a strategy for supporting the implementation of this guidance in forests around the country.
It is with great pride AORE recognizes our partners at The Wilderness Society for their work in this effort, namely Paul Sanford, National Director of Recreation Policy and the AORE Access and Permitting Committee lead by Sam Hensold, Brian Shirley, and Andrew Nelson.
U.S. Forest Service Announces Improvements to Permit System
The new guidance will improve the operation of the agency’s outfitter-guide permitting system to benefit all outdoor recreation programs across the nation.