whats gonna happen?

[swamp monster]

Ok landslide, I've got a question: Any ideas how the new changes to the Forest Service Campgrounds will impact campers this coming season? For example late September last year @ Hale Creek FS site, I noticed the sign was torn down and no garbage cans etc. (I guess this coulda been vandalizim) but it seemed as if the FS has abandoned this site and others. What will happen now, will private companies adopt some of these sites and charge what ever exorbanent fees they want, or is something else going to happen? And will the secondary FSRs be left to degrade? Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere.

[Landslide]

I'll supply a bit of background first...

In 2001 the Government instructed the Forest Service to determine what it's core business functions are. In other words, to determine what the Forest Service really existed for and then to plan out how should it get back to just doing those basic activities. One of the determinations that came out of that core review was that Recreation was not a core function of the Forest Service. By core function I mean things like forest fire protection, legislative enforcement and making sure companies have a reasonable timber supply so they can pay stumpage (a tax that's paid for each cubic metre of timber that's scaled) to the Province.

As a result, there is no longer a funded recreation program in the Ministry of Forests.

This was a big concern to the many small companies who had contracts with the Forest Service to manage campgrounds and recreation sites. They had all agreed in writing to supply services and receive payment from the Forest Service. To address this concern, the Forest Service has recently negotiated new agreements which will allow those companies to keep the fees they collect this year in place of getting paid through a contract with the Forest Service.

The fees they collect are set in legislation (Recreation Fees (http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/tasb/legsregs/fpc/fpcaregs/forrec/frr.htm#FPCOBCA_Part5 )), however proposed changes to the legislation will allow each Forest District Manager to set campground and recreation fees. It is not the intent to allow campground operators to charge anything they want.

As for how Forest Service Roads will be managed, there are now three types of FSR. Here's a short version:

Public Use Forest Service Roads are roads which access a year-round residential area with its own Post Office, or either a school located within it or school bus route to or from it. Populated reserves are included in this definition. They do not include roads that provide access to seasonal cabins, isolated residences, commercial operations, parks, or recreation sites. Many of these roads might soon be transferred to the Ministry of Highways and Transportation.

Industrial Use Forest Service Roads are roads that are owned and operated by the Ministry of Forests, but maintenance is delegated to an industrial user thorough a Road Use Permit. Harrison East or Florence Lake are examples of this.

Wilderness Forest Service Roads are roads that are not defined as public or industrial use. Provision of access is not a ministry priority on wilderness roads. Wilderness FSRs should be used at your own risk.

The maintenance standard for Wilderness FSRs include those activities required for the protection of the environment and do not include things like surface maintenance or site line brushing.

As such, only bridge repair and those maintenance projects required to mitigate environmental problems, like landslides or washouts, which may impact residential or worker safety, improvements, or natural resources, will be carried out.

Wilderness road maintenance activities will include culvert and bridge removal, waterbars, partial or full pullback of side slopes and cross ditches. Washouts or road slumps may not be repaired.

[swamp monster]

ok thank you. But I still don't understand what will happen to the many Forest Service Campgrounds that to my knowledge were never farmed out to smaller companies to be maintained. What will happen to these sites ? Will they be left to melt back into the forest?

[Landslide]

Pretty much - unless an individual or outdoor club volunteers to adopt and maintain them for free.

If an unmaintained recreation site was abused to the point it became a health or safety hazard, then the Government would likely dismantle it.

Contact your local Forest Service office if you are interested in getting a list of which recreation sites will or will not be maintained in your area.

[qube]

Hey. I've also got a question about a specific FSR rec sight which was built 3 years ago on top of my favorite camping spot. I found a link including the sight but all of the information is a year old:

http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/rec/rec.htm

Have things changed since then? What's the best way to find out where my local Forestry Service office is?

Thanks.

[Landslide]

I'd posted the following links before. If you select "show threads for last 60 days" from the main screen, there are other Forest Service topics as well.

Your best bet is to contact the local Forest Service office if you want site-specific information. Bear in mind that a number of regional and district offices have shut down (and their staff let go) so you may have trouble finding someone who knows the area.

As examples, the former Lilloeet Forest District is now managed out of the Merritt office and Invermere Forest District is now managed out of the Cranbrook office.

This first link will bring up the Forest Service webpage that can take you to each Forest Region and District's official website:

Forest Service Region & District Offices (http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/mof/regdis.htm)

This next site is where the Squamish Forest District posts their Forest Service Road conditions:

Squamish FSR Conditions (http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/vancouvr/district/squamish/roadinformation.htm)

This is where the Chilliwack Forest District posts their Forest Service Road conditions:

Chilliwack FSR Conditions (http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/vancouvr/district/chilliwa/Engineering/fsroadconditions.htm)