BWCAW permit fees will jump 60 percent

[Lee Borgersen]

BWCAW permit fees will jump 60 percent

Staff report


Beginning in 2008, permit fees for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness will see a major increase.

The new rates are listed with the old rates in parenthesis:

Adult per trip fee: $16 ($10)

Youth per trip fee: $8 ($5)

Adult Seasonal Fee Card: $64 ($40)

Youth Seasonal Fee Card: $32 ($20)

The fee increase was approved by the Regional Forester, acting upon the recommendation of the Eastern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee.

This is the first increase in the BWCAW user fees in the 10 years since fees were put into effect.

The basis for the increase is an adjustment for inflation (using the Consumer Price index) over the past 10 years with forward projections over the next five to 10 years.

User fees generated through this program come directly back to the Forest and help to fund the wilderness management program, including staffing with wilderness rangers, funding campsite and portage maintenance, permit issuance, and wilderness education programs.

The Forest Service also announced that dates for the lottery for 2008 BWCAW permits will begin on December 1, 2007.

This is a change from previous years when the lottery began in November.

The lottery allows people who know their desired entry date and location well in advance, to apply for permits.

The national campsite reservation website (www.reserveamerica.org) will be closed from Sept. 29 until 9 a.m. on Oct.17.

During this time, the system is being re-designed and expanded and will be re-launched as www.rec.gov.

The BWCAW reservation system will be incorporated into and accessed through this new system which also offers reservations for developed campgrounds on national forests.

Earlier this year, the Superior National Forest submitted a proposal to the Eastern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee (RRAC) to increase overnight user fees for the BWCAW.

The role of the RRAC is to provide recommendations on user fees to Forest Service (and BLM) officials.

Each RRAC is comprised of 11 volunteer members of the public, representing recreation users, special interest groups, and government officials (Indian tribes, state tourism, and local).

The Recreation Enhancement Act was signed into law in December, 2005.

The law allows federal agencies to charge modest fees at federal campgrounds, rental cabins and other federal recreation areas (such as the BWCAW).

Fees collected are retained at the forest and are used help manage the program or facility that generated the funds (in this case, the BWCAW).

The new program replaces the 1996 Recreation Fee Demonstration Act and Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) authority.

[Grute Man]

Well I guess if it doesn't happen but every 10 years thats not too bad.  It all makes good sence too.  Gotta take care of the areas we love to conserve.

[thunderpout]

Yep, thats good cheap fun...if ya go for a week, its $2 a day then divide with friends=pennies per day!!!   -thunderpout happy2.gif

[QuillGordon]

Don't we pay enough in taxes to cover the small amount needed by the forest service?? What  bothers me is people saying "that's not too bad an increase", or " it's been ten years, we should pay the gov't more, they need it"..  Wake up and smell the pines people!!! It's a tax on us, short and simple.. If we don't nip it soon, only the tree huggers will be able to afford "our" woods..  QG