Recreation Site Analysis
In 2022, the Olympic National Forest completed a Recreation Site Analysis of its 112 developed recreation sites as part of the larger Sustainable Recreation initiative. Recreation Site Analysis is a tool that helps national forests determine the sustainability of a recreation site. The goal is for all recreation sites to be more sustainable which will contribute to the overall resiliency of the Forest. The analysis considers how recreation sites contribute to social stability, environmental integrity, and economic vitality for the forest and surrounding communities.
Sustainability is determined by scoring 12 criteria for every site. The higher the score the more sustainable the site. Once sites are scored, the forest uses Recreation Site Analysis and other considerations such as restoration priorities and partner funding to prioritize work and improve site sustainability.
Scoring of sites is a way to help managers and others better understand which sites are more sustainable as compared to others. Recreation Site Analysis serves as a framework from which the Forest will consider investments, as well as pursue changes in operations or maintenance of developed recreation sites and facilities. The Recreation Site Analysis document is a road map to guide the ONF in providing a quality, sustainable developed recreation program. The list does not indicate priority, the goal is for all sites to be more sustainable.
Recreation Site Analysis is one planning tool utilized to inform land managers ultimate decisions about each recreation site. It does not replace any future environmental analysis that may be necessary to implement these projects, and public involvement will be a key next step to ensure limited financial investments are placed in the right projects. It is a snapshot in time evaluation of recreation sites based on experience and current knowledge at the time. The forest plans to focus on work identified in the analysis over the next several years as funding/resource opportunities arise.
The map below shows recreation sites across the forest and management actions that could be taken at a site based on Recreation Site Analysis. Described as Management Option Codes these are generalized management actions which could be taken at a recreation site. None of these actions have been explored any further and if needed environmental analysis, public involvement, and other key steps are still necessary.
Interactive Map of Recreation Site Proposed Changes
There are two way to explore this map:
1) Select a site to see which Management Option Code could be applied to that site.
2) Select one of the Management Option Codes below (A, B, C, etc.) to show which sites could have that action.
For more information, including descriptions and a legend, click the "information" icon in the top right corner of the map.
Olympic Peninsula Recreation Collaborative
The Olympic Peninsula Outdoor Recreation Collaborative is a group of land managers and community organizations working together to create and steward sustainable recreation across the Olympic Peninsula. Formed as an outcome of Olympic National Forest’s Sustainable Recreation efforts the purpose of the collaborative is to take care of recreation infrastructure, teach visitors how to care for this place, and showcase how watersheds, aquatics and outdoor recreation thrive together.
The Olympic Peninsula Outdoor Recreation Collaborative strives to be a model for sustainable outdoor recreation and is currently organizing to be a go-to organization for communities and land managers to collaborate on outdoor recreation projects and challenges.
Contact the forest for more information.