Recreation Accomplishments - Your dollars at work.

Before, during, and after pictures of improvements made from Recreation Enhancment Act dollars collected.Every year the Forest Service collects recreation fees for a variety of facilities and services. These revenues are retained locally by each national forest to operate and maintain campgrounds, trails, visitor centers and more. Besides routine operation and maintenance, forests chip away at major projects to reduce back log maintenance. The Forest Service in the Pacific Northwest Region is proud of their accomplishments and would like to share them with you.

Enhancing Your Northwest Experience

Recreation managers provide top-quality recreation experiences in the Pacific Northwest. Every year they:

  • Clean restrooms;
  • Cut out trees from trails:
  • Repair erosion;
  • Replace old, damaged or vandalized signs;
  • Repair or replace bridges;
  • Fix old or install new picnic tables;
  • Clear and remove encroaching brush;
  • Ensure campgrounds are clean;
  • Prepare cabin rentals for a season of use; and more.

Most of this work is not, and should not be, noticeable. But it still takes a lot of planning, person-power, and, of course, money.

Recreation fees increase the ability of managers to accomplish this work. Simply put, the majority -- 80-95 percent -- of proceeds from recreation fees goes right back into maintaining and improving the trails, land and facilities you use most.

Who Decides

That's easy: you do. We fund projects based on public feedback, which has told us that the priorities are:

  • Maintaining Restrooms
  • Maintaining Trails
  • Improving Safety and Security

How Do You Make My Dollar Go Even Farther?

A portion of proceeds are used to match grants, fund volunteer efforts, and create partnerships. Partnerships include dozens of youth organizations that provide trail and campground maintenance and help hundreds of young people understand and appreciate the forest environments. These programs add millions to the value of the funds.

How Can I Learn More?

Each year National Forests in Oregon and Washington produce a report showing the dollars collected and the projects they supported. These accomplishment reports are below.

Let Us Hear From You!

Public concerns and attitudes have been taken very seriously and have helped shape the fee program in the Pacific Northwest Region. Feel free to contact us.

Local Forest Accomplishments

Take a look at what your Recreation Fee Revenues accomplished on your favorite Forest.

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

Before, during, and after pictures of improvements made from Recreation Enhancment Act dollars collected.Colville National Forest

Deschutes National Forest

Fremont-Winema National Forests

Gifford Pinchot National Forest

Malheur National Forest

Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

Mt. Hood National Forest

Ochoco National Forest

Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forest's

Olympic National Forest

Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest

Siuslaw National Forest

Umatilla National Forest

Umpqua National Forest

Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Willamette National Forest