Addressing the Backlog
The Outfitter & Guide Trail Stewardship Pilot Program, established by the National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act, strives to help address the Forest Service’s trail maintenance backlog. Commercial Outfitter & Guides are helping the Agency accomplish trail maintenance on National Forest trails and related facilities through this innovative public-private partnership.
One of the primary ways outfitter and guide companies serve the public and assist the Forest Service is by helping people access their public lands to hunt, fish, and enjoy nature. Outfitter and guides typically pay annual fees to utilize public land that is managed by the Forest Service. Local Forest Service officials on pilot forests work together with approved outfitter and guides to identify agreed-upon work, associated standards, and fee offset. This innovative Outfitter & Guide Trail Stewardship Credit Pilot Program is an opportunity for participating outfitter and guides on selected national forests to construct, improve, or maintain trails in exchange for paying all or part of their land use fee. Outfitter and guide companies are joining the Forest Service as part of a learning culture to find innovative ways to share in caring for trails and improving on-the-ground trail conditions.
Pilot Program Kick-off in 2020
The following 20 national pilot forests have been selected for participation in this program.
- R1 - Bitterroot National Forest
- R1 - Kootenai National Forest
- R1 - Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests
- R2 - Bighorn National Forest
- R2 - Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests & Thunder Basin National Grassland
- R2 - San Juan National Forest
- R2 - Shoshone National Forest
- R3 - Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
- R3 - Gila National Forest
- R4 - Salmon-Challis National Forest
- R6 - Gifford Pinchot National Forest
- R6 - Siulslaw National Forest
- R6 - Umpqua National Forest
- R6 - Wallowa-Whitman National Forest
- R6 - Willamette National Forest
- R8 - National Forests of Mississippi
- R8 - Ouachita National Forest
- R9 - Mark Twain National Forest
- R9 - Wayne National Forest
- R10 - Tongass National Forest
As we learn through initial pilot program efforts, the Agency will potentially be looking to expand the program in future years.
On established pilot forests, contact your local Forest Service office if you are interested in participating in the program.