MOUNT SHASTA BIOREGIONAL ECOLOGY CENTER OFFERS INITIAL CONCERNS ON RECREATION FEE PROPOSAL

(Mt. Shasta, CA) – The Shasta-Trinity National Forest & Shasta-McCloud Management Unit are proposing fees for many recreational sites throughout the bioregion. This proposal includes raising fees and charging new fees for campgrounds and day use areas that are moderate and high-use, such as Bunny Flat, Everitt Memorial Vista, Red Fir Flat, Castle Lake, McCloud Falls, Snowman’s Hill and many other popular areas. The Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center (MSBEC) developed the Honor Our Mountain Environment (HOME) Program in 1997 through an agreement with the Forest Service to form a volunteer program including cleanup, restoration, and visitor education in lieu of fees proposed at that time, so that everyone would have access to the Mountain.

MSBEC recognizes that the current fee proposal may be different for many reasons from 24 years ago, and would like to explore alternative solutions to meet the Forest Service’s needs for more funding. At this point in time, their concerns include:

• Inclusivity – whether the proposed fees would allow equity of access to public lands. For some, $5 for day-use is a large item in their discretionary budget.  MSBEC recognizes the intersectionality between the environmental movement and social justice issues (that span racial and economic issues) and these fees will likely further marginalize members of disadvantaged communities, especially people of color, from enjoying our beautiful landscapes.
• Budgetary constraints – there should be funding allocated from the federal level to keep the toilets cleaned, the campgrounds up-to-date, and these areas staffed. The local offices are not to be blamed for this this unfortunate position of needing to impose fees to keep these areas open.
• The process – ensuring the community is informed and its voices heard, through contact with the recreation officers and passing on information to the public about town halls, surveys, and other information. MSBEC aims to help with disseminating the information until the public comment period ends on September 6, 2021.
• Maintaining the landscape – MSBEC’s mission is to keep the bioregion pristine, and therefore it shares the Forest Service’s concern that many popular areas have been negatively affected by the human impacts and lack of funding in a dramatic way, especially over recent years.

“We’re going to be very active in the process and aim to include as many people as possible. Our hope is to come up with some creative solutions to keep these areas as pristine as possible while still allowing all people to visit and enjoy the beauty and recreational opportunities our bioregion has to offer,” said Jessica Matthews, Program Director.