CLOVIS – The U.S. Forest Service will waive fees at some of its day-use recreation sites on Wednesday, Nov. 11, in honor of Veteran’s Day.
The fee waiver program is in cooperation with other federal land management agencies under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. Fees are waived generally for day-use areas, such as picnic grounds, developed trailheads and destination visitor centers. Concessionaire operated sites may be included in the waiver if the permit holder wishes to participate.
Falls Beach, Lake Side, the boat ramp at Bass Lake and Little Denver Church will not charge day use fees.
No fees are charged at any time on 98 percent of national forests and grasslands, and approximately two-thirds of developed recreation sites in national forests and grasslands can be used for free.
Encouraging use of public lands supports the goals of President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors initiative, which encourages all Americans to connect with the outdoors, and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move Outside initiative that encourages children to get out and get active to be healthy.
The mission of the U.S. Forest Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the nation’s clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. The agency has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of the 850 million forested acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.
