Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus Members Express Support for Public Access to National Forests

November 23, 2010 (Washington, DC) – Thirty-three members of the bipartisan Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) recently signed a letter to Tom Tidwell, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), expressing strong support for public access and recreation on national forests as the USFS develops a formal draft National Forest System land management planning rule.

At the request of the CSC leadership, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) reached out to the offices of CSC members, encouraging them to join the effort on behalf of their sportsmen constituents to sign the letter requesting that the Forest Service Planning Rule provide for robust and diverse recreational opportunities, including hunting and fishing, in our national forests. 

The Forest Service is in the process of developing this new planning rule that will guide the development of individual national forest management plans, making it imperative that outdoor recreation be clearly supported in the plan.

“The members who signed this letter are stressing the need for a strong recreational use component to the final Forest Service Planning Rule, specifically including hunting and fishing, and encourage the Forest Service to further enhance and clearly state its support for outdoor recreation in the final rule,” said CSF President Jeff Crane.

Each year, millions of American families visit our national forests to learn about the history of our country and to see nature’s treasures. Visitors to the national forests also enjoy recreational activities, including camping, hiking, horseback riding, hunting and fishing, mountain biking, and off road and other motorized recreation, which helps promote a healthy and active lifestyle. Not only does recreation generate important revenue for the USFS, but many rural and outlying communities depend on revenue generated from tourism.

The Multiple-Use Sustained Yield Act of 1960 and the National Forest Management Act both require that USFS manage lands for a variety of purposes, with “outdoor recreation” listed first. Congress has clearly recognized the importance of access and recreation in our national forests. Since then, Congress has passed other laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act, which require USFS land mangers to take into account the environmental impacts of how national forests are managed.