Latest news with #NationalForestService
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Higher fees planned in popular AZ forest. Here are the new prices and how to comment
Adventures in Arizona's Coconino National Forest could get more expensive soon. The National Forest Service has proposed recreation fee increases at sites throughout Coconino National Forest, including higher prices for daily, weekly and seasonal passes at picnic areas, day use areas and trailheads. The plan also creates new fees at some boating sites and cabins that are currently free, the Forest Service said on Monday, May 12. If the proposed increases take effect, the daily and weekly fees will double and the seasonal fees will triple at most sites that charge fees. The new fees must be approved by the Bureau of Land Management Resource Advisory Committee, and the Forest Service is accepting public comments through Sept. 5. If approved, it would mark the latest example of outdoor recreation in Arizona getting pricier. Arizona State Parks & Trails raised entry fees in February, while the National Park Service increased campground fees at Grand Canyon National Park in April. Here's what to know about the proposed fee increases at Coconino National Forest. Coconino National Forest spans more than 1.8 million acres in central and northern Arizona and encompasses Sedona and Flagstaff, two cities that are top draws for outdoor travelers. Some sites require a pass, but most of Coconino National Forest − about 67%, by the Forest Service's estimate − is free to visit. In Sedona, visitors must display a Red Rock Pass or federal recreation pass like the America the Beautiful Pass to park at popular trailheads and picnic areas in Oak Creek Canyon, along Boynton Pass Road and State Route 179 and in other locations. A Red Rock Pass costs $5 for a day, $15 for a week or $20 for a year. Forest Service spokesperson Randi Shaffer told The Arizona Republic that the proposed fee increase does not affect the cost of Red Rock Passes. The Forest Service is proposing the following fee increases: Boating sites: C.C. Cragin Reservoir and Knoll Lake are currently free to use. If the proposal is approved, fees of $10 per day, $30 per week and $60 per season would take effect at both locations. Fees at the Narrows and Upper Lake Mary would increase to $30 per week and $60 per season, up from the current $15 per week and $20 per season; the daily fee at both areas would remain $10. Picnic sites: Fees per vehicle at the Banjo Bill, Bootlegger, Dry Creek Vista, Encinoso and Halfway picnic areas would increase to $10 per day, $30 per week and $60 per season, up from the current $5 per day, $15 per week and $20 per season. Midgley Bridge Observation Site: The per-vehicle fee would increase to $10 per day, $30 per week and $60 per season, up from the current $5 per day, $15 per week and $20 per season. Day use areas and trailheads: It currently costs $6 for a day-use pass within the Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River corridor during the high season of April 1-Oct. 1. If the proposal passes, the fee would be $25 per vehicle per day plus a $6 reservation fee. The areas that would introduce this fee include the Fossil Creek Bridge, Homestead, Mazatzal, Purple Mountain, Sally May and Tonto Bench day use areas, plus the Dixon Lewis and Irving-Flume Trailheads. Per-vehicle fees for the Baldwin, Bear/Doe Mountain, Bell, Bell Rock Vista, Boynton Canyon, Bruce Brockett, Cathedral Rock, Courthouse Vista, Fay Canyon, Huckaby, Jim Thompson, Little Horse, Mescal and Yavapai Vista trailheads would increase to $10 per day, $30 per week and $60 per season, up from the current $5 per day, $15 per week and $20 per season. Interpretive and heritage sites: Per vehicle fees at the Honanki Ruin and Lava River Cave interpretive sites, Crane Petroglyph Heritage Site and Palatki interpretive visitor center would increase to $10 per day, $30 per week and $60 per season, up from the current $5 per day, $15 per week and $20 per season. Cabins and lookouts: Buck Mountain Lookout and Mormon Lake Guard Station are currently free to use. Under the proposal, a fee of $75 per night for up to four people at Buck Mountain and $100 per night for up to eight people at Mormon Lake would take effect. The fee at Crescent Moon Ranch Cabin would be $235 for a group of up to 10 people, up from the current $200. These sites are available on with an additional $8 reservation fee. Yes. The America the Beautiful Pass covers sites that charge fees at Coconino National Forest, as well as other federally managed lands that charge admission or day-use fees. The interagency pass, which costs $80 per year, waives entry fees at public recreation lands managed by several federal agencies, including the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and others. Get the Arizona news you need. Sign up for AZ Briefing from azcentral. There are five ways people can submit comments on the proposed fee increases in Coconino National Forest: Mail to Coconino National Forest, Attention: Brian Poturalski, 1824 S. Thompson St., Flagstaff, AZ 86001. Email to comments-southwestern-coconino@ Online comment at Comment in person to Brian Poturalski from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Coconino National Forest office in Flagstaff. Comment by phone at 928-527-3474; indicate you wish to comment on the proposed recreation fee changes. The deadline to submit comments is Sept. 5, 2025. Save on hotels: Best summer 2025 staycation deals in Phoenix. Some are just for AZ residents Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who's covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic's consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Subscribe to today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Coconino National Forest fee increases: What you could pay
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
You Can Help Plastic Pollution in U.S. National Parks With This App—What to Know
The 5 Gyres Institute is starting its annual initiative to track amounts of trash in National Parks. Any visitor to national parks can help by recording data about the trash they see in any U.S. park or federal land through October. The crowdsourced data is used to make scientific recommendations for reducing waste. On April 22, we'll all celebrate Earth Day. There's no better way to honor this beautiful planet than by doing our part to keep it clean. And the 5 Gyres Institute is kicking off its fourth annual Plastic-Free Parks TrashBlitz project to do just that. The community science initiative's mission is to track pollution trends in the U.S. National Parks and on federal lands. Of course, it doesn't just leave it there. It also enlists the help of volunteers to collect trash at "any land managed by the federal government, including the National Park Service, National Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Fish and Wildlife Service," and log their findings in the TrashBlitz app. This data, the organization noted in a statement provided to Travel + Leisure, contributes to its annual report that uncovers the top items, materials, and brands found, which also outlines science-based recommendations to reduce waste. 'For three years, TrashBlitz has served as a valuable tool in tracking waste trends across national parks. From this data, we know that single-use plastic is the worst offender, and we're seeing the same brands commonly identified in waste audits all over the world,' Nick Kemble, a program associate at 5 Gyres, shared. 'Systemic changes, like implementing reuse and refill systems and shifting to better alternatives, can have a real, immediate impact on reducing waste in national parks.' Like Kemble said, plastic has made up the majority of trash logged on the app for the past three years by an overwhelming degree. According to the group, it made up 75 percent of all waste recorded. The most common single-use plastic items included food wrappers, bottles, bottle caps/rings, cigarette butts, wipes, and fragments. As for which brands are most commonly found, that list includes Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Gatorade, Marlboro, and Camel. All this information is then used to help push more environmentally friendly legislation, including the Reducing Waste in National Parks Act, which seeks to "eliminate the sale and distribution of disposable plastic products." And this work is all the more important with the drastic cuts to national park funding. 'The TrashBlitz data from previous years underscores the urgent need to address plastic pollution in our national parks. Now is not the time to cut essential resources and personnel responsible for waste management, education, and park maintenance,' Alison Waliszewski, the director of regional policy and program development, added. 'We can all step up to help our parks during this time, and we're calling on the public to take action by collecting data that can push forward solutions.'Volunteers can take part and collect data now through October 31, 2025. See more about how to sign up at Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
WA conservationists criticize Trump's national forest logging plan
The Brief Washington's Commissioner of Public Lands is addressing a memo from the Department of Agriculture that raised concerns about the future of the state's national forests. Around 59% of all national forests in the U.S. would be open for logging, including some in eastern Washington state. NORTH BEND, Wash. - Dave Upthegrove, Washington Commissioner of Public Lands, is addressing a memo from the Department of Agriculture that raised concerns about the future of the state's national forests. The memo highlighted plans to open 59 percent of National Forest Service lands nationwide to logging. "Any work the Washington State Department of Natural Resources does with the federal government on federal land is going to respect our Evergreen State values. We're not going to harvest old growth," said Upthegrove. "While some of the intent is noble, there are some opportunities to do more work on federal land, but we're not going to see the floodgates open anytime soon." The memo declares a public health and safety emergency, citing the growing risks of wildfires, insect infestations, and disease as justification for the change. The Department of Agriculture argues that these threats warrant expanding timber production on federal lands to mitigate these issues. Upthegrove believes if President Donald Trump pushes efforts too far, infringing upon the Clean Water and Endangered Species Act, his executive order will face legal challenges. "The federal government still has to comply with federal law even if the President doesn't want to," said Upthegrove. "So I think it's likely these grand ambitions will be tempered by the reality of the law." Dave Werntz, Senior Director of Science and Conservation at Conservation Northwest, voiced strong concerns about the proposal. He warns that without a well-thought-out approach, the changes could lead to chaotic outcomes. "It feels like a smash and grab. It feels like a way to gain access to public resources and take them out of public hands," said Werntz. Werntz also raised concerns about the federal government's recent cuts to forest service staffing, which could hinder efforts to manage the forests effectively. "The very folks that would be required to implement this policy are being removed and the agency itself is being hobbled," said Werntz. According to Werntz, a map included in the memo revealed the national forests most affected by the new executive order are located primarily on the eastern side of the state, as western Washington's temperate rainforests, like those in the Olympic and Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forests, are less vulnerable to climate change and were not included in the proposed logging areas. However, Werntz cautioned that while these forests are not directly impacted by the emergency rules, they are not off limits. Supporters of the executive order, including the timber industry and the National Association of Home Builders, argue that increased logging will help make lumber more affordable and boost housing development. The Source Information in this story is from Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove, Senior Director of Science and Conservation at Conservation Northwest Dave Werntz, and FOX 13 Seattle reporting. 2 teens accused of ambush-style killing of 18-year-old in Tacoma, WA Trump order opens up all WA national forests for logging Axe-wielding suspect faces multiple charges after arrest in downtown Bremerton Motorcyclist hopes for justice after Snohomish County crash caught on camera Effort to ban flavored tobacco products in WA revived in legislature Seattle man pleads not guilty for child sex abuse material found in dumpsters 77-year-old Seattle man dies after driving off multi-story parking garage To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Los Alamos County ramps up fire mitigation efforts with new water pipeline
LOS ALAMOS COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – A long-awaited project that could help fight wildfires faster is taking shape in northern New Mexico, with the construction of a major water pipeline. The pipeline will carry water to the top of Pajarito Mountain, and could be used to battle wildfires within a 50-mile radius. In April, shovels will hit the ground at Pajarito Mountain to begin the first two phases of a 4 phase project building a water pipeline up to the ski hill. 'So, with this addition of the water line, it'll just be a faster attack. We'll be able to just make progress much faster,' said Los Alamos Fire Marshall Colorado Cordova. The Jemez Mountain Fire Protection Project is set to break ground on a major addition to the water supply system in Los Alamos County. 'It's a big project, involves over three and a half miles of pipe. It is four booster stations, and so it's all on the premise of providing additional fire protection,' emphasized James Alarid, Deputy Utility Manager of Los Alamos. Los Alamos officials said this connection is necessary for fire suppression capabilities at Pajarito and surrounding National Forest Service lands, which have seen three major wildfires in the last 20 years. 'The key things are right now there's not a steady water supply in there, so we are going to have fire hydrants that have full coverage 24/7,' continued Alarid. The new system is designed to ensure an immediately available water supply for firefighting crews, including aircraft performing water drops. Once complete, the pipeline will be able to circulate half a million gallons of water a day for fire protection, cutting down on firefighter response time. It will also be used for snowmaking at the ski area in the winter months and drinking water at the ski lodge and surrounding areas. The project is being funded by a $7.9 million grant from the New Mexico Legislature. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, State Sen. Leo Jaramillo (D-Los Alamos), and NM State Representative Christine Chandler (D-Los Alamos) offered crucial support in securing the grant funding. The remainder of the project costs (up to $18 million) are being split by Los Alamos County and Pajarito Mountain. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arizona's national parks and forests feeling strain from thousands of federal firings
Alysa HortonCronkite News PHOENIX — Arizona national parks and forests are already feeling a strain on resources after President Donald Trump's executive order for a federal hiring freeze and extensive firings. Grand Canyon National Park, one of the state's 22 national park sites, reported wait times being twice as long as usual just a week after the National Park Service and National Forest Service fired thousands. The park lost four toll operators, according to the Washington Post, despite being the second most visited park in the country. The park service fired an estimated 1,000 employees. The Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency has tried to slash numerous areas of federal funding, including for national parks and forests. A federal hiring freeze went into effect Jan. 20, but the park service has since been cleared to fill thousands of seasonal positions. While national parks are part of the Department of the Interior, national forests are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which defended Trump's decision to cut positions. 'As part of this effort, USDA has made the difficult decision to release about 2,000 probationary, non-firefighting employees from the Forest Service. To be clear, none of these individuals were operational firefighters,' a USDA spokesperson wrote. 'It's unfortunate that the Biden administration hired thousands of people with no plan in place to pay them long term.' Though USDA officials say 2,000 employees were let go, a union says the number is closer to 3,400 workers. Others have been less enthusiastic about the decision to release so many positions. Matthew Nelson, executive director of the Arizona Trail Association, said the decision is most likely to affect residents of the Valley who travel around the state to access natural lands. 'Most of the public lands that we love and enjoy — so these are national forests, Bureau of Land Management lands, national parks —they're all managed by federal agencies, and right now, those systems are being completely dismantled,' Nelson said. In 2023, outdoor recreation added over $14 billion to the Arizona gross domestic product, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. 'Beyond just the economic value of outdoor recreation, what it provides in terms of healthy living, I think it really, for me, defines what it means to be an Arizonan,' Nelson said. 'That's why I live here, and why I've pursued the job and the lifestyle that I have. If that were to ever change, it would completely transform how I see Arizona and America.' Bill Wade, executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers, said though the 'Valentine's Day massacre' of firings wasn't a complete surprise, the extent wasn't anticipated. 'That's kind of using the broad sword rather than the scalpel,' Wade said. Wade said those affected received an email at 4 p.m. Feb. 14 and were given an hour and a half to return any government equipment. The National Park Service maintains it will continue hiring seasonal staff. 'The National Park Service is hiring seasonal workers to continue enhancing the visitor experience as we embrace new opportunities for optimization and innovation in workforce management,' a spokesperson wrote. 'We are focused on ensuring that every visitor has the chance to explore and connect with the incredible, iconic spaces of our national parks.' In a social media post about the Grand Canyon, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said the 'Trump administration's removal of essential workers undermines our economy and ability to showcase one of the greatest natural wonders of the world.' Hobbs said despite the challenges at the Grand Canyon, she would not use state resources to aid the park, according to the Arizona Capitol Times. Volunteers and employees of the park service around the state have said Arizonans and tourists will likely feel the fallout of fewer resources. 'When this workforce continues to be diminished, it'll also affect our ability' to maintain trails, Nelson said. 'We also need our partners at the Forest Service and the BLM and the National Park Service to be engaged in that process. Otherwise, everything falls apart.' Cronkite News reporter Emily Fox-Million contributed to this article.
