1. Sustainable Recreation Sustainable Recreation is defined as the set of recreation settings and opportunities on the National Forest System that is ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable for present and future generations. Recreation opportunities on National Forests provide many economic benefits to local communities and a variety of social benefits to the public. The Forest Service strives to manage these opportunities in a manner that protects the ecological sustainability of the area. To be sustainable means that the recreation settings and opportunities provided are compatible with other plan components that provide for ecological sustainability, foster healthy social relationships among recreationists and with the broader community, and are within the fiscal capability of the planning unit. The context for evaluating sustainable recreation on the Flathead National Forest is the forest s recreation niche, developed through the recreation facilities analysis process. In doing so, sustainability is focused on those things the forest is uniquely poised to provide and framed within a broader landscape. Current conditions and trends will be discussed in each of the three spheres (ecological, social, and economic) of sustainable recreation. Flathead Recreation Niche Sharing the name of the lake and rushing rivers that wind through it, the Flathead NF is a critical piece of an incredible intact ecosystem that sustains the grizzly bear and the quality of human life. Whether visitors trek deep into the world-renowned Bob Marshall Wilderness or view the towering mountains from their backyard, the Forest is a tap root essential to the communities. Forest visitors experience self-reliance, challenge and renewal on downhill slopes, as well as in rustic settings along Wild and Scenic Rivers, mountain lakes, and wilderness. 2. Visitor Use Information Table 1. Flathead NF Visitor Use Year Total Estimated Visitors % From Flathead County 2010 885,000 70% 2005 852,000 75% NVUM 2012 Table 2. Top 10 activities by % participation on the Flathead NF 2010 and 2005 2010 Top 10 Activities Percentage Participation 2005 top 10 activities Percentage Participation 1. Viewing Natural Features 42.2% 1. Hiking / Walking 28.2% 2. Viewing Wildlife 35.8% 2. Viewing Natural Features 27.6% 3. Relaxing 33.7% 3. Viewing Wildlife 21.8% 4. Hiking / Walking 33.5% 4. Downhill Skiing 20.9% 5. Downhill Skiing 30.1% 5. Hunting 19.5% 6. Driving for Pleasure 20.3% 6. Relaxing 17.2% 7. Hunting 18.0% 7. Driving for Pleasure 16.2% 8.Nature Center Activities 12.2% 8. Fishing 11.8% 9. Fishing 11.7% 9. Nature Study 8.8% 10. Gathering Forest Products 9.4% 10. Gathering Forest Products 8.0% National Visitor Use Monitoring
Downhill Skiing Hunting Hiking/Walking Viewing Natural Relaxing Driving for Pleasure Fishing Gathering Forest Some Other Activity Developed Camping Snowmobiling Other Non- Picnicking Bicycling Viewing Wildlife Motorized Trail Motorized Water Other Motorized Nature Center Recreation Information for Desired Condition Discussion % Primary Activity 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 % Visits Figure 1. Percent Visits by % Primary Activity in 2010 on the Flathead National Forest 3. Projected Recreation Trends and Demographic Projections National Recreation Trends A recent publication by Cordell (2012), in support of the 2010 Resource Planning Act (RPA) Assessment, describes the trends and outlooks for outdoor recreation in the United States. Some important trends especially relevant to recreation on public lands include: The mix of activities is evolving over time and is different than at any other time in the past. Some of the more traditional outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing are declining and being replaced by more nature-based recreation, such as wildlife or bird watching and photography. There is overall growth in outdoor recreation participation. Between 2000 and 2009, the total number of people who participated in one or more of 60 outdoor activities grew by 7.5 percent, and the total number of activity days of participation increased over 32 percent. There is substantial growth in both participants and annual days for five nature-based viewing and photography activities: viewing birds, other wildlife (besides birds), fish, wildflowers/trees and other vegetation, and natural scenery. Public lands continue to be highly important for the recreation opportunities they offer. In the West, recreation on public lands account for 69 percent of annual recreation days, slightly more
than 60 percent of viewing and photographing nature activity, around three-fourths of backcountry activity, 57 percent of hunting, and 67 percent of cross-country skiing. Recreation resources will likely become less available as more people compete to use them. Trends towards more flexible work scheduling and telecommuting may well allow recreationists to allocate their leisure time more evenly across the seasons and through the week, thus facilitating less concentrated peak demands. Technological innovations will allow more people to find and get to places more easily and quickly perhaps leading to over use pressure not previously considered a threat. Visits to national forests have been declining, visits to National Parks and Bureau of Land Management lands have been fairly steady, and visits to FWS National Wildlife refuges have been growing. Projected trends in outdoor recreation up to the year 2060 were also highlighted in the report. The five activities projected to grow fastest in number of participants are: developed skiing (68 to 147% increase) undeveloped skiing (55 to 106% increase) challenge activities (50 to 86% increase) equestrian activities (44 to 87% increase) motorized water activities (41 to 81% increase) The activities with the lowest projected growth in participant numbers are: visiting primitive areas (33 to 65%increase) motorized off- road activities (29 to 56% increase) motorized snow activities (25 to 61% increase) hunting (8 to 23 percent), fishing (27 to 56% increase) floating activities (30 to 62% increase) Demographic Projections Flathead County is projected to have a 52% change in population growth from 2010 to 2035 and 45% change from 2035 to 2060. Lake County is projected to have a 31% change in population growth from 2010 to 2035 and 32% change from 2035 to 2060. Another way to look at the population change is via the projected growth rate per year. Flathead County is quite high at 2.4%; the overall growth rate for the United States is.71%. Because 70% of our visitors (NVUM 2010) come from Flathead County, this may be a large increase of visitors to the forest. When we look at the national recreation trends below along with the projected population change for Flathead and Lake County, we can infer that there will be a higher demand for recreation on the forest. A major challenge for natural resource managers will be to ensure that recreation opportunities remain viable and grow along with the population.
4. Fiscal Information Recreational facilities include buildings and other infrastructure maintained for public recreational use, such as campgrounds, day use areas, boating and swimming sites, and buildings located at these areas. The current deferred maintenance backlog for recreation buildings as reported in INFRA is $2,576,000. Deferred maintenance for other recreation site amenities, such as campsites, food storage lockers, and picnic tables, is $425,000 million as reported in INFRA. Table 3. Revenue from Cabins, OG and Interagency Pass Sales 2009-2013 for Flathead NF FY2009 FY2010 FY2011 FY2012 FY 2013 Cabins $56,689 $75,981 $93,961 $96,132 $108,401 Outfitter/Guide $169,707 $186,951 $205,996 $178,039 $213,925 Interagency Pass Sales $1,608 $1,725 $1,577 $2,765 $3,114 Totals $228,004 $264,657 $301,534 $276,936 $325,440 Table 4. Gross revenue and fees paid to government from campground concessionaire 2009 to 2013 for FNF Campground Concession Permit CY2009 CY2010 CY2011 CY2012 CY 2013 Fee Paid to the Government $12,970 $11,359 $13,119 $15,461 $49,724 Table 5. Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) Projects Funding for FY 2009-2012 Project Type FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 Rec/Trail Projects $71,600 $129,979 $100,050 $94,521 $162,069 Table 6. Appropriated Funds for Recreation, Wilderness, Trails, Facilities and Heritage FY2009-2013 FNF Fund Code FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 Rec/Wild/Heritage $1,225,200 $1,220,000 $1,045,300 $1,042,000 $1,010,000 Trails $710,500 $684,000 $774,000 $737,800 $548,600 Rec Facilities $53,000 $120,000 $110,000 $107,000 $107,000 Total $1,988,700 $2,024,000 $1,929,300 $1,886,800 $1,665,600 Table 7. Total Recreation, Trails Budget for FY 2009 to 2013 Funding Type FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 Revenue from cabins, OG, Interagency pass $228,004 $264,656 $301,534 $276,935 $325,440 Campground Concessions $12,970 $11,359 $13,119 $15,461 $49,724 RAC $71,600 $129,979 $100,050 $94,521 $162,069 Appropriated Funds* $1,988,700 $2,024,000 $1,929,300 $1,886,800 $1,665,600 * includes funding for heritage Total $2,301,274 $2,429,994 $2,344,003 $2,273,717 $2,220,833
Appropriated funds have been trending down for recreation, and trail maintenance; this may have impacts to the quality and quantity of recreation facilities and experiences. How this specifically affects the forestlevel recreation funding is unknown. Fees collected from cabins, outfitter and guides, interagency passes, and campground concessionaire have been increasing but are capped by site capacity; these funds can help mitigate some of the decreases in budget but have specific requirements on how they can be used. RAC funding has been variable. In the last 4 years, the total budget has decreased by 8.6 % in the past 3 years. In addition, the forest has been successful in its strong volunteer and partnership program and also pursues multiple grants and other funding sources to stretch dollars and build community ownership and stewardship. It is anticipated that the forest will rely on partnerships to help make up the shortfall from declining budgets. Partnerships can come in a variety of ways from help with funding to actual labor or research. Partnerships help fill gaps in funding and implement projects that may not otherwise be accomplished but they are not a guarantee. The table below shows volunteer hours from 2009 to 2013. Table 8. Number of volunteer hours in recreation related projects. FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 # of hours 24,943 13.313 17,376 12,994 16,741 5. Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) The Forest Service utilizes a framework called recreation opportunity spectrum (ROS) to describe different settings across the landscape and attributes associated with those settings. The ROS has six classes in a continuum to describe settings that range from highly modified and developed to primitive and undeveloped (USDA Forest Service, 1986). The six classes are described below. Primitive (P) Description Characteristics Theme: remote (3 miles from motorized use) Predominately unmodified, naturally evolving Size: 5,000+ acres. Size may be smaller if contiguous to a SPNM area
Physical Managerial Social Infrastructure Access non-motorized trails present Fishing sites rivers and lakes Camp/Picnic Sites not developed or defined, leave no trace Sanitation no facilities, leave no trace Water Supply undeveloped, natural Signing minimal, constructed of rustic, natural material Interpretation through self-discovery Water Crossings minimal, some bridges made of natural material Vegetation Natural, no treatments except fire Few signs, few encounters with rangers, travel on foot and horse, no motorized travel allowed. Very high probability of solitude; closeness to nature; self-reliance, high challenge and risk; little evidence of people. Semi-Primitive Non-Motorized (SEPM) Description Characteristics Theme: Predominately natural/natural appearing; rustic improvements to protect resources. Size: 2,500 + acres (No size criteria apply within designated Wilderness boundaries). Infrastructure Access non-motorized trails present. Closed and temporary roads may be present but not dominant on the landscape. Fishing sites rivers, lakes and reservoirs Physical Camp/Picnic Sites not developed, leave no trace Sanitation no facilities, leave no trace Water Supply undeveloped, natural Signing rustic constructed of natural material Interpretation through self-discovery, at trailheads Water Crossings rustic structures or bridges made of natural materials Managerial Social Vegetation Predominately natural, treatment areas exist to enhance forest health but are few and widely dispersed Minimum or subtle signing and regulations, some encounters with rangers. Motorized travel prohibited. High probability of solitude, closeness to nature, self-reliance high to moderate challenge and risk; some evidence of others.
Semi-Primitive Motorized Physical Managerial Social Description Characteristics Theme: Predominately natural/natural appearing; rustic improvements to protect resources. Size: 2,500 + acres (No size criteria apply within designated Wilderness boundaries). Infrastructure Access motorized trails exist Fishing sites rivers, lakes and reservoirs w/ some trails & primitive roads (motorized trails); Camp/Picnic Sites not developed, leave no trace, some identified dispersed areas Sanitation limited facilities, rustic, may have rustic outhouses available. Water Supply undeveloped, natural; rustic developments Signing rustic constructed of natural material Interpretation through self-discovery, some located on site or at trailheads Water Crossings rustic structures or bridges made of natural materials, some designed for motorized use Vegetation treatment areas are very small in number, widely disbursed, and consistent with natural vegetation patterns. Minimum or subtle signing and regulations. Motorized off-highway vehicles allowed. Moderate probability of solitude, closeness to nature, high degree of challenge and risk using motorized equipment; motorized use visible and audible. DESCRIPTION Roaded Natural Physical Description Characteristics Theme: Natural Appearing with nodes and corridors of development such as campgrounds, trailheads, boat launches, and rustic, small-scale resorts. Size: No size criteria Infrastructure Access Classified road system for highway vehicle use Fishing sites rivers, lakes and reservoirs with some facilities Camp/Picnic Sites identified dispersed and developed sites Sanitation developed outhouses that blend with setting Water Supply often developed Signing rustic with natural materials to more refined using a variety of materials such as fiberglass, metal, etc Interpretation simple roadside signs, some interpretive displays Water Crossings bridges constructed of natural materials Vegetation Changes (treatments) to the natural vegetation patterns are
evident but in harmony with natural setting. Managerial Social Opportunity to be with other users in developed sites; some obvious signs (information and regulation) and low to moderate likelihood of meeting Forest Service rangers. Moderate evidence of human sights and sounds; moderate concentration of users at campsites; little challenge or risk. Rural Physical Managerial Social Description Characteristics Theme: Altered Landscapes with natural appearing backdrop. Ranches, administrative sites, and moderately developed resorts are sometimes in this ROS class. Size: No size criteria Infrastructure Access Travel routes highly developed, classified roads; trails are constructed for ease of movement. Majority of routes are concrete, paved or graveled. Camp/Picnic Sites developed and designed for user comfort, variety of construction materials used that blend with setting. May have hookup amenities such as hot water, electricity, and sewage disposal. Sanitation developed and designed for user comfort Water Supply developed and designed for user comfort Signing natural and synthetic materials appropriate Interpretation roadside exhibits, interp. Interpretive programs. Water Crossings crossing bridges constructed of a variety of materials, In harmony with landscape Vegetation dominate treatments that blend with landscape. Obvious signing (regulation and information), education and law enforcement staff available. Motorized and mechanized travel common and often separated. High interaction among users is common. Little challenge or risk associated with being outdoors.
Urban Physical Description Characteristics Theme: Heavy site modifications and facilities. Backdrop is often natural appearing. Highly developed ski areas and resorts are examples of urban nodes within NF System lands. Size: No size criteria but typically small nodes Infrastructure Access Travel routes highly developed (typically maintenance level 4 and 5) for motorized use often with mass transit available. Majority of routes are concrete, paved or graveled. Camp/Picnic Sites developed and designed for user comfort, variety of construction materials used, campsites in close proximity to each other, nearby cafe s and restaurants. Sanitation developed and designed for user comfort, most have running water. Water Supply developed and designed for user comfort, many have hot water available Signing natural and synthetic materials appropriate Interpretation exhibits in staffed visitor centers, highly developed and formalized exhibits. Water Crossings crossing bridges constructed of a variety of materials, designed for user convenience and safety. Vegetation often planted, manicured and maintained. Managerial Social Intensive on-site management, obvious signs, and staffing, education and law enforcement available. Motorized and mechanized travel restricted to designated routes. No motorized or mechanized travel allowed off designated travel routes. Opportunity to be with others - high degree of interaction with people. Challenge and risk are unimportant except for competitive sports. DSCRIPTION
Table 9. Percentage of Summer ROS Classes within Geographic Areas on the FNF ROS Classification Hungry Horse North Fork South Fork Middle Fork Salish Mnt Swan Valley Primitive 12% 0 86% 83% 0 22% Semi-primitive nonmotorized 53% 67% 10% 11% 13% 34% Semi-primitive 7% <1% 2% <1% 4% 4% motorized Roaded Natural 27% 33% 3% 6% 82% 40% Rural <1% <1% 0 0 <1% <1% Urban 0 0 0 0 <1% 0 GIS layer 1/11/2014 % Summer ROS Class on Forest Primitive (46%) Semi-primitive non-motorized (27%) Semi-primitive Motorized (3%) Roaded Natural (24%) Rural (<1%) Urban (<1%) Figure 2. % of Summer ROS Class on the Flathead National Forest Table 10. Percentage of Winter ROS Classes within Geographic Areas ROS Classification Hungry Horse North Fork South Fork Middle Fork Salish Mnt Swan Valley Primitive 14% 0 85% 82% 0 22% Semi-primitive 17% 46% 10% 7% 3% 19% non-motorized Semi-primitive 68% 47% 4% 8% 76% 56% motorized Roaded <1% 7% 0 4% 19% 4% Natural Rural <1% <1% <1% <1% 1% <1% Urban 0 0 0 0 0 0
% Winter ROS Class on Forest Primitive (46%) Semi-primitive Non-motorized (16%) Semi-primitive motorized (34%) Roaded Natural (4%) Rural (<1%) Urban (0%) Figure 3. Percent Winter ROS Class on Forest As seen from the tables and pie charts, there is a shift in ROS classes between summer and winter. While primitive (designated wilderness) and rural/urban have stayed relatively the same, semi-primitive nonmotorized and roaded natural shifted to semi-primitive motorized (increased from 3% in the summer to 34% in winter). Roaded natural decreases because most Forest roads are not plowed, therefore not open in the winter. Semi-primitive non-motorized decreases because there is more area open to motorized oversnow vehicles across the forest. In 2007, the Forest developed a Recreation Site Facility Master Plan (RSFMP) that was used to guide the forest in providing a quality, sustainable recreation site program. It described the vision for the overall forest recreation program and created a 5-year program of work. The current plan was intended to be a 5 year plan, and the forest will begin in 2014 to update and reanalyze the information to produce another 5- year program of work. The RSFMP ranks existing developed recreation sites using a variety of factors such as: Flathead Forest niche compatibility, deferred maintenance and annual operation and maintenance costs, use levels, other social and environmental criteria. In addition, the RSFMP outlines specific needs and proposed actions at each site that range from closure to increased fees to reconstruction. As funding levels fluctuate, the RSFMP helps target the best use of available funding and create a more sustainable recreation program. The RSFMP is also used when applying for additional internal funding and/or for grants and other outside funding to address deferred maintenance or capital improvement needs.
6. Existing Recreation Facilities Table 11: Recreation Facilities by Geographic Areas Hungry North South Middle Salish Swan Total Horse Fork Fork Fork Mnt Valley Boating Site 7 3 2 6 2 3 25 Campground 13 4 2 1 5 3 28 Campground Group 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Day Use Area 11 0 0 0 27 26 64 Fishing Site 0 0 1 0 7 1 9 Interpretive/ 6 0 3 0 8 1 18 Observation Sites Lookout/Cabin 1 5 1 2 1 4 14 Picnic Site 2 0 1 0 1 3 7 Picnic Group Site 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Ski Area - Nordic 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Snow Park 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 Swimming Site 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 Developed Trailhead 0 1 20 5 26 6 48 Total 40 14 30 14 80 49 219 Infra data compiled 12/23/2013 Thirteen campgrounds on the Forest are run by concessionaires under 1 Granger-Thye permit and Federal Lands and Recreation Act (FLERA). The permit is awarded on a competitive basis for a period of five years, with an option to extend for an additional five years based on satisfactory performance. The current Granger-Thye authority allows a fee offset to occur, where the permit holder returns a percentage of their proceeds back to the federal government for the purpose of maintaining the recreation sites under that permit. Permits are awarded to the concessionaire based on their proposal to operate the facilities and the percentage of proceeds they will return to the federal government. The permit holder can return the proceeds directly to the Forest or in some cases return the proceeds to the general US Treasury. The amount of Granger-Thye funding received by the Forest fluctuates each fiscal year, with the Forest receiving approximately $49,724 in fiscal year 2013 (see table 12 in the recreation section). Although the Granger-Thye funding can be spent on campground road improvements, the funds have generally been used for repairs of recreational facilities such as toilet building replacement, repairs to utility systems, and replacement of other site amenities such as signs, food storage lockers, and fire pits. The concessionaires are responsible for performing routine annual maintenance as part of their permit. The Granger-Thye funding received by the Forest is used for items above and beyond annual maintenance and could be considered as offsetting deferred maintenance. Table 12. Gross revenue and fees paid to government from campground concessionaire 2009 to 2013 for FNF Campground Concession Permit CY2009 CY2010 CY2011 CY2012 CY 2013 Fee Paid to the Government $12,970 $11,359 $13,119 $15,461 $49,724