Gifford Pinchot
National Forest Sets Open Houses for Recreation Facilities Analysis
VANCOUVER,
WA – The Gifford Pinchot National Forest will hold four
open house meetings to receive public feedback on the future management
of its developed recreation sites, including campgrounds, trailheads,
and cabin rentals. Through the Recreation
Facility Analysis (RFA) process, the forest will draft a “program
of work” outlining the proposed management for these sites over
the next five years. Open house meetings will be held during the first
week of December throughout the area to share information, discuss the
proposed program of work, and gather comments.
Many of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest’s developed recreation
sites were built 30-50 years ago and are in need of significant investment
in basic maintenance or improvements.
The Recreation Facility Analysis process involves several steps: gathering
inventory and financial data; identifying the forest recreation niche;
evaluating each developed recreation site against established national
criteria (including conformance with the forest niche, financial efficiency,
and environmental and community sustainability); and ranking the recreation
sites according to those criteria. Using this analysis tool, the Forest
is drafting a proposed program of work for the next five years.
“Our goal with RFA is to create a sustainable recreation program,
eliminate facility maintenance backlog and meet the needs and expectations
of our visitors,” said Robin Rose, Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Recreation Program Manager. “The ideas and information we receive
from the public will help us fine tune and prioritize the tasks to meet
those needs.”
Open houses are scheduled for:
Monday,
December 3, 2007 --
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Gifford Pinchot National Forest Headquarters
10600 NE 51st Circle
Vancouver, Washington 98682 |
Tuesday,
December 4, 2007 --
6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Rock Creek Recreation Center (Auditorium)
710 SW Rock Creek Drive
Stevenson, WA 98648 |
Wednesday, December 5, 2007 -- 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Mt. Adams Ranger District Office
2455 Highway 141
Trout Lake, WA 98650 |
Thursday, December 6, 2007 -- 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
White Pass Elementary School (Multi-Purpose Room)
127 Kindle Road
Randle, WA 98377 |
NOTE - December 5,
2007: In
the event that I-5 is still closed in the Centralia/Chehalis area
on Thursday, people (coming from the Puget Sound region) planning to attend
the RFA Open House in Randle can still get to Randle via SR
7 and Highway
12 through Elbe and Morton. Please check for any updates on this
route before traveling.
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