Recreation Facility Analysis

Recreation Facility Analysis is an analysis process, used nationally, to assist Forests in creating a sustainable program that aligns recreation sites with visitors' desires, expectations, and use. Recreation Facility Analysis helps ensure that recreation sites and facilities provide the appropriate mix of opportunities within the special characteristics of each Forest.

Recreation Facility Analysis gives recreation resource managers helpful information. Using this information they are able to develop a Forest level program of work to operate and maintain a financially sustainable and niche-focused recreation sites program that meets National Quality Standards. The initial product of the process is a 5 year proposed Program of Work that will help the forest meet the Recreation Facility Analysis goals which are:

• Improve customer satisfaction
• Provide recreation opportunities consistent with the Forest recreation "niche".
  • Niche is what the forest has to offer in terms of special places, opportunities and potential experiences, overlapped with what people desire and expect in terms of outdoor recreation from public lands.
• Operate and maintain a financially sustainable recreation sites program to accepted quality standards
• Eliminate deferred maintenance at recreation sites.

Public input continues to be important to the Forest Service and is a critical part of the Recreation Facility Analysis process. Forests will seek public dialogue throughout the process.

All forests are scheduled to complete the Recreation Facility Analysis process by the end of 2008.

Why is this recreation analysis process needed?

The Forest Service is committed to responsibly serving the public by efficiently operating and, when necessary, modifying the services to ensure recreation sites provide the right opportunities in the right places.

As demographics change and new challenges are presented, it is our responsibility to respond and ensure the appropriate recreation services and facilities are available to the public.

RFA is a process that, with the help of the public, communities, and the private sector, will allow us to be fiscally responsible and continue to provide outstanding recreation opportunities to the public.

Your feedback is important!

Throughout this process, your comments and suggestions are invited, and vital, to helping ensure that the results of the Recreation Facility Analysis process meet visitor needs and offer the best recreation opportunities in places important to people; today and into the future. We look forward to hearing from you. Please contact us.

For More Information

RFA 5-Year Proposed Program of Work (1.2MB .pdf file)