US Forest Service

Mendocino National Forest

Home > Projects & Plans > Recreation Facility Analysis

Recreation Facility Analysis

* Some of the documents on this site are in PDF format. If you need to download the reader plugin, you may obtain it here.

Background

Many of the Mendocino's developed recreation sites were built 30-50 years ago. Since then, visitor preferences and demographics have changed. Some sites no longer serve projected recreation demand; some facilities are in poor shape and do not meet visitors' expectations. To respond to these conditions and national direction, the forest has implemented the Recreation Facility Analysis process for developed recreation sites. The result of Recreation Facility Analysis is a program of work with a list of prioritized actions to more effectively manage these recreation sites.

What is Recreation Facility Analysis?

Recreation Facility Analysis is an analysis tool developed nationally to help forests align their developed recreation sites with the unique characteristics of the forest, projected recreation demand, visitor expectations, and revenue. National forests across the country have undertaken this process. Recreation Facility Analysis is driven by three strategic goals:

Provide recreation opportunities best suited for the national forest;
Operate and maintain recreation sites to meet national quality standards;
Eliminate/reduce recreation-site deferred maintenance.

A seven-step process is used to evaluate and prioritize sites for action. The results are contained in a 5-year Program Of Work which was approved by the Regional Forester in November 2007.. Public feedback continues to be incorporated in specific projects associated with the Program of Work to ensure the actions taken are responsive to visitor needs. Annually, phases of the program of work will be implemented.

Seven Step Process

The Recreation Facility Analysis process involves seven steps, each bringing the Mendocino's developed recreation sites in closer alignment with the forest's unique characteristics, projected demand, visitor expectations and revenue.

STEP 1: Prepare Site Inventory & Financial Data
Forest recreation-site facility inventory and associated financial data is updated. Participants determine preliminary operation and maintenance, and deferred maintenance estimates for each recreation site.

STEP 2: Identify Unit Recreation Program Niche
Recreation-visitor use and market data are examined to determine the focus of the forest's recreation program. Participants develop map that displays the forest's recreation settings and summary paragraph that characterizes the forest's unique recreation program "niche."

STEP 3: Identify Operational Efficiencies
Recreation sites are examined to determine if efficiencies can be undertaken to further reduce site expenditures or eliminate deferred maintenance. Participants determine a proposed set of management options for each site to reduce costs.

STEP 4: Rank Recreation Sites
Recreation sites are rated through the use of a series of questions involving the sites' conformance with the forest recreation program niche; their financial and operational efficiency; their effects on environmental sustainability; and their effects on community stability.

STEP 5: Propose 5-year Program of Work to Stakeholders
The proposed 5-year program of work for recreation sites is prepared based upon the analysis completed in the previous four steps. Broader discussions with stakeholders are sought to explore alternative ways of operating sites or building new partnerships.

STEP 6: Finalize 5-year Proposed Program of Work
The 5-year program of work for recreation sites is refined, based upon the broader discussions with stakeholders. The final 5-Year Program of Work is currently available »

STEP 7: Implementation
Annually, site-specific steps are proposed to implement the 5-year program of work for recreation sites. Prior to implementation, National Environmental Policy Act and other agency coordination requirements are completed. 2008 is the first full year of implementation of the Program of Work.

Some of the Action Items being implemented in 2008 include:

Campground improvements to reduce deferred maintenance at Letts Lake, Lake Pillsbury and Middle Creek. Funding for these campground improvement projects was provided to the Forest in direct response to completion of the 5-Year Program of Work.
Nominal fee increases were implemented on May 1st, 2008 at several campgrounds on the Forest. New fees will be implemented at a few developed recreation sites on the Forest later this summer. Eighty percent of fees collected at National Forest recreation sites are retained on the Forest and used on the ground to fund recreation site improvements.
Some recreation sites will have slight reductions in the operational seasons. These reductions are generally associated with low use, early or late season, periods.

Public Participation

We recognize the importance of these sites and welcome your comments and suggestions as we implement specific actions contained in the Program of Work. Your participation is important to ensure that the results of the Recreation Facility Analysis process meet visitor needs and offer the best recreation opportunities in places important to people.

If you have specific questions, want to be put on the Recreation Facility Analysis mailing list for future notification, or wish to more actively participate, please feel free to contact Tricia Christofferson at (530) 934-1167 or email: mailroom_r5_mendocino@fs.fed.us

(Page Modified 6/6/08 )

Printable Version

-top-