Recreation Facility Analysis
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Welcome to the Recreation Facility Analysis Web
Site!
What is the purpose of this page?
This site is an overview of the Recreation Facility
Analysis process -- What it is about, why the Forest Service
needs it, and how it helps to make reasoned decisions.
Recreation Facility Analysis is a process of national scope with
local forest emphasis. Each national forest will use this process
to develop a 5-year proposed "Program
of Work" to better manage and improve the quality of recreation
sites. All forests are scheduled to complete this initial phase
of the Recreation Facility Analysis process by the end of
2008.
What happened to Recreation Site - Facility Master Planning?
This process was called Recreation Site-Facility Master
Planning (RS-FMP.) However, the Forest Service recognized, as a
result of the findings of a team chartered specifically to review
the public participation efforts associated with this analysis
process, that the term “master
planning” could
imply that this is a decision-making process as opposed to an analytic
one. Therefore, based on a recommendation from that team, the
Forest Service decided to refer to the analysis of recreation facilities
more accurately and simply as Recreation Facility
Analysis.
Public Participation Plays a Key Role
Involvement by local publics, surrounding communities, and recreation
visitors is a critical and essential component of the Recreation
Facility Analysis process. With the help of these constituents,
Recreation Facility Analysis results in a higher quality, more
efficiently managed recreation sites program where the facilities
reflect visitor desires, expectations, and use. Each forest includes
input from the public throughout the entire analysis process.
Visit the web site of the forest near you to learn more
about their recreation opportunities and Recreation Facility Analysis
process.
Public Participation Review and Actions
Former Chief Dale Bosworth appointed a review team in January
2007, to examine how the Forest Service had incorporated public
participation into the Recreation Facility Analysis process. The
review team was comprised of Forest Service managers, communications
specialists, and social analysts, as well as citizens with a high
interest in recreation sites management.
The review team completed their report in April 2007. One of
the report findings was a growing public concern
over the potential loss of recreation facilities and the importance
visitors attach to their recreation places. The Forest Service
held a 30-day comment period to provide further opportunity for
public review and comment on the action items
resulting from the report.
An "action plan" was then developed.
The links below include all information concerning public participation,
the review team report and the action items resulting
from the report.
If you have any questions or concerns about the Recreation Facility
Analysis process, please contact your
local forest or email us at: rsfmp_comments@fs.fed.us
What is 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
good 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 ensure appropriate public dialogue
occurs 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.
Recreation Facility Analysis 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.
How the analysis process works:
In general, Forests, with the help of interested people, identify
the Forest niche. Forests analyze each recreation site based on
criteria such as how well the site supports the recreation needs,
desires, and expectations of the public; the role that site plays
in the local community; and the site's relationship to the environment.
Based on this analysis, the forest develops a 5 year proposed Program
of Work to meet the goals of the Recreation Facility Analysis process.
The public is invited to help implement and improve key tasks in
the proposed Program of Work while meeting those goals.
Visitor satisfaction is the bottom line. Implementing the results
of the Recreation Facility Analysis will result in a higher quality
and more efficiently managed recreation sites program where facilities
support the recreation niche; meet the needs, desires, and expectations
of constituents and visitors, and are operated and maintained within
the funding and resources of each Forest.
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