Defunding the trails?

[dave54]

https://www.bikemag.com/news/defund-the-trails

USFS trails used to funded from timber sales. 10% of timber revenue went back to local roads and trails, and a varying percentage went into what is called K-V Funds (after the Knudsen-Vandenberg Act) to be used for various forest activities in the area of the timber sale (wildlife habitat, fisheries, recreation facilities, etc).
With the decline in timber sales, that funding has almost entirely dried up.

Now some funding comes from the offshore oil lease revenue, but not enough to make a dent in the maintenance backlog, plus the policy is to wean ourselves off oil. The rest must come from Congressional appropriations, and is subject to the same budget pressures as all other government functions. Trails are pretty low on the national priority list.

Note the Pentagon spends more money on bands and musical groups than all the agencies combined receive for trails.

[balzaccom]

You've just mentioned one of the reasons that I continue to volunteer to do trail work for the Forest Service. We get a lot done. The other reason is that it's a great way to spend a lot of time in the mountains with some really good people, both USFS and volunteers.

Hope to see you out on the trail soon!