IMBA Executive Director Gives Testimony on Trail Funding for Congress
For Immediate Release
04-24-07
Contact: Mark Eller, Communications Director
303-545-9011
In April, IMBA Executive Director Mike Van Abel testified at a congressional hearing focusing on federal appropriations for public lands. Van Abel spoke on behalf of the Outdoor Alliance, a coalition of six member-based organizations.
In his opening remarks, Van Abel spoke about "the connection between people and public lands that is achieved through human-powered outdoor recreation, such as hiking, climbing, kayaking, canoeing, snowshoeing, mountain biking and skiing." He pointed out that recreational users donate thousands of hours - 800,000 hours of volunteer caretaking for mountain bikers alone - to public lands each year.
Turning to the 2008 federal budget, Van Abel presented the Outdoor Alliance's FY 2008 Interior Budget recommendations:
- Invest in all public lands, particularly lands that are close to home
- Enhance public health by promoting power of natural-surface trails (including snow and water trails)
- Promote opportunities for active outdoor recreation
Van Abel then elaborated specific recommendations for the various federal agencies that manage public lands. A summary of these remarks can be found below.
United States Forest Service
Under the administration's proposed budget, recreation accounts for just 5 percent of the total Forest Service budget and is to be cut by more than $35 million.
This reduction will lead to a loss of at least 350 recreation oriented agency positions, and reduce the recreational capacity of the forests by 15 percent (11.8 million people) presumably through trail, campground and access closures.
Outdoor Alliance suggests a 5 percent increase for the Recreation, Wilderness and Heritage Program at $271 million and 6 percent increase for trails (Capital Improvement and Maintenance) to $78 million.
Learn more about IMBA's 15-year partnership with the Forest Service:.
National Park Service
Outdoor Alliance strongly supports the administration's budget for the National Park Service at $230 million - the highest in the NPS history.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) stateside program should be funded at $125 million in FY2008 and the federal side should be funded at $220 million.
The Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA), another valuable program, also faces damaging cuts. A $3.8M increase to a total of $12M would fully fund this cost-effective program.
OA suggests the NPS better manager recreation by instituting regional recreation staff to leverage volunteer resources and understand recreational constituencies.
IMBA maintains online resources regarding its longstanding partnership with the NPS.
Bureau of Land Management
Outdoor Alliance recommends that Congress fund the National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) at $69 million in FY 2008.
NLCS should be clearly identified with a specific budget line item.
IMBA has a 12-year partnership with the BLM, and maintains online resources concerning its longstanding partnership with the BLM.
"Hiking to and climbing a distant peak, winding through a forest on singletrack, descending a river canyon or spotting a hawk gliding high above a glacier makes these landscapes and everything in them real and concrete," said Van Abel in his closing remarks. "Concrete experiences, in turn, enrich young and old alike in mind, body and spirit, including the heartfelt desire to care for these lands and waters and pass them on to the next generation."
