Public comment needed to prioritize forest trails

The U.S. Forest Service’s Northern Region is inviting the public to help identify trails that will be part of an agency-wide effort with partners and volunteers to increase the pace of trail maintenance.

The Forest Service will select nine to 15 priority areas among its nine regions where a backlog in trail maintenance has contributed to reduced access, potential harm to natural resources or trail users or has the potential for increased future deferred maintenance costs.

The Northern Region manages more than 28,000 miles of trails and includes opportunities for year-round motorized and non-motorized use. Volunteers and partner groups contributed approximately 112,000 hours of service maintaining trails in the region last year.

The Northern Region has until April 15 to submit at least three regional proposals to the agency’s headquarters.

The trail maintenance effort is outlined in the National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act of 2016 and aims for a two-fold increase in trail maintenance by volunteers and partners by the end of 2021.

Limited funding compounded by the rising cost of wildfire operations has resulted in less than 25 percent of Forest Service trails meeting all of the agency’s standards for safety, quality recreation and economic and environmental sustainability.

To provide ideas and suggestions, contact a local Forest Service office or Regional Trail Program Manager Kent Wellner at 406-329-3150 or kwellner@fs.fed.us by April 5.