PDF Model of Letter
American Mountain climbing Society • American Trails • American Motorcyclist Affiliation • Again Nation Horsemen of America • Equine Land Conservation Useful resource • Worldwide Mountain Bicycling Affiliation • Nationwide Wilderness Stewardship Alliance •Rails-to-Trails Conservancy + 252 Organizations and Entities
Chair Simpson, Rating Member Pingree, and members of the subcommittee, on behalf of American Mountain climbing Society and the thousands and thousands of path customers our collective organizations signify who spend their time, cash and vitality to get out on trails for recreation, well being and wellness, and to volunteer, we thank the Committee for the chance to supply testimony on the significance of adequately funding our nation’s trails and public lands. We ask the Committee to undertake the next funding requests so the federal authorities can proceed to leverage personal contributions and profit from volunteer labor to supply financial producing outside recreation in your constituents. Appropriations and ample staffing for federal land administration businesses requested herein, coupled with the numerous assets offered by non-profit companions, serve to speed up collective stewardship of our nation’s public lands and waters, leading to financial progress and growth from rural gateway communities to city facilities.
Abstract of Request
Forest Service:
Capital Enchancment and Upkeep (CMTL), Trails at $22M, together with funding for the Nationwide Forest System Path Stewardship Path Accomplice Funding Program
Report Language: In an effort to assist ample funding for all Forest Service trails and to keep away from a discount within the current price range for non-Nationwide Scenic and Historic Trails managed by the Forest Service, a rise for non-Nationwide Scenic and Historic Trails, if any, ought to happen in parity with the speed of improve, if any, for Nationwide Scenic and Historic Trails;
Report Language: The committee helps continued funding for the Nationwide Forest System Path Stewardship Path Accomplice Funding Program. Almost half of the Forest Service’s path work is achieved right this moment by volunteer teams and non-profit companions. The Forest Service’s profitable Path Stewardship problem price share settlement leverages federal funding by way of a 5:1 return on funding.
At minimal $58M to fund Recreation, Heritage & Wilderness;
A minimum of $6M to fund Legacy Roads & Trails,
Report Language: The committee helps continued funding for the Legacy Trails Grant Program offered by the Infrastructure Funding and Jobs Act (BIL) . A lot of the Forest Service’s path work is achieved right this moment by volunteer teams and non-profit companions. The Legacy Trails Grant Program leverages federal funding by way of its 8:1 return on funding.
Bureau of Land Administration:
Funding at $11M for Nationwide Trails System Line Merchandise;
Nationwide Conservation Lands at minimal $78M
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
Refuge Customer Companies at the least $78.969M;
Assist Infrastructure-Nationwide Partnership funding;
Nationwide Park Service:
Rivers, Trails, & Conservation Help (RTCA) program at $13.47M;
Park Service Operations for the Nationwide Trails System at a minimal of $22.9M;
Volunteers in Parks packages at a minimal of FY25 ranges,
Customer Companies sub-activity, Youth Partnership Packages at a minimal of FY25 ranges, together with an acknowledgment of the advantages for trails;
Outside Recreation Legacy Partnership at a minimal of of $125M
US Geological Survey:
$1.5M to totally fund the Nationwide Digital Path Mission (NDTP);
Forest Service Suggestion:
Nationwide Forest trails profit everybody and obtain growing public use every year. Collectively, the Nationwide Forests present 159,000 miles of trails for actions starting from climbing, biking, horseback using, off-highway automobile utilization, groomed winter trails for cross-country snowboarding and snowmobiling, and entry factors for “river trails.” Roughly 120,000 of the 164,000 miles of trails are in want of some type of upkeep or restore.
Program: Capital Enchancment and Upkeep, Trails
FY26 Funding Degree Requested: $22M
FY25 Enacted Degree: $20M
Division: US Division of Agriculture
Company/Account: Forest Service, Capital Enchancment and Upkeep, Trails
Report Language requested: See Abstract on pg. 1
Program: Recreation, Heritage & Wilderness
FY26 Funding Degree Requested: At, minimal $58M to fund Recreation, Heritage & Wilderness;
FY25 Enacted Degree: $45M
Division: US Division of Agriculture
Company/Account: Forest Service, Recreation, Heritage & Wilderness
Program: Legacy Roads & Trails
FY26 Funding Degree Requested: $6M at a minimal
FY25 Enacted Degree: $6M
Division: US Division of Agriculture
Company/Account: Forest Service, Legacy Roads & Trails
Report Language Requested: See Abstract on pg. 1
Bureau of Land Administration Suggestion:
The BLM manages 13,468 miles of trails over 245 million acres —extra land than some other federal land administration company and incorporates a variety of landscapes that usually present the general public much less structured however nonetheless numerous leisure alternatives. BLM recreation assets and customer providers assist robust native economies. Greater than 120 city facilities and 1000’s of rural cities (comprising 64 million folks) are positioned inside 25 miles of BLM lands.
Program: Bureau of Land Administration Nationwide Trails System Line Merchandise Funding
FY26 Funding Degree Requested:$11M
FY25 Enacted Degree: $11M
Division: Bureau of Land Administration
Company/Account: Trails
Program: Nationwide Conservation Lands
FY26 Funding Degree Requested: $78M
FY25 Enacted Degree: $59.135M
Division: Bureau of Land Administration
Company/Account: Bureau of Land Administration, Nationwide Conservation Lands
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Suggestion:
Refuge Customer Companies gives funding for path upkeep throughout FWS-managed land. Situated in each U.S. state and territory, and inside an hour’s drive of practically each main U.S. metropolis, Nationwide Wildlife Refuges present unbelievable alternatives for outside recreation, together with climbing, looking, fishing, birding, boating and nature images throughout 2,500 miles of trails. Greater than 37,000 jobs are reliant on refugees. Funding at a stage of $93M will present for path upkeep throughout the land and water trails, refuges, wetlands, and hatcheries, together with eleven Nationwide Scenic and Historic Trails and forty-four Nationwide Recreation Trails.
Program: Customer Companies
FY26 Funding Degree Requested: $78.9694M
FY25 Enacted Degree: $76M
Division: Division of Inside
Company/Account: Fish and Wildlife Service, Customer Companies
Program: Infrastructure
Division: Division of Inside
Company/Account: Fish and Wildlife Service, Infrastructure
Report Language requested: Nationwide Partnerships are an necessary element to keep up path infrastructure throughout Fish and Wildlife Service websites. The Division shall proceed assist for Nationwide Partnerships and prioritize funding to leverage these partnerships.
Nationwide Park Service Suggestion:
Nationwide Parks, and the world-class experiences their 18,844 miles of trails present, are one of the vital unifying forces in America. Effectively-maintained trails enhance the standard of customer experiences and improve customer security.
Program: Rivers, Trails, & Conservation Help (RTCA)
FY26 Funding Degree Requested: $13.47M
FY25 Enacted Degree: $13M
Division: Division of Inside
Company/Account: Nationwide Park Service, Nationwide Recreation and Preservation
Report Language requested: Inside, Nationwide Recreation and Preservation, $13.845M for the Rivers, Trails, & Conservation Help program.
Program: Nationwide Trails System, Park Service Operations
FY26 Funding Degree Requested: $22.9M
FY25 Enacted Degree: $18.856M
Division: Division of Inside
Company/Account: Nationwide Park Service, Park Service Operations
Report Language requested:
Inside, Park Service Operations, $22.9M for administration of the Nationwide Trails System.
Nationwide Trails System.-The Committees perceive the significance of offering ample funding for the event and upkeep of the Nationwide Trails System for future generations to get pleasure from. The Committees urge the Service to proceed its efforts to develop Nationwide Scenic and Historic Trails, not restricted to supporting development and upkeep tasks and volunteer coordination efforts, and to acknowledge equal “unit” standing of Nationwide Scenic Trails.
Program: Volunteers in Parks
FY26 Funding Degree Requested: Keep FY25 stage funding
FY25 Enacted Degree: Degree funding with FY24
Division: Division of Inside
Company/Account: Nationwide Park Service, Park Partnership Assist Features
Report Language Requested: The committee recommends funding by way of Volunteers in Parks be offered for volunteer assist of the Nationwide Trails System, Nationwide Rivers, and Nationwide Park Service trails.
Program: Youth Partnership Packages
FY26 Funding Degree Requested: Keep FY25 stage funding.
FY25 Enacted Degree: Degree funding with FY24
Division: Division of Inside
Company/Account: Nationwide Park Service, Customer Companies
Report Language Requested: The committee recommends funding by way of the Youth Partnership Packages be offered for assist of the Nationwide Trails System, Nationwide Rivers, and Nationwide Park Service trails.
US Geological Survey Suggestion:
Program: Nationwide Digital Path Mission
FY26 Funding Degree Requested: $1.35M
FY25 Enacted Degree:$1.35M
Division: U.S. Geological Survey
Company/Account: U.S. Geological Survey, Core Science Programs
(Throughout Companies) Shield and Enhance Staffing for Federal Land Managers Suggestion:
Federal land company discipline staffs proceed to endure from earlier job reductions, and the ensuing lack of oversight is now a roadblock to correct collaborative administration between federal land businesses and volunteer-based companions. Essential tasks are stalled ready for plan overview or different crucial company experience, corresponding to environmental research, design and different work that’s above the flexibility and purview of path teams. Delays have lasted years, contributing to the upkeep backlog and, in the end, growing the associated fee to taxpayers for this crucial work as trails proceed to deteriorate at a good higher price.
We should defend and enhance company staffing ranges to fulfill the necessity. Company front-line managers present essential and unparalleled experience and oversight to nonprofit path companions. This steering is vital to the success of nonprofits as they tackle extra of the administration accountability for our trails and recruit, prepare and marshal 1000’s of volunteers in public service. Bettering company staffing ranges is crucial to finishing the complicated work of managing and sustaining trails and public lands.
Past enhancing land administration company staffing, we ask the committee to incorporate report language to audit the centralized company hiring practices, which have been recognized as a roadblock to filling 1000’s of essential vacancies. Centralizing hiring prevents land managers from rapidly filling vacancies from native expertise swimming pools. The cumbersome course of slows hiring a lot that vacancies typically go unfilled. In lots of circumstances, by the point a job is obtainable, the candidate has already moved on. Extra hiring flexibility would assist native land managers fill vacancies rapidly.
