PDF Model of Letter
American 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 • Partnership for the Nationwide Trails System Rails-to-Trails Conservancy + 168 Organizations and Entities
Chair Murkowski, Rating Member Merkley, and members of the subcommittee, on behalf of American Climbing Society, and the organizations listed under, representing thousands and thousands of path customers, we urge you to construct in your FY26 work by rising trails and recreation administration funding. This funding is important to our nationwide economic system and the nonprofit companions who presently shoulder nearly all of path upkeep. As federal staffing adjustments shift extra duties onto NGOs, these companions are compelled to do extra with much less help. Elevated funding is important to offset inflation, cowl rising operational prices, and guarantee these essential federal partnerships proceed.
Abstract of Requests
Forest Service:
Capital Enchancment and Upkeep (CMTL), Trails at $24M
Report Language: Non-governmental companions play an outsized position within the upkeep of Forest Service Trails finishing over 60% of all upkeep primarily based on 2025 Forest Service information. The Forest Service is directed to make the most of funding to extend monetary help of those partnerships to handle upkeep wants given present company staffing and capability.
Report Language: To be able to help enough funding for all Forest Service trails and to keep away from a discount within the current funds for non-Nationwide Scenic and Historic Trails managed by the Forest Service, will increase for non-Nationwide Scenic and Historic Trails ought to happen in parity with the speed of will increase for Nationwide Scenic and Historic Trails.
$70M to fund Recreation, Heritage & Wilderness (echoing request of Outside Alliance)
At the very least $6M to fund Legacy Roads & Trails, together with the Path Stewardship Grant Program–Legacy Roads & Trails.
Report Language: The committee helps continued funding for the Nationwide Forest System Path Stewardship Path Associate Funding Program. The Forest Service has had a profitable Path Stewardship Associate Funding program in place since 2017 that leverages federal funding by 6:1.
Bureau of Land Administration:
Nationwide Conservation Lands, Nationwide Scenic and Historic Trails at $11.496M
Nationwide Conservation Lands at $78M (echoing request of Conservation Lands Basis)
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
Refuge Customer Providers a minimum of $76M;
Department of Transportation & Information Administration – Headquarters
Report Language: Nationwide Partnerships are an essential part to keep up path infrastructure throughout Fish and Wildlife Service websites. The Division shall proceed to help Nationwide Partnerships within the Department of Transportation & Information Administration and throughout Headquarters and prioritize funding to leverage these partnerships.
Nationwide Park Service:
Rivers, Trails, & Conservation Help (RTCA) program at $13.47M (echoing request of American Rivers)
Park Service Operations for the Nationwide Trails System at a minimal of $18.856M
Volunteers in Parks packages at $7.717M
Customer Providers sub-activity, Youth Partnership Packages at $14.665M
Outside Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program, at $130M
US Geological Survey:
$1.5M to totally fund the Nationwide Digital Path Venture (NDTP)
Forest Service Advice:
Nationwide Forests present 159,000 miles of closely used trails of all sorts, however this very important public useful resource is severely underfunded and understaffed. Presently, over half of the path system requires upkeep. A December 2025 Forest Service report revealed a 15-year low in accomplishments, with maintained miles dropping by 22% and trails assembly requirements falling by 19%. With out fast motion, the company warns of irreversible infrastructure loss, restricted public entry, diminished financial advantages to rural communities, and severely degraded belief from each companions and the general public.
Program: Capital Enchancment and Upkeep, Trails
FY27 Funding Degree Requested: $24M
FY26 Enacted Degree: $22M
Division: US Division of Agriculture
Company/Account: Forest Service, Capital Enchancment and Upkeep, Trails
Report Language requested:
Non-governmental companions play an outsized position within the upkeep of Forest Service Trails finishing over 60% of all upkeep primarily based on 2025 Forest Service information. The Forest Service is directed to make the most of funding to extend monetary help of those partnerships to handle upkeep wants given present company staffing and capability.
To be able to help enough funding for all Forest Service trails and to keep away from a discount within the current funds for non-Nationwide Scenic and Historic Trails managed by the Forest Service, will increase for non-Nationwide Scenic and Historic Trails ought to happen in parity with the speed of will increase for Nationwide Scenic and Historic Trails.
Program: Recreation, Heritage & Wilderness
FY27 Funding Degree Requested: $70M to fund Recreation, Heritage & Wilderness;
FY26 Enacted Degree: $45M
Division: US Division of Agriculture
Company/Account: Forest Service, Recreation, Heritage & Wilderness
Program: Legacy Roads & Trails
FY27 Funding Degree Requested: $6M at a minimal
FY26 Enacted Degree: $6M
Division: US Division of Agriculture
Company/Account: Forest Service, Legacy Roads & Trails
Report Language Requested: The committee helps continued funding for the Nationwide Forest System Path Stewardship Path Associate Funding Program. The Forest Service has had a profitable Path Stewardship Associate Funding program in place since 2017 that leverages federal funding by 6:1.
Bureau of Land Administration Advice:
The BLM manages 13,468 miles of trails over 245 million acres—extra land than every other federal land administration company. These lands include quite a lot of ecosystems and landscapes that usually present the general public much less structured however nonetheless various leisure alternatives. BLM recreation assets and customer providers help robust native economies. Greater than 120 city facilities and 1000’s of rural cities (comprising 64 million folks) are situated inside 25 miles of BLM lands.
Program: Nationwide Conservation Lands, Nationwide Scenic and Historic Trails
FY27 Funding Degree Requested:$11.496M
FY26 Enacted Degree: $11.248M
Division: Bureau of Land Administration
Company/Account: Nationwide Conservation Lands, Nationwide Scenic and Historic Trails
Program: Nationwide Conservation Lands
FY27 Funding Degree Requested: $78M
FY26 Enacted Degree: $59.135M
Division: Bureau of Land Administration
Company/Account: Bureau of Land Administration, Nationwide Conservation Lands
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Advice:
Managing over 2,500 miles of trails, together with throughout 15 Nationwide Scenic and Historic Trails and 44 Nationwide Recreation Trails, the FWS requires expanded, devoted funding by Refuge and Customer Providers and the Department of Transportation & Information Administration. We particularly request funding and report language to help “Infrastructure-Nationwide Partnerships” throughout the Department of Transportation & Information Administration – Headquarters These nonprofit cooperative agreements are very important for leveraging restricted FWS assets to handle important path upkeep and development throughout the system.
Program: Customer Providers
FY27 Funding Degree Requested: $76M
FY26 Enacted Degree: $74.5M
Division: Division of Inside
Company/Account: Fish and Wildlife Service, Customer Providers
Program: Department of Transportation & Information Administration – Headquarters
Division: Division of Inside
Company/Account: Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Transportation & Information Administration- Headquarters
Report Language requested: Nationwide Partnerships are an essential part to keep up path infrastructure throughout Fish and Wildlife Service websites. The Division shall proceed to help Nationwide Partnerships within the Department of Transportation & Information Administration and throughout Headquarters and prioritize funding to leverage these partnerships.
Nationwide Park Service Advice:
Nationwide parks, and the world-class experiences their 18,844 miles of trails present, are one of the unifying forces in America. Nicely-maintained trails enhance the standard of customer experiences and improve customer security.
Program: Rivers, Trails, & Conservation Help (RTCA)
FY27 Funding Degree Requested: $13.47M
FY26 Enacted Degree: $13M
Division: Division of Inside
Company/Account: Nationwide Park Service, Nationwide Recreation and Preservation
Report Language requested: Inside, Nationwide Recreation and Preservation, $13.47M for the Rivers, Trails, & Conservation Help program.
Program: Nationwide Trails System, Park Service Operations
FY27 Funding Degree Requested: $18.856M
FY26 Enacted Degree: $18.856M
Division: Division of Inside
Company/Account: Nationwide Park Service, Park Service Operations
Report Language requested:
Inside, Park Service Operations, $18.856M for administration of the Nationwide Trails System.
Nationwide Trails System.-The Committees perceive the significance of offering enough 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.
Program: Volunteers in Parks
FY27 Funding Degree Requested: $7.717M
FY26 Enacted Degree: $7.717M
Division: Division of Inside
Company/Account: Nationwide Park Service, Park Partnership Assist Features
Report Language Requested: The committee recommends funding by Volunteers in Parks be supplied for volunteer help of the Nationwide Trails System, Nationwide Rivers, and Nationwide Park Service trails.
Program: Youth Partnership Packages
FY27 Funding Degree Requested: $14.665M
FY26 Enacted Degree: $14.665M
Division: Division of Inside
Company/Account: Nationwide Park Service, Customer Providers
Report Language Requested: The committee recommends funding by the Youth Partnership Packages be supplied for help of the Nationwide Trails System, Nationwide Rivers, and Nationwide Park Service trails.
Program: Outside Recreation Legacy Partnership
FY27 Funding Degree Requested: $130M
FY26 Enacted Degree: $125M
Division: Division of Inside
Company/Account: Nationwide Park Service, State Conservation Grants
Report Language Requested: The committee recommends funding by the Outside Recreation Legacy Partnership Program be supplied for help of trails.
US Geological Survey Advice:
To help the DOI’s mission of increasing out of doors entry, the USGS Nationwide Digital Trails Venture offers three important assets: the TRAILS internet software for figuring out community connectivity, a nationwide public-domain digital database, and a cell upkeep protocol that leverages exterior apps to share real-time upkeep information with land managers.
Program: Nationwide Digital Path Venture
FY27 Funding Degree Requested: $1.5M
FY26 Enacted Degree:$1.35M
Division: U.S. Geological Survey
Company/Account: U.S. Geological Survey, Core Science Methods
Respectfully,
American 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 • Partnership for the Nationwide Trails System Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and
