The Allegheny National Forest may be suffering in a poor economy. In the midst of a weak Gross National Product, the Forest Service appears to be running out of money to manage its tourist assets. Paradoxically, a recent consultant's report commissioned by Warren County government showed that tourism may account for a $50 million impact, directly and indirectly, to the local economy.
Faced with "flat or reduced budgets" according to the Bradford District Ranger, the ANF may be on the brink of adopting an austerity budget when it comes to taking care of its outdoors facilities for visitors. Of 38 different sites which the U.S. Department of Agriculture is in charge of in the half-million acre woods, seven of them may have to be shut down entirely and another 19 might be partially decommissioned or out-sourced to private businesses or even volunteers to operate.
The cuts are detailed in a proposal published June 16 in a white paper written by Bradford Ranger Anthony Scardina. The full summary of changes can be read in a PDF document at this link.
If all the recommendations specified in the document are approved after a public hearing this Saturday, only six tourist sites will remain as they are, with enhancements recommended for two: the Little Drummer Trailhead and the Willow Creek ATV Trailhead.
The report recommends closing the Tidioute Overlook, the Tracy Ridge Recreation Area, and the Kiasutha Recreation Area, among others. The changes may be a realistic sign of the times. According to Scardina's report "...difficult choices had to made on how and where to reduce and eliminate services or facilities to ensure that our financial checkbook for recreation facilities is in balance. These choices will cause internal and external conflicts, but it is my job as a leader and manager to make choices that are in the best interest of the federal government and the American taxpayer."
The Bradford Ranger District is located at the junction of State Routes 59 and 321 South in Marshburg, Pa.
you'r out of you'r mind to close tracy ridge I know what it takes to run that campsite and thats my hard work to keep the place clean and looking beautiful for the campers who love it up there.The management pumps the vault toilets once a season maybe twice,and dump the dumpsters when needed this is all under contract at a good rate too. Most of the rest is what I do as camphost who takes pride in the place (Tracy Ridge). This is one of the cheapest campgrounds to run.
Posted by: larry stiles | 2010.04.08 at 06:25 PM