Forest Service invites the public to help identify priority trail maintenance

Press Release – The Forest Service is inviting the public to help identify trails that will be part of a Forest Service effort with partners and volunteers to increase the pace of trail maintenance.

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

The Bighorn National Forest manages more than 700 miles of trails enjoyed by thousands of users each year.

To provide ideas and suggestions on potential priority areas and approaches for incorporating increased trail maintenance from partners and volunteers, please visit http://tinyurl.com/mjhw3c6. Ideas and suggestions should be submitted to the website by April 7, 2017.

Proposals will be weighed against proposals submitted by other national forests. The trail maintenance effort is outlined in the National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act of 2016 and aims to increase trail maintenance by volunteers and partners by 100 percent by the end of 2021.

The selected sites will be part of the initial focus that will include a mosaic of areas with known trail maintenance needs that include areas near urban and remote areas, such as wilderness, are of varying sizes and trail lengths, are motorized and non-motorized, and those that incorporate a varied combination of partner and volunteer approaches and solutions.

For more information about trail maintenance assistance from volunteers and partners, contact the Bighorn’s trails coordinator, Sara Evans Kirol, at 307.674.2600.