ONF Fees

[bad2thebone]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service

Notice of New Fee; Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (Title vnr, Pub. L. 108-447)

AGENCY: National Forests in Florida, Ocala National Forest. USDA Forest Service.

ACTION: Notice of New Fee Site

SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service proposes a new fee site that will involve a special recreation permit for each operator using the Ocala National Forest designated off-highway vehicle trail system.

There would be a choice between a three-consecutive day permits ($15) or an annual permit (proposed to be between $60 and up to $120 pending [mal financial and marketing analysis, public input, and agency review).

The Forest Service will use funds generated to sustain the trail system, facilities, patrols, and monitoring.

The Ocala National Forest is committed to providing quality motorized recreation in balance with what the land can support. The Ocala National Forest recently designated approximately 150 miles of off-highway vehicle trails for motorcycles and unlicensed all-terrain vehicles that consist of mixed-use roads, ATV/motorcycle trails, and motorcycle-only trails.

Analysis has begun to consider additional designated trails on the Ocala National Forest which would be included in the fee permit system.

DATES: The proposed fee would be initiated no sooner than April 1, 2007. COmments, concerns, or questions on this proposal must be submitted by October 30, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments, concerns, or questions about this proposal to District Ranger, Ocala National Forest, 40929 State Road 19, Umatilla, Florida 34488-5849.

FOR FURTIIER INFORMATION: Contact Bret Bush, Recreation Program Manager, 352-625-2520 extension 2509.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: The Federal Lands Enhancement Act (Title VIII, Pub. L. 108-447) directed the SeCretary of Agriculture to publish a six-month advance notice in the Federal Register whenever new recreation fee areas are established.
The Recreation Resource Advisory Committee will review proposals.
 

to the recommended initiation date.
9/2k/«P
Date

[bad2thebone]

Now is the time to speak up, either you are for it or not. I think it stinks, I hear rumors that they have the equipment to do the trails and there are grants to the monitoring and the patrols etc.. Who is getting ripped off.

[eldiablo64]

I KNEW THAT WAS COMING,I would rather pay to ride there than croom though.but $60-$120 thats to steep.if they did it like croom $50 for the year that would,nt be so bad at least they,re gonna groom the trails in onf.

[UncleRico]

I think it's a great idea.

Anything that will make it less enjoyable for these hooligans on their 4 wheeled hell raising machines from disturbing my beloved Scrub Jay.

I wish they would ban people from entering the forest so that the Scrubjay can enjoy it's natural habitat uninterupted.

[eldiablo64]

if they make us pay then they should make hunters,hikers,horse riders etc... pay as well dont put all the fees on the atvers

[bad2thebone]

How often do you think the trails will be groomed on the ONF, are they groomed now, they have the equipment.

Uncle Rico - Do you really think that is going to keep the renagades out of the forest, the only person that is going to suffer is the law abiding person. Your a funny person.

Write a letter to Rick Lint the address on the form and tell him that you think they should also charge for everyone to use the forest, or better yet, email bret bush.

[UncleRico]

Uncle Rico - Do you really think that is going to keep the renagades out of the forest, the only person that is going to suffer is the law abiding person. Your a funny person.

Maybe we could charge sport riders Quadruple to get more money for the government. I think that's a good ideas.

[AintSkeered]

There should be one annual fee for all of Florida's National forests(ONF), State forests(Croom, Tate's), Preserves(Big Cypress) and WMAs!

[lswjth2]

This is all partof a bigger plan to actually take away your riding area. There's an issue going on in ONF where they want to disignate the roads around  there as a SCENIC HIGHWAY. If your really care you need to fight this. There's a lady by the name of Linda Duever,lshe's part of the WILDLANDS PROJECT, DO A GOOGLE SEARCH SO YOU CAN TAKE A CRAP, and that's how there are trying to close these areas down. Here's the link......


 http://www.conway.com/cconserv/History%20of%20SEWP.htm

[logger]

It should be one fee for all forest uses, no matter what you do, hunt, fish, etc. Maybe if we flood Bret Bushes in box maybe someone might listen. There should be one agency that runs all the ohv in the state, an agency or group that is willing to work and accomplish this. But will this ever happen not with the government on your side.

[logger]

Correct me if I am wrong I think they want to designate 42 as a senic highway, because the county wants to widen 42 to six lanes, the only way anybody seems to be able to stop the county is by designating it a senic highway.

Your right that is how they can close the trails, it has been the USFS way from day one. They don't want any ohv's in there.

[UncleRico]

Umm, aren't the federal forests FEDERALLY FUNDED by your tax dollars?

Wouldn't making you pay a fee, be like making you pay twice as much as the next person?


If I remember correctly, someone once said no taxation without representation with regards to double taxation on citizens?

I'll have to get American High Lander in here to articulate it.


What they really need to do is make loggers go back to "hand sawing" the trees like in the olden days. I don't like all that heavy equipment in their threatening my scrub jays.



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[bad2thebone]

Thanks to the efforts of dedicated CTF members, 952 acres of prime native Florida habitat in northern Marion County will be preserved! Known as Price's Scrub, just south of the Alachua County line adjacent to I -75, the parcel has been spared from development and will become a state-owned preserve and low-impact recreation area.

CTF is in the very early stages of collaborative work with several other organizations to protect a corridor that would connect the Ocala National Forest with the Osceola National Forest and Okefenokee Swamp. This 60-something mile corridor has been identified as one of the 10 most important wildlife and greenway connections in the state. Meetings and plans are ongoing; stay tuned for this one!

[1FasterBlaster]

This is one of the reasons I want a streetbike.I'm sicking of my riding spots be more of a hassle than fun!!

[svtbolt04]

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU PEOPLE WANT TO RIDE THROUGH A PROTECTED ENVIRONMENT ON YOUR STUPID MOTORCYCLES.

DON'T YOU HAVE TRACKS FOR THAT!

I think you should be banned from the forest along with hunters and the loggers.\\\

No one cares what you have to say. Stop being a troll.

[tallyt]

hey eldiablo64,, in case you didnt know if you want to hunt in onf you have to buy managment stamp, at a cost of 26.50 good for 1 hunting season. a hunting license, at a cost of 13.50 good for one year. if you archery hunt onf you pay 5.00 for a stamp, if you muzzleload hunt you pay another 5.00. so i hunt in onf and i already pay 50.00 a year or more to use the same forest as you. and yes i use my atv to hunt off of in some areas. I have dog hunted off my atv  in the paisley woods, i have used the woods for 18+ years as has our hunting party, and we have always
had to pay to hunt there. So im all for everyone buying mangament stamp to use the land. I wonder what my 26.50 goes to??Wildlfe protection, patrols,road maitnance, same as what they want the 60-120 dollars for. I say 26.50 for everyone, atvs, hunters, hikers, if you use the land, you should buy a stamp.

[wilburz]

Screw um! That fee is B.S.! What if a hunter buys his required WMA stamp , hunting liscence etc, and then wants to ride his atv to his tree stand? He is going to have to put out more moolaw for a fricken trail permit? Give me a break!

The forest service is just lazy. They need better management of their funds. Obvioulsy they are allocating and prioritizing for the wrong projects!

They will take this trail permit money to fund rangers on poo-larises to chase the sport quads through the trail system so they can collect thier trail permit cash! Ha-Ha! What a joke! 

[06LimitedPred]

They will take this trail permit money to fund rangers on poo-larises to chase the sport quads through the trail system so they can collect thier trail permit cash! Ha-Ha! What a joke! 

Yep, just like the turnpike authority.

[bad2thebone]

Maybe the ONFA can maybe help.. Aren't tey on our side. Isn't they part of the ONF trails system.

[Loven It]

hey eldiablo64,, in case you didnt know if you want to hunt in onf you have to buy managment stamp, at a cost of 26.50 good for 1 hunting season. a hunting license, at a cost of 13.50 good for one year. if you archery hunt onf you pay 5.00 for a stamp, if you muzzleload hunt you pay another 5.00. so i hunt in onf and i already pay 50.00 a year or more to use the same forest as you. and yes i use my atv to hunt off of in some areas. I have dog hunted off my atv  in the paisley woods, i have used the woods for 18+ years as has our hunting party, and we have always
had to pay to hunt there. So im all for everyone buying mangament stamp to use the land. I wonder what my 26.50 goes to??Wildlfe protection, patrols,road maitnance, same as what they want the 60-120 dollars for. I say 26.50 for everyone, atvs, hunters, hikers, if you use the land, you should buy a stamp.

We all wonder where our registration fee's go too! We have to pay to register our quads/dirtbikes too but no one can tell anyone where our money goes either.

So the green state stickers they require us to get are they no longer valid - or do we have to purchase them too and now the new sticker, then an additional sticker to ride another state forest (croom). RIDICILOUS!!!!!

I am sending my emails shortly!

[pywacket1955]

I really don't mind the fees.  I think its a great idea as long as we have a place to ride.  I've paid for stickers at Croom's for about 10 years now, no problem, and will continue do so just to have a place to ride.  I will also pay the price what ever it is to ride in Ocala.  Once they see how much money they can make they will keep the trails open for the people who are will to pay the price to have a great place to ride. I've been riding atv's for about 8 years now and I'm not ready to give to up over the price of a permit.

[Loven It]

Also wanted to add that our Croom stickers are valid at Tate's Hell - isn't that a national forest? Why wouldn't ONF - honor the same sticker? Does ONF goe by different rules than the other 2 Forests??

[jujulo700R]

I really don't mind the fees.  I think its a great idea as long as we have a place to ride.  I've paid for stickers at Croom's for about 10 years now, no problem, and will continue do so just to have a place to ride.  I will also pay the price what ever it is to ride in Ocala.  Once they see how much money they can make they will keep the trails open for the people who are will to pay the price to have a great place to ride. I've been riding atv's for about 8 years now and I'm not ready to give to up over the price of a permit.

I agree with the fee system and I think it would be a great idea. Only question that I have is how would they regulate it? With Croom there is only one way in and one way out, but at Ocala, you can just find a good parking spot and ride! The people that have no intention on paying will probably be the same ones tearing things up in the forest causing the paying patrons to suffer. There would have to be a way to manage this first I believe.

[Loven It]

bad2thebone - do you have a link to where this info came from?

[bad2thebone]

Alright your all right - If you want to pay the fee and you got that kind of money, great, but that won't stop the renagades in the forest, that won't stop the people from making new trails to access the forest. And isn' t that the purpose of this whole trail system, not to make new trails..

As far as making money - let me ask you this, how much money do you think Croom makes off your fees. You will be surprised. Croom probably makes 10% from all the fees the rest of the fee goes to the state, they wanted to up the fees this year to 100.00 because they can't afford to put in new restrooms, your lucky the state rejected their proposal.

You have to pay fees for your quads, correct me if I am wrong, once when you purchase them. License vehicles - Jeeps etc.. pay registration fees every year, are they going to have to pay another fee to use the trails.

Where your money goes - well to begin 2 counties on the southern end of the state are looking at two or three places for ohv parks, Florida state University got $76K to do a study to figure out how many trails you can put on 200 acres of land, that is a no brainer, the ONFA got $50K to do training, how many people can you train for $50K, they are both considerable amounts of  money.

The green stickeres are valid, you still have to purchase them, but now you will need a sticker for every forest you ride in. Now my fender looks like sticker city.

How will they regulate it, they are probably going to regulate it through the trail heads.