The amount of federal money available for recreation has a big impact on the quality of the recreation experiences for Americans.
This money pays for:
- Trail maintenance
- Recreation facilities
- Other recreation-related costs on lands run by agencies, such as the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management
The Wilderness Society works for adequate funding for recreation programs because recreation programs:
- Connect people to the outdoors
- Provide a higher quality of life
- Stimulate the active outdoor recreation economy.
Funding for federal land management agencies has been relatively flat through 2012 and big funding cuts are expected in the future.
Forest Recreation Funding
More than 50,000 people recreate on national forest trails every year. Funding these trails is critical for upkeep and to keep our outdoor recreation economy booming.
Funding for Recreation on BLM Lands
Americans love the western lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and they would recreate more on BLM lands if only there were more trails. We're working to expand the system so more people can enjoy the wonders of our unique western wildlands.
Read more about our work on the recreation budgets of the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
Wilderness is a precious resource with many human, natural and economic benefits that we need to protect.
Learn more about issues affecting the places we work to protect with our Notes from the Field.
Hear artists, activists and adventurers share what the ownership and legacy of these American wildlands means to them.
