ROLLA — Mark Twain National Forest is hosting a virtual meeting (Microsoft Teams) on Thursday Oct. 28, 2021 from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM CST. Over the past two years, the public has provided valuable input to help the Forest refine its recreation management strategy to ensure the Forest delivers a sustainable spectrum of activities for visitors to enjoy. The next step in that process is updating fees associated with developed recreation sites so that the Forest can continue offering excellent customer service into the future.
Ninety-five percent of the fees collected at sites go back to the Forest’s recreation program. Fees collected at Forest recreation sites will be utilized primarily for day-to-day maintenance costs like trash removal and toilet servicing. Revenue generated by the proposed fees could also be used to leverage federal funding, grants, and partnership contributions to fund maintenance and upgrades to features and facilities such as docks and ramps, picnic tables and grills, toilets, parking lots and access roads, and interpretive and informational signing; and to it helps restore natural resources damaged by visitor use.
By joining the meeting, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the fee update process. Recreation program managers will be on the call to field questions and give guidance if anyone wants to provide additional input before the comment period closes on November 1.
Mark Twain National Forest is proposing fee changes at various recreation sites as we seek to maintain and improve our customer service. The public can continue to view and comment on these proposed fee changes by visiting an interactive online map until November 1, 2021.
Forest Recreation Program Manager Thomas Saylors will be on the call to gather input from anyone that joins. Saylors said, “This is a great opportunity for people to share their thoughts before the comment period ends, and I look forward to connecting with everyone that attends.”
Last year, the Forest went through recreation site analysis and developed a five-year recreation facility strategy. This strategy identified the need for fee changes at multiple sites across the Forest. Although the fee adjustment process is a separate process from the strategy development, it is happening concurrently and supporting the newly adjusted five-year recreation strategy.
If you cannot access the meeting link above and would like to attend, please email Public Affairs Officer Cody Norris at cody.s.norris@usda.gov to have the link emailed to you.