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Pay to Play

Is it time for recreationists to pay to play on public lands?

  • Holly Fretwell,
  • Hannah Downey,
  • Whitney Tilt
  •  

    Outdoor recreation continues to grow as new forms of recreation emerge and more people take to our public lands for outdoor pursuits. Mountain bikers require trails, kayakers require river access, and wildlife viewers require wildlife habitat. In order to provide these recreational opportunities and manage our public landscapes, federal agencies like the National Park Service and Forest Service have to clamor for more money in front of Congress—often unsuccessfully—rather than rely directly on public land users for funding. It’s time for recreationists to step up and help provide the funding for the well-maintained trails, well-managed forests and rivers, and search and rescue services that they have come to expect.

    Read more on how it’s time for outdoor recreationists to put their money where their footprints are in “Leave No Trace?” 

    Written By
    • Holly Fretwell
      Holly Fretwell
      • Research Fellow

      Holly Fretwell is a research fellow at PERC, where for more than two decades she has researched public land policy, property rights, and markets.

    • Hannah Downey
      • Policy Director

      Hannah Downey is the policy director at PERC, helping to bring PERC ideas to the policy world.

    • Whitney Tilt
      • Paradise Valley Coordinator

      Whitney Tilt is a PERC Impact Fellow and Paradise Valley Coordinator, applying over four decades of professional experience and passion within the conservation community.

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