US Forest Service Announces 2011 Fee Waiver dates

TALLAHASSEE  – The U.S. Forest Service will waive the day-use fees associated with many recreation sites or amenities on national forests nationwide on June 11, the first of several fee-free days this year.
“The Forest Service waives fees every year to encourage more Americans from all walks of life to get outdoors and experience the wide array of recreation opportunities provided on our forests and grasslands,” said U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. “We hope that these experiences on our lands will foster a lifelong appreciation and stewardship of precious natural resources.”
This year’s fee waiver dates are as follows:
• National Get Outdoors Day – June 11; • National Public Lands Day – September 25; • Veterans’ Day Weekend – November 11-13.
The Forest Service recreation sites listed are the only locations waiving day-use fees on the dates listed above:
Ocala National Forest                                     Apalachicola National Forest                              Osceola National Forest Fore Lake Day Use                                                                     Leon Sinks Geological Area                                    Olustee Beach Day Use Area Farles Day Use                 Lake Eaton Boat Ramp & Pier                 Mill Dam Boat Ramp and Swim area Lake Dorr Boat Ramp                
To assist with travel planning, the agency has posted a special interactive map on its web site that locates national forest sites within a certain radius of a chosen location. Users can type in their location and adjust the radius to suit their travel plans.
Campsites and locations that are reserved through the website http://www.recreation.gov will not be included in the fee waiver. Contact your nearest national forest or grassland for local details.
The fee waiver days support the goals of President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors initiative, as well as First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move Outside” program. For more information on the Forest Service’s recreation fee program and how these funds are used, please visit http://www.fs.fed.us/passespermits/about-rec-fees.shtml.
The U.S. Forest Service mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land and is the world’s largest forestry research organization.
For more information contact the National Forests in Florida local Ranger District Offices:
Apalachicola National Forest:   Apalachicola Ranger District, (850) 643-2282; Wakulla Ranger District, (850) 926-3561
Ocala National Forest:  Lake George Ranger District, (352) 625-2520; Seminole Ranger District, (352) 669-3153
Osceola National Forest:  Osceola Ranger District, (386) 752-2577
To learn more about the National Forests in Florida, visit www.fs.fed.us/r8/florida or  follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NFinFlorida.  
 

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