I OP News & Views I
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Federal Fee Demo Program
Extended Until 2004
by Brenda Tincher
On November 5th, President Bush signed
the Interior Appropriations Bill into law and
extended the controversial Recreation Fee
Demonstration Program until September 2004 and
lifted the previous 100-site limitation. For hikers,
bird-watchers, boaters, anglers and other outdoor
enthusiasts, this means more fees collected at
more recreation sites around the country.
Organizations like Free Our Forests
charge that representatives of recreation industries
drove the Fee Demo through Congress with the
hope of gaining control of public lands and
developing the land into high
Scott Silver of Wild Wilderness says the
Fee Demo program “exists to promote
commercialization, privatization and motorization
of America's public lands.”
The American Recreation Coalition
(ARC) is the best known group of recreation
industry representatives.
ARC membership
But the ARC draws
criticism because private, for
profit, mechanized associations
dominate its membership.
Critics credit sustaining
members like the American
Council of Snowmobile
Associations, The Coleman
Company, Inc., National
Association of RV Parks and
Campgrounds and the Walt
Disney Company with
providing the ARC its political
clout.
The group recognizes that the management of
public lands requires money for operations and
maintenance Though the FSEEE recognizes that
the Fee Demo has “illustrated the good, the bad,
and the ugly of use fees with more failures than
successes”, it still supports a combination of
progressively assessed income taxes and use fees
to meet the goal of fair and equitable financing of
public land management.
Wilderness First
Responder Course
and Recertification
The City of Eugene River House Outdoor
Program is offering an 80-hour curriculum
for the Wilderness First Responder (WFR)
certification over Spring Break., March 22
31, 2002 and Recertification April 5-7, 2002.
The WFR certification is the current
standard for outdoor leaders and guides.
The course will be taught by the Wilder
ness Medicine Institute (WMI) whose
certification is universally recognized.
WMI is an institute of the National Out
door Leadership School (NOLS). For more
information, call Jen Murray at the River
House Outdoor Program at 541-682-5329.
Assistant Director, Suzanne
Hanlon has a bouncing baby girl
The Outdoor Program is pleased to announce the
arrival of Grace Hanlon Ault. Assistant Director
Suzanne Hanlon delivered a beautiful 7.1 lb baby
girl in the early morning hours of November 11th.
The Outdoor Program congratulates Suzanne and
her family on their beautiful new edition.
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Pregnant Suzanne during her summer bicycling
trip in Montana
OP purchases new river kayaks
The Outdoor Program has recently purchased two
new river kayaks to add to its collection of rental
equipment. The new Perception Sonic and Super
sonic are geared for folks just learning, but are
short and with modern flat hull designs that make
for great playing at any level.
New U of O Kayaking Club!
The Outdoor Program is excited to welcome the University of Oregon Whitewater Kayaking Club
to campus. The brand new Kayaking Club is a competitive, intercollegiate club for beginners and
experts sponsored by UO Club Sports. Kayak Club coordinator Jacob Selander describes the club as
a opportunity for novice paddlers to learn and perfect skills in order to field a competitive team from
its members. The club is currently coordinating with other regional kayaking clubs to organize
competitions throughout the year. Freestyle rodeo, downriver slalom, kayak polo are all example of
competitive kayaking sports. Practices are scheduled to start winter term. For more information
contact Jacob Selander at 338-7628 or Club Sports at 346-3733.