EFFECTIVE DATE: 01/21/14
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed. / 2709.14_50
Page 1 of 3
FSH 2709.14 – RECREATION special uses handbook
Chapter 50 – OUTFITTING AND GUIDING AND OTHER CONCESSION SERVICES
/ Forest Service Handbook
BIGHORNNATIONAL FOREST
SHERIDAN, WY
fsH 2709.14 – RECREATION special uses handbook
chapteR 50 – OUTFITTING AND GUIDING AND OTHER CONCESSION SERVICES
Supplement No.: 2709.14-2014-1
Effective Date: January 21, 2014
Duration: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
January 21, 2014
Approved:William T. Bass, Forest Supervisor / Date Approved:
Posting Instructions: Supplements are numbered consecutively by Handbook number and calendar year. Post by document; remove entire document and replace it with this supplement. Retain this transmittal as the first page(s) of this document. This is the first supplement to this title.
New Document(s): / 2709.14-14-1 / 3 PagesSuperseded Document(s) byIssuance Number and Effective Date / 2709.14-11-1 / 3 Pages
Digest:
53.1i – Establishes how often proposals for temporary outfitter guide special use authorization may be submitted.
FSH 2709.14 – RECREATION SPECIAL USES HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 50 – OUTFITTING AND GUIDING AND OTHER CONCESSION SERVICES
53.1 - OUTFITTER AND GUIDE
53.1f – Needs Assessment, Resource Capacity Analysis and Allocation of Use
Capacity and allocation of outfitted and guided (both priority and temporary) verses non-outfitted and guided use will be determined as follows on the Bighorn National Forest:
a. Use the procedures described in the document "Bighorn National Forest Resource Use Analysis, Outfitter Guide Need Determination, and Allocation of Recreation Use", January, 2007, as the basis for determining resource capability, need, and allocation of use for outfitted and guided and non-outfitted and guided use on the Bighorn National Forest. Tablescited below refer to this document.
b. Capacity allocated to outfitter-guides, Trail-based Activities. Generally, 13.5 percent of the total seasonal capacity is allocated for priority use and one and one-half percent is allocated for temporary use. Tables III-4 and III-5 for Trail-based Activities display the available service days by season and compartment. Narratives under Part III provide a description of each compartment and the use that occurs there as well as rationale for compartments which vary from the 13.5 percent and one and one-half percent.
Rationale for deviations from these recommendations needs to be documented in files kept with the permit applications. The authorized officer may decide to allocate use in excess of these recommendations due to unusual circumstances. However, this needs to be more fully explained and documented. Specific reasons appropriate for allowing a deviation may include:
1.Forest Plan Direction
2.Access Considerations
3.Type and season of use
4.Amount of use by the non-outfitted public
5.Vegetation and topographic characteristics
6.Campsite availability
7.Length of time of use
8.Historical use authorized under permit
c. Capacity allowed to outfitter-guides, Road-based. Ten percent of the total seasonal capacity is allocated for priority use and five percent is allocated for temporary use. Tables III-4 and III-5 for Road-based Activities display the available service days by season and compartment. Narratives under Part III provide a description of each compartment and the use which occurs there.
Rationale for deviations from these recommendations should follow the same protocol as for trail-based activities.
d. Capacity allocated to outfitter-guides, Area-based. Table III-3 displays the total area capacity available by season by compartment. However, allocation for outfitted and guided use was not determined because the activities deemed appropriate in the Needs Determination were all trail-based. If a specific situation requires area-based capacity, a similar portion of the overall capacity as was used for trail-based activities may be used as a guide to authorize this use, in addition to other considerations such as the eight reasons listed under the trail-based capacity above.
e. Capacity allocated to outfitter-guides, Snowmobile. Allocation was determined for the northern half and southern half of the Forest and is displayed in Table III-2.
f. Capacity allocated to outfitter-guides, Hunting; Horseback/Camping/Fishing; Cattle Drives; Fishing; Backpacking. It was determined that demand for these services currently is being met with the existing outfitter guide permits. There is a ten percent allowance for growth for existing permit holders, but no new permits will be issued for these activities.
53.1i – Applications for Outfitting and Guiding Permits
Deadline Dates
Deadlines for submitting proposals for temporary outfitter and guide and recreation event requests will be as follows:
March 15 for proposed activities from May 1 through October 31
September 15 for proposed activities from November 1 through April 30
Temporary Use
Proposals for temporary use by an entity will only be accepted in one out of every three years. As an example: John Doe’s Wild Adventures submits a proposal to guide backpacking trips in 2014 under a temporary outfitting and guiding permit. John cannot submit another proposal for any type of temporary outfitting and guiding permit until 2017.