Forest Service Has Substantial Unmet Trail Maintenance Needs, Resulting in Multiple Negative Effects

The Forest Service has more miles of trail than it has been able to  maintain, resulting in a long-standing deferred maintenance backlog. For fiscal year  2012, the agency reported that it accomplished at least some  maintenance on about 37 percent of its trail miles, or 59,274 miles of trail,  exceeding its fiscal year 2012 target of 46,580 miles. The Forest Service estimated an  additional $210 million for that year in three other trail maintenance- related needs: annual maintenance, capital improvement, and operations. Unmaintained Trails Inhibit Trail Use, Harm Natural Resources, and Add to Agency Costs

Trails not maintained to the Forest Service’s standards have a range of  negative effects, including inhibiting trail use and posing potential safety  hazards, harming natural resources, and adding to agency costs. As one official said, “The longer one waits to fix a problem, the  harder it will be to fix.”

	To Maintain Trails, the Forest Service Relies on a Combination of Internal and External Resources

The Forest Service relies on a combination of internal and external  resources to help maintain its trail system. External resources used by the agency for trail  maintenance include volunteer labor and funding from federal programs,  states, and other sources. For example, Mt. Varied Factors Complicate the Maintenance of Forest Service Trails

According to agency officials and stakeholders we spoke with, a number  of factors complicate the Forest Service’s trail maintenance efforts,  including (1) factors associated with the origin and location of trails,  (2) some agency policies and procedures, and (3) factors associated with  management of volunteers and other external resources. Many Forest Service trails are  legacy trails created for purposes other than recreation, such as access  for mining, timber harvesting, or firefighting. Managing Volunteers and Other External Resources Can Take Time Away from On-the-Ground Maintenance

Although volunteers and other external resources were repeatedly cited  as important to the agency’s trail maintenance efforts, officials and  stakeholders we interviewed identified a number of complications related  to working with volunteers, including insufficient agency emphasis on  managing volunteers; the time and effort it takes to coordinate, train, and  supervise them, which decreases the time officials can spend conducting  maintenance; safety and liability concerns that limit local use of  volunteers; and the tenuous nature of partnerships. Stakeholders Have Identified Numerous Options for Improving Trail Maintenance over the Long and Short Terms

Agency officials and stakeholders identified numerous options aimed at  improving Forest Service trail maintenance, which generally fell into the  following categories: (1) assessing the sustainability of the trail system,  (2) improving certain policies and procedures associated with the Forest  Service’s management of the trails program, and (3) better using  volunteers and other external resources. The Framework states that the agency is to train staff and  develop needed skills. As noted earlier, even with the  agency’s emphasis on using volunteers—articulated in the Forest  Service Manual—the agency has not established collaboration with  and management of volunteers as clear expectations for trails staff  responsible for working with volunteers, and training in this area is  limited. Given the value of volunteer hours devoted to Forest Service  trail maintenance in fiscal year 2012—equivalent to nearly one-third of  the agency’s trails allocation—some officials and stakeholders said  that making collaboration with and management of volunteers clear  expectations for trails staff (e.g., through performance evaluation  standards) and offering relevant training could enhance the agency’s  management of volunteers, as well as better reflect the central role  that volunteers play in trail maintenance. Some agency officials and stakeholders also identified ways they believe  the Forest Service could better leverage external funds. To improve agency management of its trails program in the long term,  particularly in light of the gap between program needs and available  resources, the agency should take the following two actions consistent  with the agency’s Framework for Sustainable Recreation:  In line with the Framework’s emphasis on evaluating infrastructure  investments and program costs, (1) ensure that the agency’s  management of its trails program includes an analysis of trails  program needs and available resources and (2) develop options for  narrowing the gap between program needs and resources. GAO staff who made key contributions to  this report are listed in appendix V.

Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

Our objectives were to examine (1) the extent to which the Forest Service  is meeting trail maintenance needs, and effects associated with any  maintenance not done; (2) resources, including funding and labor, that  the agency employs to maintain its trails; (3) factors, if any, complicating  agency efforts to maintain its trails; and (4) options, if any, that could  improve the agency’s trail maintenance efforts. To assess the reliability of the data, we reviewed relevant documentation  and interviewed agency officials knowledgeable about the data. We selected these  organizations to represent a variety of trail user, conservation, and  industry perspectives.
Why GAO Did This Study

The Forest Service manages more than 158,000 miles of recreational trails offering hikers, horseback riders, cyclists, off-highway-vehicle drivers, and others access to national forests. To remain safe and usable, these trails need regular maintenance, such as removal of downed trees or bridge repairs. GAO was asked to review the agency's trail maintenance activities. This report examines (1) the extent to which the Forest Service is meeting trail maintenance needs, and effects associated with any maintenance not done; (2) resources, including funding and labor, that the agency employs to maintain its trails; (3) factors, if any, complicating agency efforts to maintain its trails; and (4) options, if any, that could improve the agency's trail maintenance efforts. GAO reviewed laws and agency documents; analyzed Forest Service budget data for fiscal years 2006-2012 and trails data for fiscal years 2008-2012; and interviewed agency officials and representatives of 16 stakeholder groups selected to represent trail users, conservation, and industry. Their views are not generalizable.

What GAO Found

The Forest Service has more miles of trail than it has been able to maintain, resulting in a persistent maintenance backlog with a range of negative effects. In fiscal year 2012, the agency reported that it accomplished at least some maintenance on about 37 percent of its 158,000 trail miles and that about one-quarter of its trail miles met the agency's standards. The Forest Service estimated the value of its trail maintenance backlog to be $314 million in fiscal year 2012, with an additional $210 million for annual maintenance, capital improvement, and operations. Trails not maintained to quality standards have a range of negative effects, such as inhibiting trail use and harming natural resources, and deferring maintenance can add to maintenance costs.
The Forest Service relies on a combination of internal and external resources to help maintain its trail system. Internal resources include about $80 million allocated annually for trail maintenance activities plus funding for other agency programs that involve trails. External resources include volunteer labor, which the Forest Service valued at $26 million in fiscal year 2012, and funding from federal programs, states, and other sources.
Collectively, agency officials and stakeholders GAO spoke with identified a number of factors complicating the Forest Service's trail maintenance efforts, including (1) factors associated with the origin and location of trails, (2) some agency policies and procedures, and (3) factors associated with the management of volunteers and other external resources. For example, many trails were created for purposes other than recreation, such as access for timber harvesting or firefighting, and some were built on steep slopes, leaving unsustainable, erosion-prone trails that require continual maintenance. In addition, certain agency policies and procedures complicate trail maintenance efforts, such as the agency's lack of standardized training in trails field skills, which limits agency expertise. Further, while volunteers are important to the agency's trail maintenance efforts, managing volunteers can decrease the time officials can spend performing on-the-ground maintenance.
Agency officials and stakeholders GAO interviewed collectively identified numerous options to improve Forest Service trail maintenance, including (1) assessing the sustainability of the trail system, (2) improving agency policies and procedures, and (3) improving management of volunteers and other external resources. In a 2010 document titled A Framework for Sustainable Recreation, the Forest Service noted the importance of analyzing recreation program needs and available resources and assessing potential ways to narrow the gap between them, which the agency has not yet done for its trails. Many officials and stakeholders suggested that the agency systematically assess its trail system to identify ways to reduce the gap and improve trail system sustainability. They also identified other options for improving management of volunteers. For example, while the agency's goal in the Forest Service Manual is to use volunteers, the agency has not established collaboration with and management of volunteers who help maintain trails as clear expectations for trails staff responsible for working with volunteers, and training in this area is limited. Some agency officials and stakeholders stated that training on how to collaborate with and manage volunteers would enhance the agency's ability to capitalize on this resource.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends, among otheractions, that the Forest Service (1) analyze trails program needs and available resources and develop options for narrowing the gap between them and take steps to assess and improve the sustainability of its trails and (2) take steps to enhance training on collaborating with and managing volunteers who help maintain trails. In commenting on a draft of this report, the Forest Service generally agreed with GAO's findings and recommendations.