Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail FY 2016 Funding Request
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O RTHW N RT O ES H N IC T F W IC T I E C F R S I A T A P C I ANA HINGTON IDAHO MONT L A AS W P ASSOCIATION Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail FY 2016 Funding Request Prepared By: Pacific Northwest Trail Association www.pnt.org O N RT H IC F W I E C S A T P Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail FY 2016 Funding Request The Pacific Northwest Trail Association (PNTA) respectfully asks Congress to support the following FY 2016 funding request to protect, preserve and promote the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail (PNNST): U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Budget Request II. Capitol $1 million - annual allocation for PNNST in USFS Region 6 Improvement CMTL account to fund the following programs: & Full-time USFS PNNST Program Manager Maintenance Staffing for PNTA Trails Challenge Cost Share Agreement with the PNTA to (CMTL) support volunteer trail Maintenance and public education programs Trail maintenance, construction, reconstruction, and interpretation Trail management and operations $1 million Youth and Corps Trail Crew Programs ORTHWE N ST IC T F R I A C I NA Prepared by the Pacific Northwest Trail Association January 2015 (360) 854-9415 www.pnt.org HINGTON MONTA L A AS IDAHO W P ASSOCIATION Page 1 O N RT H IC F W I E C S A T P Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail Trail Funding Justification - FY 2016 The USDA-FS has overall responsibility for the PNNST, but operational responsibility is shared by the NPS, the BLM, State Forest Lands, and several state and county parks through which the trail passes. The PNTA is the major private partner, as codified in a Challenge Cost Share Agreement with these land management agencies. As such and as demonstrated below, the PNTA leverages limited federal dollars through the extensive use of grants, volunteer labor, and private donations to ensure the PNT is protected, preserved, and promoted as an internationally significant resource for the enjoyment of hikers, Equestrians, and where permitted mountain-biking, and for the value that wild and scenic lands provide to all people. Pacific Northwest Trail Association (PNTA) Funding Sources and Contributions to the PNNST 2005 - 2014 32% Volunteer Hours Value = $5.64 million (60%) 3% Private Donations = $0.3 million (3%) 5% Contract Work Value = $0.52 million (5%) Grants Value = $2.99 million (32%) 60% ORTHWE N ST IC T F R I A C I ANA Prepared by the Pacific Northwest Trail Association January 2015 (360) 854-9415 www.pnt.org HINGTON IDAHO MONT L A AS W P ASSOCIATION Page 2 O N RT H IC F W I E C S A T P Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail II. Capital Improvement & Maintenance Trails (CMTL) – USFS: $1 million CMTL Funding Request: Allocate $1.0 million for the PNNST in the USFS Region 6 CMTL to fund the following ongoing programs: Full-time USFS PNNST Program Manager PNTA Staffing and Operations Costs Challenge Cost Share Agreement with the PNTA to support volunteer trail maintenance and public education programs Trail maintenance, reconstruction, and interpretation Trail management and operations Youth and Corps Trail Crew Programs Need: The PNTA and the USFS Region 6 manange the PNNST through a model public-private partnership. The PNTA also handles all requests for public information on the PNNST. This CMTL funding request will be used to maintain consistant interagency management of the PNNST across all regions and agency jurisdictions; support the work of the PNTA in recruiting, mobilizing, and training volunteers, and providing public information and education; and to continue the reconstruction of trail damaged by fire, flood, and improper use of the trail. Ongoing maintenance is critical and federal funding is needed to ensure preservation of the PNNST. ORTHWE N ST IC T F R I A C Prepared by the Pacific Northwest Trail Association January 2015 (360) 854-9415 www.pnt.org I NA HINGTON MONTA L A AS IDAHO W P ASSOCIATION Page 3 O N RT H IC F W I E C S A T P Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail Progress 2005 - 2014: The PNTA has continued to produce outstanding results. Volunteer hours have increased significantly over the last years due to our youth programs and our regional programs. Better knowledge of the PNNST by local communities has spurred an interest in the PNNST. Volunteers now have access to trail project information, training, tools, and supplies needed to maintain the trail. Total Volunteer hours: 275,338 Value of Volunteer hours: $5,643,086 Private and Grant dollars raised: $3,798,418 Total PNNST Contribution: $9,441,504 Volunteer Hours 40000 35000 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 Over the past 10 years, PNTA volunteers have increased their annual hours of labor by over 150% from 26,700 to 38,800 hours. ORTHWE N ST IC T F R I A Prepared by the Pacific Northwest Trail Association January 2015 (360) 854-9415 www.pnt.org C I NA HINGTON MONTA L A AS IDAHO W P ASSOCIATION Page 4 O N RT H IC F W I E C S A T P 2014 Volunteer & Youth Crew Project Highlights On the Kootenai and Flathead NF volunteers spent over 5,400 hours working on the PNNST. On the Olympic, Mt. Baker/Snoqualmie, Okanogan, and Colville NF volunteers spent over 26,000 hours reconstructing and maintaining the PNNST. On State, County, and private lands that the PNNST crosses over 7,400 hours of trail work was done by PNTA Volunteers ORTHWE N ST IC T F R I A C Prepared by the Pacific Northwest Trail Association January 2015 (360) 854-9415 www.pnt.org I NA HINGTON MONTA L A AS IDAHO W P ASSOCIATION Page 5 O N RT H IC F W I E C S A T P Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail 2014 SKY Crew Programs PNTA developed our SKY (Service-Knowledge-Youth) Program in 1999. Growing from one program working 4-weeks in 1999 to 10 programs working 8-weeks each in 2014. These programs work in conjunction with local school districts, Washington State University 4-H, and Job Corps. In 2014 these crews provided over 26,000 hours of trail maintenance on the PNNST and feeder trails. SKY Crew working on the PNNST in the Loomis State Forest, summer of 2014 ORTHWE N ST IC T F R I A C I Prepared by the Pacific Northwest Trail Association January 2015 (360) 854-9415 www.pnt.org NA HINGTON MONTA L A AS IDAHO W P ASSOCIATION Page 6 O N RT H IC F W I E C S A T P Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail 2014 Experience theWild Youth Camp In 2013, the Pacific Northwest Trail Association began a new program for 8 - 12 year students. “Experience the Wild” is an environmental learning experience! The students take day trips to various locations on the Mt. Baker/Snoqualmie NF and learn about the life-cycle of Salmon, wildlife of the Pacific Northwest, Old- Growth Forests, the only natural ice-caves in the lower 48, and a myriad of other issues surrounding the environment in which they live. They even get to go out and work on the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail. Thanks to funding by private individuals and the United States Forest Service the PNTA provides this 3-week program at no cost to the kids and their families. Exploring Nature The Age of Trees Big Four Ice Caves Northwest Wildlife ORTHWE N ST IC T F R I A C I Prepared by the Pacific Northwest Trail Association January 2015 (360) 854-9415 www.pnt.org NA HINGTON MONTA L A AS IDAHO W P ASSOCIATION Page 7 O N RT H IC F W I E C S A T P 2014 Volunteer & Youth Crew Project Hours OLYMPIC REGION Adult Volunteers 1981 Youth Volunteers 2564 SKY Youth Crews 4162 Backcountry Horsemen 202 TOTAL 8909 CASCADE WEST REGION Adult Volunteers 3708 Youth Volunteers 377 SKY Youth Crews 3238 Backcountry Horsemen 2047 TOTAL 9370 PASAYTEN REGION Adult Volunteers 897 Youth Volunteers 958 SKY Youth Crews 2888 Backcountry Horsemen 1019 TOTAL 5762 COLVILLE REGION Adult Volunteers 902 Youth Volunteers 1266 SKY Youth Crews 2694 Backcountry Horsemen 879 TOTAL 5741 ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION Adult Volunteers 1026 Youth Volunteers 3314 Backcountry Horsemen 1062 TOTAL 5402 Non-Trail in Support of the PNT Board Participation 1029 Experience the Wild 2660 TOTAL 3689 Grand Total for 2014 38,873 ORTHWE N ST IC T F R I A C Prepared by the Pacific Northwest Trail Association January 2015 (360) 854-9415 www.pnt.org I NA HINGTON MONTA L A AS IDAHO W P ASSOCIATION Page 8 ORTHWE PACIFIC NORTHWEST NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL N ST IC T F R I A C I ANA SHINGTON IDAHO MONT L and Washington Congressional Districts, 114th United States Congress A A W P ASSOCIATION O N RT H IC F W CANADA I E C Str S ait A T of P Ge org ia BRITISH COLUMBIA Blaine 114th Oroville Whatcom Congress Bellingham Str San Republic ait Juan 2 of Okanogan Pend Washington Senators Jua Anacortes Skagit Oreille n d Ferry e F Omak uca 2 Mount Vernon Stevens Patty Murray - D 1 Island Maria Cantwell - D Lakewood Newport Port Angeles Clallam Snohomish Everett Washington Forks Grand Coulee 5 Lynnwood Chelan Representatives Chelan Spokane Jefferson 7 Wilbur Seattle Douglas Spokane Valley 6 Bremerton Bellevue Coulee City Lincoln 1 Susan DelBene - D Spokane Page 9 Kitsap 9 2 Rick Larsen - D Renton King Mason Federal Way 8 Wenatchee 3 Jaime Herrera-Beutler - R Ephrata Tacoma ID 4 Dan Newhouse - R Grays Harbor Grant Puyallup Moses Lake 5 Cathy McMorris-Rodgers - R Kittitas Ritzville Hoquiam Olympia Whitman Aberdeen 10 6 Derek Kilmer - D Pierce Ellensburg 4 Adams 7 Jim McDermott - D Thurston Colfax Pullman 8 Dave Reichert - R Raymond Centralia 9 Adam Smith - D South Bend Lewis Yakima 10 Denny Heck - D Pacific Garfield Franklin Yakima Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail 3 Benton Clarkston Wahkiakum Dayton Cowlitz Richland Pasco Columbia Walla Walla Asotin N Longview Kelso