Since 1962, NFH has assisted permit holders with numerous issues involving their cabins.
Cabin owners are a significant and positive economic boost to both the Forest Service and local communities.
by Pete Bailey and Mark Schwebke
NFH believes it is important to demonstrate the role and value of the program in the 21st century. We know that cabin owners make many valuable contributions to the health and vitality of the forests and nearby communities. Expenditures by cabin owners and guests benefit not only the Federal Government, but also local and state governments and businesses. The Forest Service generally does not keep statistics on the economic benefits to communities from the use of our cabins on the National Forest. Since the Forest Service does not keep track on the economic benefit to communities from the use of cabins, NFH is working to fill that gap by establishing what a “typical” cabin use year might contribute in overall real dollars.
Last year the National Forest Homeowners (NFH) conducted a nationwide survey of the approximately 14,400 recreational cabins across the country, of which about 40% are NFH members. The survey was undertaken in reaction to the increased scrutiny of members of the U.S. Congress and other special interest groups who have been questioning why the Recreational Residence Program exists at all.
The survey respondents came from 90 different cabin tracts in 39 separate National Forests in eleven states. The survey was then “weighted” using Forest Service - generated formulas to bring consistency to the data for both smaller and larger cabin tracts, using a count formula courtesy of provided by Dr. Don English, USDA Forest Service, Visitor Use Monitoring Program Manager.
On the average, the “typical” cabin owner spends $16,371 per year on their cabin when all costs are considered, including food, drinks, staples and travel costs to and from the cabin residence site. Deducting out the food, drinks, and staples the average owner spent $11,000 per year. In addition, if travel costs are also deducted from the above overall cost, the cost to own, use and maintain a cabin on Forest Service land is $7287 annually. In addition, recreational activities of cabin owners and their guests totaled $17 million and more importantly about 63% of that is spent in local communities where our cabins are located. This is a total boost to local economies of nearly $10.7 million annually or a $215 million economic boost to local economies over the life of a twenty year permit. Utilities from cabin use generate another $7.8 million annually that benefits the local economy almost exclusively.
Costs for typical cabin improvements, maintenance and repairs average about $2246 annually or about $32.5 million nationally. Of this amount, 76% is spent locally, generating about $25 million to local economies annually.
The U.S. Treasury receives over $13 million every year from fees for special use permits for the program. The typical cabin pays about $869 annually for their permits, $764 annually on property taxes, and approximately $1792 annually on all permits and assorted fees. Nationally, cabin owners spend about 12.1 million on permits, 10.7 million on property taxes and 25 million on all permits and assorted fees.
The everage cabin use is 66 days per year, and the average visit is about 4 people per visit. This implies about 3.7 million individual visits (person days) per year on the National Forest. Nationally $113.7 million is infused annually into local economies because of the Recreation Residence program. NFH members alone account for $42.7 million every year, year in and year out…
We defined the local community as being within 50 miles of the recreation residence site. It is clear from our survey that the impact of the cabin program on local economies is very significant. Expenditures on food, staples, improvements and repairs, recreational activities for the typical cabin average about $6600 annually. For the national Recreational Residence Program, this equates to over $95 million every year. On a national scale, the dollars spent annually by cabin owners is $249 million. The average cabin owner volunteers 56 hours annually on the National Forest. Consider what that is worth to the local forests. The typical cabin makes charitable contributions to search and rescue, road maintenance, emergency medical responses and other charities of about $500 annually. Total volunteer and charitable value of each cabin on National Forests is over $1300 every year. That’s about $19 million on a national scale. Our presence on the forest stimulates local economies and provides valuable tax dollars to local, state and federal government. We provide active stewardship on the forest, volunteering time, labor and money. We teach our children the wonders of the natural world. You can be sure that the ‘Last Child in The Woods’ is not found at our cabins on the National Forest.
We are proud re proud stewards of our local forests. We pay taxes, permit and access fees, shop at local stores and businesses, support local fire & emergency agencies, attend local churches, and are fully part of the local community fabric.
Conclusion:
Cabin owners are a significant and positive economic boost to both the Forest Service and local communities. These facts should not be brushed aside when weighing the benefits of the Recreational Residence Program from an economic point of view, and are valuable economic and stewardship contributors to the outdoor recreation experience in America!