Given the existing trend in legislation relevant to our public timber lands, it won’t be long until the less wealthy of our society will be locked out of the great American past time, camping, completely.
While preservationists among us work night and day to “set aside” and “protect” vast tracts of Oregon’s timber lands, the Oregon Parks Department has seen fit to place the use of our state campgrounds on a reservation and fee basis. What that means is that not only does a family have to pay a fee to use an Oregon campsite, but that family will have to know as much a year in advance when, on what date, they will want to use which campsite.
Pardon me, but most families I know can’t begin, much less successfuly, plan their lives that definitely that far in advance.
The Federal Government seems to be embarking upon the same sort of campain. Plans are afoot to remove the maximum fee limit which may be charged to gain entry and/or use of a National Park. With that proposed change in fees there is also a proposal to charge admission for everyone. Children under 12 have thus far been free; retired and/or senior citizens would loose their discount under the proposed plan as well.
It seems to me these current proposed and enacted changes of park operations at both the state and federal level will have various effects. The most obvious will be to increase revenues. Another, not so obvious effect will be to put camping, one of Americas most affordable vacation and recreation activities, out of the financial reach of those who need it most: The poor.