Arkansas Sportsman

White River refuge seeks fees from some users

If you hunt, fish, boat or camp at the White River National Wildlife Refuge, it might cost you an extra $25 beginning Aug. 1.

Charles "Bo" Sloan, refuge manager at the White River National Wildlife Refuge, is requesting a $25 fee for "all consumptive and some recreational activities that occur on the [R]efuge." Consumptive means hunting and fishing. Boating and camping are recreational.

Hikers, birdwatchers and other users will be exempt from the fee.

"Each year the Refuge will host upwards of 154,000 consumptive visits and nearly 121,000 non-consumptive visits," according to the news release. "Refuge access for these activities encompass 3 miles of paved roads, 95 miles of gravel roads, 415 miles of trails, well over 100 unimproved boat ramps, 27 improved boat ramps and 19 campgrounds, all maintained by existing refuge staff and funds."

Federal duck stamp holders will be required to pay the additional fee. A federal duck stamp covers admission to national wildlife refuges that charge an entrance fee, but it does not cover "enhanced amenities" fees, Sloan said.

Shouldn't birders and sightseeers be required to pay, as well?

"That's a tough one," Sloan said. "As many consumptive users as there are, it's just one of those things. It can be a source of pride. Most conservation is paid for by consumptive users."

Hunters and anglers paid for the White River National Wildlife Refuge from buying federal duck stamps. Citing the rising cost of land, Congress increased the price of a federal duck stamp in 2017 from $15 to $25.

Sloan said 80 percent of the proceeds from the additional $25 fee will be used on the White River National Wildlife Refuge for maintenance, operations and administrative costs.

"When people realize that 80 percent of the money stays on the refuge, they really like it," Sloan said.

If costs truly justify an additional fee, hunters and anglers historically are willing to ante up, as illustrated by The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act and the Federal Aid in Fish Restoration Act. Sportsmen requested both taxes. Those funds, along with state hunting and fishing licenses, constitute the most successful user-pay, user-benefit system ever devised and are an example to the world on how to pay for fish and wildlife conservation.

However, it is discriminatory to impose an additional cost on only one class of users.

"I'm not going to get into that discussion," Sloan said.

If additional funds are truly needed, fairness demands charging all users.

Non-consumptive users can certainly afford it. According to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's "2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Related Recreation," nearly 46 million Americans ages 16 and older identified as "birders." Nearly 22 million birders watched waterbirds, which are prominent at the White River National Wildlife Refuge.

To be counted as a birder, one must have traveled at least 1 mile from home for the primary purpose of observing birds and/or closely observed or tried to identify birds at home. Zoo visitors, observers of captive birds and people that noticed birds incidental to other activities were not identified as birders.

Active birders -- those that would travel to the White River National Wildlife Refuge -- contributed to $32 billion in retail sales, generated $85 billion in economic activity and created 863,405 jobs, according to the report. In the U.S., 27 percent of people living in households that earn $75,000 or more were birdwatchers.

In 2006, the British government released a report titled, "Waterbirds around the world. A global overview of the conservation, management and research of the world's waterbird flyways." The first sentence of the abstract says, "Bird-watchers are an untapped source of support for bird conservation."

Non-consumptive visits to the White River National Wildlife Refuge are only 21 percent lower than consumptive (154,000 to 121,000). If the White River National Wildlife Refuge must tap users for additional money, then tap them all.

The complete proposal is available online at www.fws.gov/refuge/white_river. The comment period will end April 30. Comments can be mailed to Dale Bumpers White River NWR, Attn: Refuge Manager, 57 S CC Camp Rd. St. Charles AR 72140, or by email to [email protected].

Sports on 04/22/2018

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