Giant Sequoia National Monument

Report: Visitors spend $88M in local forests

An economic impact survey of the local National Forests found that a combined 2.2 million visitors spent about $88 million in the wilderness areas east of Fresno.

In the Sequoia National Forest, 820,000 annual visitors spent a total of $37.8 million dollars. In the Sierra National Forest region, total spending was $50.2 million by about 1.4 million visitors, mostly from Fresno and Madera County residents. 

The report, released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Natural Resource Manager, is a once-every-five-year snapshot of visitor habits conducted through a survey in 2006 in the Sequoia unit and 2007 in the Sierra unit. The survey found that visitors from outside the area pack the biggest economic impact, with total spending of $33.3 million in Sequoia National Forest, which includes the Giant Sequoia National Monument.

The most popular activity among Sequoia National Forest visitors was "viewing natural features," reported by 83 percent of respondents, following by "relaxing" at 52.9 percent and "hiking/walking" at 47.4 percent.

Of the total spent in the Sequoia National Forest, $9.9 million went to lodging for the largest segment, followed by $9 million for gas and oil and $6.7 million on groceries.

Across the entire U.S. National Forest service, 170.8 million visitors spent a total of $14.5 billion, supporting a total of 223,000 jobs.

"This data shows once again just what a boon our forests are to local economies," said Tom Tidwell, U.S. Forest Service chief. "Because of forest activities, thousands of jobs are supported in hundreds of rural communities. We are proud of helping to put a paycheck into the pockets of so many hardworking Americans." 

For more information about the report, visit the  National Forest website .

Should the Giant Sequoia National Monument be Transferred to the ...

A California congressman and a coalition of environmental groups are calling for management of the Giant Sequoia National Monument to be transferred from the U. S. Forest Service to the National Park Service. The debate highlights the long-standing confusion for many Americans about terms such as "national monument" as well as differences in the mission and management approach of the Forest Service and Park Service.

There's plenty of reason for the head-scratching by the public. According to a U. S. Forest Service publication dating to 2003, "Today, depending on how one counts, there are 81 national monuments administered by the USDI National Park Service, 13 more administered by the USDI Bureau of Land Management (BLM), five others administered by the USDA Forest Service, two jointly managed by the BLM and the National Park Service, one jointly administered by the BLM and the Forest Service, one by the USDI Fish & Wildlife Service, and another by the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home in Washington, D.C. In addition, one national monument is under National Park Service jurisdiction, but managed by the Forest Service while another is on USDI Bureau of Reclamation administered land, but managed by the Park Service."

A U. S. Forest Service website also summarizes that agency's view of national monuments and their history:

"National monuments are areas of federal land set aside by the Congress or most often by the president, under authority of the American Antiquities Act of June 8, 1906, to protect or enhance prominent or important features of the national landscape."

"Such important national features include those land areas that have historic cultural importance (sites and landmarks), prehistoric prominence, or those of scientific or ecological significance."

"Interestingly, the Forest Service under Chief Foresters Gifford Pinchot and Henry Graves opposed the creation of a new agency to administer the national parks and most of the national monuments. In fact, as early as 1904 Pinchot wanted to have jurisdiction of the national parks passed to the Forest Service, since the lands were so similar."

Each of the federal agencies that control national monuments has its own set of mandates and policies, and those differences seem to be at the core of the latest controversy surrounding the Giant Sequoia National Monument in California, which is managed by the U. S. Forest Service.

According to information from that agency, "The Giant Sequoia National Monument was designated by President William Jefferson Clinton in April 2000. The Monument now encompasses 353,000 acres," and includes 33 giant sequoia groves managed "for their protection, restoration, and preservation." The monument is said to include about 50 percent of the world’s remaining giant Sequoias.

Backpacker

Travel Sequoia National Park: travel guide and maps (Mobi Travel)

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Frommer's National Parks of the American West

Congressional Record, V. 151, Pt. 17, October 7 to 26, 2005