Barrie Mann
Special to the Sun

Members of the KRV Campgrounds Ad Hoc Committee met with Forest Service District Ranger Rick Larson Dec. 11 to discuss proposed fee charges for recreating around Lake Isabella, along the Upper River Kern as well as Lloyd Road.

The committee, consisting of representatives from both Kernville, and Kern River Valley Chambers of Commerce, and Kern River Valley Revitalization, was formed to work with the Forest Service to explore ways to mitigate the public’s angst, when earlier in the year the fee charges were proposed. The committee and the Forest Service have met several times to explore issues, such as the need to generate more funds to enable them to better manage the Sequoia National Forest, supplying a positive recreational experience to the many visitors to the forest. The Bodfish Property Owners and interested members of the public have worked diligently exploring such items as Forest Service Budget needs, where expenditures are occurring and where funding is being obtained. At times the Forest Service has shown a reluctance to share such information and even if local Forest Service managers wished to do so.

This attitude, however, has changed. The change has come because the new Forest Supervisor, Tina Terrell, promised the public that the Forest Service would be more open and transparent. Rick Larson the new District Ranger for the Kern River Valley, has taken Terrell’s recommendation of openness and transparent to heart and has been sharing such details as local budget needs and expenditures and going as far as to explain in detail how the management structure is formed and funds allocated.

In addition, Larson has been seeking input from the Ad Hoc committee members. They have received documents to study with the request from the Forest Service to review and suggest alternatives to the initial fee structure that the Forest Service proposed in public meetings earlier in the year. For example committee members have suggested that areas along the upper Kern River currently designated as “Dispersed Camping Sites” be upgraded to “Developed Camping Sites” and a fee structure introduced for their use. The Forest Service is taking this type of suggestion under consideration as well as others that the committee is reviewing.

It is this type of collaboration between the Forest Service and the committee that encourages further efforts to reach a solution acceptable to both the Forest Service and the public at large. The message from the public attending meetings held earlier was loud and clear. The public is adamantly opposed to a fee structure imposed for activities such as fishing or just sitting and enjoying the beach areas around the lake, or hiking or biking along the upper river.

The consensus seems to be that fees charged for developed areas such as campgrounds with amenities and day use areas that have picnic tables and toilet facilities may be acceptable to the public. The Forest Service has taken heed and is working very diligently to design a program that will eliminate public angst but still give the Forest Service a revenue stream they can live with.

With all of this in mind the Forest Service is planning to hold another public meeting at the Senior Center in Lake Isabella on Jan. 14. Larson anticipates a large turn out; he encouraged the public to listen to what USFS has to say while giving voice to their thoughts and opinions.