Applications are being accepted for the next members of the Southern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee’s 2024 council. The 11 seats to be filled will be selected from applicants living in Kentucky as well as Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and the territory of Puerto Rico.
Tim Eling is Public Affairs Staff Officer for the Daniel Boone National Forest. Eling said this committee and others like it were made by Congress to give citizens the chance to participate in setting recreation guidelines. The council will help set fees associated with national forests in the southern US.
Eling said members will be selected based on their participation in interest groups.
“Five of these representatives come from the following groups; a camping interest group, a summer motorized recreation group, a summer non-motorized group, a wildlife and nature viewing organization, hunting and fishing,” said Eling.
The remaining interest groups include outfitters and guides, local environmental groups, state tourism, local government, and American Indian Tribes. The Forestry Service will also consider an applicant’s experience with underserved groups and their experience working successfully as part of a collaborative group.
“I think if someone is interested, I would encourage them to apply, we would love to see a very diverse applicant pool,” said Eling. “I really do hope we do have at least one, maybe two, from Kentucky on the committee.”
Applications are due by December 1, 2023 and the committee will be assembled by summer 2024. Members will serve a term of two to three years on the council.
More information is available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/r8/recreation/racs or by calling 404-347-2769.