US Forest Service
Deferred Maintenance Infrastructure Management
Marcia Gilles
Executive Summary
In 2020, the U.S. Congress passed the largest conservation legislation in a generation. The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) provides billions of dollars to public land agencies to invest in infrastructure, public lands access, and land and water conservation. The National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF), which provides funding to address deferred maintenance on National Forest System land, is authorized through 2025. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) established a national team to manage implementation of $285M worth of infrastructure projects annually. The goal of this capstone project is to directly support the USFS team by documenting the many community benefits derived from these projects, so that the public and Congress may better appreciate the far-reaching impact of these investments.
Partnerships allow the USFS to extend and amplify the impact of infrastructure projects, and address key Administration priorities, including rural economic development, climate change, access to underserved communities, and job creation. Students will closely examine current project sites across the country to understand impact on communities, businesses, and visitors. They will identify and promote key success stories, as well as identify and promote opportunities for partnership and engagement. The project team will work with the Washington Office of the USFS, local, state, and federal government officials, and outdoor industry groups (e.g., Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, Outdoor Industry Association). The outcome of the team’s efforts in analyzing and evaluating the impact of this $285M investment will be high-visibility public-facing materials and events to communicate the importance and impact of GAOA.