I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 845 
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to publish in the Federal Register 
a strategy to significantly increase the role of volunteers and partners 
in National Forest System trail maintenance, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 10, 2015 
Mrs. LUMMIS (for herself and Mr. WALZ) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the 
Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to publish in the 
Federal Register a strategy to significantly increase the 
role of volunteers and partners in National Forest Sys-
tem trail maintenance, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:35 Feb 17, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H845.IH
H845
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
Sec. 3. Definitions. 
Sec. 4. National forest system trails volunteer and partnership strategy. 
Sec. 5. Priority trail maintenance program. 
Sec. 6. Cooperative agreements. 
Sec. 7. Stewardship credits for outfitters and guides. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds as follows: 
(1) The National Forest System features a 
world-class trail system with over 157,000 miles of 
trails that provide world-class opportunities for hik-
ing, horseback riding, hunting, mountain bicycling, 
motorized vehicles, and other outdoor activities. 
(2) According to the Government Accountability 
Office, the Forest Service is only able to maintain 
about one-quarter of National Forest System trails 
to the agency standard, and the agency faces a trail 
maintenance backlog of $314,000,000, and an addi-
tional backlog of $210,000,000 in annual mainte-
nance, capital improvements, and operations. 
(3) The lack of maintenance on National Forest 
System trails threatens access to public lands, and 
may cause increased environmental damage, threat-
en public safety, and increase future maintenance 
costs. 
(4) Federal budget limitations require solutions 
to National Forest System trail maintenance issues 
that make more efficient use of existing resources. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:35 Feb 17, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H845.IH
H845
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(5) Volunteers, partners, and outfitters and 
guides play an important role in maintaining Na-
tional Forest System trails, and a comprehensive 
strategy is needed to ensure that volunteers and 
partners are used as effectively as possible. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATIVE
UNIT.—The term ‘‘Ad-
ministrative Unit’’ means a national forest or na-
tional grassland. 
(2) OUTFITTER
OR
GUIDE.—The term ‘‘out-
fitter or guide’’ means an individual, organization, 
or business who provides outfitting or guiding serv-
ices, as defined in section 251.51 of title 36, Code 
of Federal Regulations. 
(3) PARTNER.—The term ‘‘partner’’ means a 
non-Federal entity that engages in a partnership. 
(4) PARTNERSHIP.—The term ‘‘partnership’’ 
means arrangements between the Department of Ag-
riculture or the Forest Service and a non-Federal 
entity that are voluntary, mutually beneficial, and 
entered into for the purpose of mutually agreed 
upon objectives. 
(5) PRIORITY AREA.—The term ‘‘priority area’’ 
means a well-defined region on National Forest Sys-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:35 Feb 17, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H845.IH
H845
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
tem land selected by the Secretary under section 
5(a). 
(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(7) STRATEGY.—The term ‘‘strategy’’ means 
the National Forest System Trails Volunteer and 
Partnership Strategy authorized by section 4(a). 
(8) TRAIL
MAINTENANCE.—The term ‘‘trail 
maintenance’’ means any activity to maintain the 
usability and sustainability of trails within the Na-
tional Forest System, including— 
(A) ensuring trails are passable by the 
users for which they are managed; 
(B) preventing environmental damage re-
sulting from trail deterioration; 
(C) protecting public safety; and 
(D) averting future deferred maintenance 
costs. 
(9) VOLUNTEER.—The term ‘‘Volunteer’’ has 
the same meaning given that term in section 
553.101 of title 29, Code of Federal Regulations. 
SEC. 4. NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM TRAILS VOLUNTEER 
AND PARTNERSHIP STRATEGY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall pub-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:35 Feb 17, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H845.IH
H845
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
lish in the Federal Register a strategy to significantly in-
crease the role of volunteers and partners in trail mainte-
nance. 
(b) REQUIRED ELEMENTS.—The strategy required 
by subsection (a) shall— 
(1) augment and support the capabilities of 
Federal employees to carry out or contribute to trail 
maintenance; 
(2) provide meaningful opportunities for volun-
teers and partners to carry out trail maintenance in 
each region of the Forest Service; 
(3) address the barriers to increased vol-
unteerism and partnerships in trail maintenance 
identified by volunteers, partners, and others; 
(4) prioritize increased volunteerism and part-
nerships in trail maintenance in those regions with 
the most severe trail maintenance needs, and where 
trail maintenance backlogs are jeopardizing access to 
National Forest lands; and 
(5) aim to increase trail maintenance by volun-
teers and partners by 100 percent by the date that 
is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(c) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT.—As a component of 
the strategy, the Secretary shall study opportunities to im-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:35 Feb 17, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H845.IH
H845
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS