About FFPU & Our Mission
Friends for Public Use was formed to create a strong volunteer force trained to work safely, responsibly & professionally, and to be ready to step up and help with National Forest Service, State, County, Tribal and local governments. For various reasons including, but not limited to, budget cuts and reduced staff there has been a steady decline in open forest roads, campgrounds, trails and other public access. Forest Service roads are being closed or decommissioned at a rapid rate due to declining maintenance funding. FFPU, through volunteer efforts, aims to off-set some of the maintenance budget cuts in order to avoid unnecessary forest road erosion, and ultimately closure, by encouraging sensible driving habits and keeping ditches and culverts clear. We also remove illegal garbage dumping and try to keep our scenic roads beautiful.
Our Goal:
To keep public lands public by preserving access.
Our Vision:
Is to work in partnership with federal, state, county, tribal and municipal governments to maintain public access to public lands.
Our Mission:
Is that public lands will remain accessible by the public for generation after generation through stewardship, sustainable natural resources and promotion of responsible and respectful use, and by encouraging everyone who enjoys the outdoors to become involved in ways suited to their talents, strengths and finances that will aid in the upkeep of special destinations and their access routes and so preserve an integral part of our American heritage.
Our proposal:
Empowering volunteers to assist in the maintenance of forest roads, hiking trails, campgrounds and parks; to use hand held tools to clear culverts and ditches of debris; brush-out encroaching vegetation 6 feet from road shoulders; assist with trails and remove litter and illegal dumping areas.
Develop a public-private partnership that would allow local people with forestry background, road engineering and other appropriate skills to tackle bigger projects that could extend the life and public access of forest roads. An example of this would be using heavy equipment to clear slides from otherwise serviceable road bed. To work through the grant process to fund road maintenance projects such as replacing culverts, mowing and shoulder work, trail improvement and campground infrastructures.
Educate wise use and sustainability of our public and governmental lands. Encourage a sense of responsibility and stewardship of our access and public lands. Be a unified voice for keeping public access open to the public.
Photo by Kim Brown, White Chuck Mountain and other surrounding mountains from Eight Mile Trail
What is lost when we lose a forest road? Special backcountry places, trails and scenic drives have been shared generation to generation. This has been a way of sharing what we love with the younger generation that will someday become the stewards of our beautiful countryside, a heritage of the American people.