A Division of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The North Carolina Forest Service A Division of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

Dynamic Pricing and Revenue Programs Jason Guidry Forest Supervisor NC Registered Forester #1751 To protect, manage and promote forest resources for the citizens of North Carolina

The 2010’s: The Modern Era  In 2011, General Statute 106-877 designated the Forest as a recreational forest, changing the name to DuPont State Recreational Forest.  In 2011, the Forest was a filming location for ‘The Hunger Games’, released in 2012; eventually grossing ~$700 million dollars.  Henderson and Transylvania counties began public campaigns as a ‘biking mecca’ and touting outdoor recreation as an economic driver.  In 2015, the Master Plan for DuPont State Recreational Forest was completed. To protect, manage and promote forest resources for the citizens of North Carolina

Visitation Estimates for DuPont State Recreational Forest 800 683 700 600 Thousands of Visits 500 443 400 358 332 300 214 179 200 161 139 135 126 121 116 116 108 100 0 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Year To protect, manage and promote forest resources for the citizens of North Carolina

Social Media Interest in DuPont State Recreational Forest 80 Hunger Games Release 70 Smart-phones 60 emerge Visitor Center Opens 50 Relative Interest 40 30 20 10 0

Visitation By Month and Year for DuPont State Recreational Forest 120000 100000 80000 Visitors 60000 40000 20000 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2015 14754 11428 31261 45713 77883 95350 98675 81352 70815 79323 42112 34480 2014 12,337 11,777 25,038 32,465 31435 62478 72273 58067 35517 56013 27226 18375 2013 12850 10098 16438 28965 31324 37650 59588 43949 29242 42287 9307 10915 2012 8283 10438 20901 34257 39337 46513 59671 39935 28940 38904 19701 11023 Year and Month

Vehicle Origins State July - Aug Sept - Oct Nov - Dec 6-month Average North 51% 49% 62% 50% Carolina South 11% 24% 14% 18% Carolina Florida 13% 6% 8% 9% Georgia 2% 6% 3% 4% Tennessee 1% 4% 2% 2% Virginia 2% 2% 2% 2% Ohio 2% 1% 1% 2% Pennsylvania 2% 1% 1% 1% Others 16% 7% 7% 12% To protect, manage and promote forest resources for the citizens of North Carolina

Social Media Interest in DSRF Social Media Interest in DSRF by State by Region 120 120 100 100 80 80 Relative Interest 60 60 40 40 20 20 0 0 Greenville, Charlotte The Triad The Triangle Myrtle Nashville, TN Atlanta, GA North CarolinaSouth Carolina Tennessee Georgia Florida New York SC Beach, SC To protect, manage and promote forest resources for the citizens of North Carolina

The Master Plan for DuPont State Recreational Forest -A Stakeholder Driven Process (surveys, site analysis, etc.) Short Term Recommendations:  Improvement to parking areas.  Provision of restroom facilities.  Provision of trashcans and water at parking areas.  Potential method of collecting access fees. To protect, manage and promote forest resources for the citizens of North Carolina

Current Activity and Use Fee Programs $35,000 [VALUE] DSRF Activity/Use Fee Collections As 4-5-16 $30,000 $25,000 $19,551 $20,000 $15,000 $13,228 $10,880 $10,000 $5,000 $0 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 Fiscal Year To protect, manage and promote forest resources for the citizens of North Carolina

Proposed Fee Schedule Fee Type Access Areas of DSRF Fees Considerations  Day Use High Falls • Mon - Thurs: $8 per vehicle per visit • Account for ~75% of Annual Visitation  Hooker Falls • Weekends and Holidays: $12 per vehicle per visit • Areas of highest impacts and needs • Mon-Thursday: $20 per bus or large vehicle per visit • Areas used primarily by • Weekends and Holidays: $30 per bus or large vehicle per visit hikers/pedestrians Comments: • Current permit holders exempt  No horse-trailers permitted in these Access Areas  Limited bus and large vehicle spaces in these Access Areas. • Average visitors per car = 2.6 people  $8 per day = $3.08 per person  $12 per day = $4.62 per person  Day Use Lake Imaging • $6 per vehicle per visit • Areas used by bicyclists and equestrian groups  Fawn Lake • $20 per bus or large vehicle per visit • Current permit holders exempt  Guion Farm  Corn Mill Shoals  $6 per day = $2.31 per person  Other trailheads

Proposed Fee Schedule Fee Type Access Areas of DSRF Fees Annual Fee All Access Areas $30 per year for North Carolina resident. • $70 per year for out-of-State visitor. • *Consider discounts for other groups: 10% for veterans, senior visitors, active military 20% for Friends of DuPont Forest To protect, manage and promote forest resources for the citizens of North Carolina

Local Comparisons vs. $2.31-$4.32 per person Owner/Managing Facility Rates Season Passes Agency $5 per vehicle Cascade Lake Recreation Private --- $2 for each additional Area passenger $2 per person Sliding Rock US Forest Service $25 $20 per large vehicle Local to DSRF Lake Powhatan US Forest Service $2 per person $30 Recreation Area North Mills River US Forest Service $3 per vehicle $30 Recreation Area $15 per person Chimney Rock NC Division of Parks $28 $7 per youth State Park and Recreation $5 per person during $99 per person for Park Table Rock State Park SC State Parks peak season Passport

Regional Comparisons vs. $2.31-$4.32 per person Facility Agency Fees Annual Fees $99 per person for Park Caesar’s Head State Park SC State Parks $2 per person trail access fee Passport NC Arboretum NC University System $12 per person $45 Anna Ruby Falls Recreation US Forest Service $3 per person --- Area Brasstown Bald Recreation Regional to DSRF USFS $5 per person --- Area $3 per person Sunburst Campground Private $30 (Canton,NC) $3 per vehicle Grandfather Mountain State NC Division of Parks and $20 per person $70 Park Recreation Falls Lake State Recreation NC Division of Parks and $6 per vehicle $50 Area Recreation Kerr Lake State Recreation NC Division of Parks and $6 per vehicle $50 Area Recreation State Level Carolina Hemlocks Recreation Private $5 per vehicle $25 Area NC Department of Cultural North Carolina Zoo ~$15 per person --- and Natural Resources

National Comparisons vs. $2.31-$4.32 per person Facility Agency Fees Annual Fees $20 per vehicle Shenandoah National Park National Park Service $40 $10 walk-up fee Chattahoochee River National Park Service $3 per vehicle $35 National Recreation Area National Level $30 per vehicle for Yosemite National Park National Park Service $60 7-day pass $30 per vehicle for Yellowstone National Park National Park Service $60 7-day pass Grand Canyon National $30 per vehicle for National Park Service $50 Park 7-day pass To protect, manage and promote forest resources for the citizens of North Carolina