Your Fee Dollars At Work

Guld Islands National Seashore participates in the congressionally authorized Federal Recreation Lands Enhancement Act. Under this program, parks keep 80 percent of all fees collected;the remaining 20 percent will be deposited in a special account to be used in parks where fees are not collected. Funds generated by the fees are used to accomplish projects the parks have been unable to fund through yearly Congressional allocations.

What does that mean for our national parks and for you?

The NPS is authorized to use entrance and recreation fees for a variety of items related to your experience, such as:

Repair, maintenance, and facility enhancement related directly to visitor enjoyment, visitor access, and health and safety, such as:
Habitat restoration directly related to wildlife-dependent recreation, including hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, and photography.
Law enforcement related to public use and recreation
Direct operating or capital costs associated with the recreation fee program to pay for entrance station and campground staff
Fee management agreements with gateway communities to provide emergency medical services

A pie chart showing 20% going to support non-fee parks, 3.5% supporting the national program, 42% funding deferred maintenance projects, and 34.5% funding cost of collections and other projects. — General breakdown of how fee revenue is allocated at Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Your Fee Dollars at Work

Cost of Collections

Campground and Entrance Station Rangers provide visitors with vital information and services.
Repair and Replacement

Fee dollars provide funding for critical infrastructure needs including repairing and replacing visitor structures and facilities.
Historic Preservation

Fee dollars fund critical historic preservation projects ensuring the long-term protection historic structures.
Visitor Experience Projects

When possible, you fee dollars fund projects that improve the visitor experience throughout the national seashore.
Future Projects Planned

The park plans fee-funded projects five years in advance, checkout some the projects planned for the future.