Sigh. Someone has to say this, and it might as well be me . . . .
I have long been in favor of a modest annual boondocking fee, a very unpopular idea. My reasons are (1) to fund better enforcement and (2) to make sure that the folks who boondock have some "skin in the game."
As we all know, there is a percentage of folks -- not the majority -- who abuse public lands (dumping trash and driving off-limits). They are ruining things for the rest of us. Someday boondocking will be illegal everywhere, if we don't do something to screen out a few of the bad guys and ramp up enforcement.
If you have a better idea, I'm all ears. I fully understand that a boondocking fee would be tough on seniors with fixed incomes (which will soon include me). Maybe there would be a lower rate for seniors, just as there is for entrance into the national parks.
Feel free to take shots at my idea. But just doing nothing and maintaining the status quo is a very poor solution to a growing problem.
And for the same reasons, I am in favor of reasonable fees for all public land use. Not prohibitive fees, but proportional. We can no longer expect that someone else will pay for our use of public resources.
