Major renovations are scheduled for the Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands, with the help of funding from a couple of sources.

Forest Supervisor, Jane Darnell says the Forests and Grassland Leadership completed a comrehensive Recreation Facility Analysis last summer. She says, "The process makes us eligible for federal monies from the Recreation Site Improvement (RSI) funds." The money will go toward deferred maintenance.

"We also have money from the sale of a small isolated federal tract of land to the city of Hastings, NE, known as the Hastings Tract," she says, "Both of these bring approximately $1 million dollars to our Forest.”

Lisa Heiser, Recreation Program Manager notes, “The funds really give us a needed boost to better serve our customers and tourists. We’re pleased to be able to maintain highest used areas and improve all outdoor forest experiences.”

Even though monies have been made available, there are spending requirements for the RSI funds.

They can only be used at sites where fees are charged. They can only be used to address deferred maintenance. Only the top half of the projects ranked by the analysis can be addressed, and money cannot be spent to decommission.

Some of the more noticeable projects include rebuilding the fishing pier at Halsey which was damaged by vandalism several months ago, as well as replacing all the fire rings and tables and two restroom buildings within the Bessey Complex. Horse stalls are also set for refurbishing, and tables will be replaced in in Whitetail near Halsey, NE.

Additionally, all the roads within the Bessey Complex will be rebuilt. Planst for Toadstool, near Crawford, call several campground improvements will be done including replacing the kiosk, all the fire rings, rebuilding some parking lot sites to accommodate larger RVs.

The RSI funds must be spent by the end of 2009.

Additional funding, to be spent over the next three years, will help renovate and upgrade the Hudson-Meng water system near Crawford and repair hail-damaged buildings in Halsey.

One site not eligible for RSI funds is the Bessey swimming pool which will close this year due to health, safety and environmental problems.

Darnell says, “This unavoidable closure is a very difficult step for us to take, as we know how important the pool is to the local community.”