U.S. Forest Service staff have made many improvements recently at the Tipsaw Lake Recreation Area in Perry County. The beach house, which provides changing areas for swimmers, had an exterior renovation. Also the walkways in the beach area were cleaned with a power washer. There are two shelterhouses used for picnics and group gatherings in the beach area that were also renovated. New construction includes the addition of sidewalks to the toilet facilities.
In the campground of this popular recreation site, the shelterhouse on the Catbrier Loop was renovated. Sidewalks were installed between the shelter and the toilet facilities. The improvements are not yet complete. A new toilet facility will be installed between the Primrose and Goldenrod Loops this fall. Fall is a great time to use your public lands for camping, hiking, fishing, hunting and other outdoor recreation.
The mission of the U.S. Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 30 percent of the nation’s surface drinking water to cities and rural communities and approximately 66 million Americans rely on drinking water that originated from the National Forest System. The agency also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.
