Wilderness Photography restrictions?

[pvstoy]

On September 25, 2014, the U.S. Forest Service issued Proposed Regulation FSH 2709.11, Chapter 40, which would impose the requirement of permits and fees in circumstances that could substantially limit photographers' access to Federal lands under the jurisdiction of the Forest Service. Since so many NANPA members photograph on Federal lands, this was particularly troublesome to us.

Today, NANPA, together with the following organizations, joined in sending a letter to Thomas Tidwell, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, to express their concerns about these new proposed rules.

American Society of Media Photographers
American Society of News Editors
Associated Press
Associated Press Media Editors
Associated Press Photo Managers
Association of Alternative Newsmedia
Digital Media Licensing Association
National Newspaper Association
National Press Photographers Association
Radio Television Digital News Association
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Society of Environmental Journalists

The Forest Service comment period has been extended to November 3, 2014, and we anticipate that further comments will be submitted in an effort to make rules less restrictive for photographers.

NANPA will continue to monitor this situation.

Information about the proposed regulation is available at this link:
https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/09/04/2014-21093/proposed-directive-for-commercial-filming-in-wilderness-special-uses-administration

North American Nature Photography Association
618-547-7616 • info@nanpa.org

I'm a NANPA member and received this email today on a update status.........

 

[simimike]

The National Parks and Forests belong to me, Not some bureaucrat in Washington. So if any of you want to take pictures of my stuff you have my permission.

Mike

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

The National Parks and Forests belong to me, Not some bureaucrat in Washington. So if any of you want to take pictures of my stuff you have my permission.

Mike

I'll vote for that.
Frank

 

[Stalking Light]

The FS has my permission to keep people from trampling my wilderness to make movies. They just need to learn to word the regs more clearly so folks that won't be affected don't get their panties in a bunch.

 

[simimike]

The FS has my permission to keep people from trampling my wilderness to make movies. They just need to learn to word the regs more clearly so folks that won't be affected don't get their panties in a bunch.

Exactly Charlie, Twenty years ago some idiot caused a lot of damage while filming. So a regulation was passed and implemented. Fast forward to today and the people that wrote and enforced the regulation are long retired. Now we have a new set of bureaucrats reinterpreting the regulation to mean something other than its original intent. So what if some micro brewery is using a picture of a National Park to sell its beer. As long as they are not claiming to be the "official beer" of the park no harm is done.
Lets get to the real reason this has reared its ugly head. MONEY. Endless wars cost money, lots and lots of money. I think we have all seen this effecting everything from the local level on up to the county and state level. Higher fees for almost all services provided buy our various government bodies. I've watched the roads in my town deteriorate more and more as the once plentiful federal funds wither away. And it breaks my hart to see proud agencies like our own CHP and the National Park Service turned into revenue generating agencies just to keep their doors open. It is so sad. Thats enough soap box for one evening.

Mike