US forest wants to charge $1500 photographing in wilderness

Re: US forest wants to charge $1500 photographing in wildern

This is our government being pressured by lobbyists and politicians who support certain Big Business (logging, lumber, and paper) trying to prevent people from filming and monitoring their operations. Especially in Oregon.

It appears Oregonians are statistically the most paranoid about using drones. (perhaps some don't like environmentalist affecting their way of life.)

Add those two together and Big Business could very well get its way.

This technology should be Democratized so that We The People have a better check and balance to monitor our own government and the big business it chums up to.
 
Re: US forest wants to charge $1500 photographing in wildern

In looking at the actual policy this applies only to Congressionally designated wilderness areas. From the USFS website:" Specifically, this policy provides the criteria used to evaluate request for special use permits related to still photography and commercial filming in congressionally designated wilderness areas. "

So this is not about all USFS lands, but wilderness areas where many things are banned, such as snowmobiles, hangcliders, and bicycles. This policy has been in place for 4 years and this change is to make it permanent. It does not strike me as a bad policy. It means that a commercial entity that wants to film in a wilderness area must make a proposal to the USFS. I can imagine that if the proposal involves the use of mechanized devices, such as drones, it will be denied.

One aspect of the proposal is that the proposer has to demonstrate why congressionally designated wilderness area needs to be used and why other USFS land cannot serve instead.

This policy will not require that everyone get a permit to use their personal camera to photograph wilderness areas. It does not even appear that Ansel Adams, were he still alive, would have to get permit. It does mean that you can't take your drone into a wilderness area to film, but that has been policy since the creation of congressionally mandated wilderness areas were created. If we want wilderness areas, which I personally think we do, we need to make sure that getting commercial access to them is very difficult. This is a good policy.
 
Re: US forest wants to charge $1500 photographing in wildern

I don't think I'm the only one that read it a different way especially with the quote from the senator

The permit plan, which has not been finalized yet, has already come under fire from photographers, First Amendment advocates, and policiticians.

“The Forest Service needs to rethink any policy that subjects noncommercial photographs and recordings to a burdensome permitting process for something as simple as taking a picture with a cell phone,” U.S. Sen Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) told the Oregonian. “Especially where reporters and bloggers are concerned, this policy raises troubling questions about inappropriate government limits on activity clearly protected by the First Amendment.”
 
Re: US forest wants to charge $1500 photographing in wildern

knuckles said:
I don't think I'm the only one that read it a different way especially with the quote from the senator

The permit plan, which has not been finalized yet, has already come under fire from photographers, First Amendment advocates, and policiticians.

“The Forest Service needs to rethink any policy that subjects noncommercial photographs and recordings to a burdensome permitting process for something as simple as taking a picture with a cell phone,” U.S. Sen Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) told the Oregonian. “Especially where reporters and bloggers are concerned, this policy raises troubling questions about inappropriate government limits on activity clearly protected by the First Amendment.”
I have great respect for Senator Wyden. My views come form reading the actual policy and I do not see where it would apply to noncommerical individuals, though I admit the policy language is a bit obtuse. It certainly does not apply to USFS lands outside of congressionally mandated wilderness areas.

Note in Wyden's statement that he says "The Forest Service needs to rethink any policy that subjects noncommercial photographs and recordings to a burdensome permitting.." It is not clear that he is addressing this specific policy, but is making a general statement. I cannot find in the language of the proposed policy where it would subject noncommercial photographs to permitting.
 
Re: US forest wants to charge $1500 photographing in wildern

Just read an article this morning clarifying that this will only apply to commercial filming, not hobbyist nor personal photography.
Can't find the article now to attach the link...oh well.
 
Re: US forest wants to charge $1500 photographing in wildern

Well that clears it up I guess. The original article I linked probably should have made it more clear.
It was concerning to me since I live near large areas of forest land that I like to go fly.
 
Re: US forest wants to charge $1500 photographing in wildern

knuckles said:
Well that clears it up I guess. The original article I linked probably should have made it more clear.
It was concerning to me since I live near large areas of forest land that I like to go fly.



I live in Washington state in the foothills of the Cascades - I had the same initial reaction you did.
But it sounds like this won't impact any of us who are simply hobbyists with cameras.
 
Re: US forest wants to charge $1500 photographing in wildern

Some things happen in this world that are far beyond my understanding...
 
Re: US forest wants to charge $1500 photographing in wildern

Lots of interesting comments.

I will currently default to:


  • If it is PUBLIC LAND, then any image data should be near real time online public resource.

    Then it is a rare chance that resources go un-noticed by its owners; the american people.

    That is a way to Democratize this technology; regardless of who owns the machines or who has authority to fly.
 
Re: US forest wants to charge $1500 photographing in wildern

It seems the Federal Government has forgotten who the real owners of "Federal" land are. This is another example of the Government going rogue. Lol.
 

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