Post by fishguts on Oct 13, 2007 20:51:51 GMT -5
Dear BWCAW Lottery Applicant:
Please read for important changes pertaining to the 2008 lottery, user fee increases and
the new location of the Kawishiwi Wilderness Station.
Beginning fall 2007, the BWCAW lottery has changed the start date for submitting applications. Lottery applications will be accepted beginning December 1, 2007. Over the past few years, lottery applications have been submitted beginning November 1st. This permit reservation process starts when lottery applications are submitted to Reserve America through website,
US mail or fax. Due to an overwhelming increase in the number of
applications received after January 1st of each year, as well as 95% of our applicants submitting their application via the internet, the need to begin the lottery in early November has significantly decreased.
Applications will continue to be submitted and accepted by mail or fax through the close of business (5:00 p.m. CST) on January 10th. Applications submitted via the website will be accepted through close of business (5:00 p.m. CST) on January 15th. All applications submitted between December 1st and the above periods will be processed by lottery (regardless of the order received).
In order to provide the best customer service to the majority of our customers, the National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS) no longer accepts certified checks or money orders as payment for advance reservations. This includes the lottery. Effective December 1, 2007 a credit or debit card will be required to make an advance reservation. Processing check payments has not been cost-effective for the NRRS for several reasons:
A. The number of customers who pay by check is extremely low (1% of all customers), and B. The rate of checks returned is relatively high
The vast majority of our customers have access to credit or debit cards. This new policy does not affect payment options at Forest Service permit issuing stations. If a customer does not have access to a credit or debit card, the facility may offer first-come, first serve quotas that can be paid in person by check. You may also wish to consider using prepaid gift cards that are offered by most credit card companies or your local bank. In the future, we will be exploring the addition of new payment options such
as electronic check processing.
There will be an increase in user fees for BWCAW permits. User fees are collected through the Recreation Enhancement Act (formerly the Fee Demonstration Program) and returned to the Superior National Forest to help manage the BWCAW. Fees will be as follows: Adult per trip fee: $16.00
Youth and Interagency Senior/Access card holders per trip fee: $8.00
Adult Seasonal Fee Card: $64.00
Youth Seasonal Fee Card: $32.00
Interagency Senior/Access Holder Seasonal Fee Card: $32.00
The Kawishiwi Wilderness Station in Ely, formerly located within the International Wolf Center, has moved across the highway to the new Kawishiwi District Office. The new address is 1393 Highway 169, Ely, MN. Hours of operation for issuing BWCAW permits will be May 1 through Labor Day, 7:00 am -5:00pm daily, and the day after Labor Day through September 30, 8:00am 4:30pm daily.
If you have any questions about these changes, please call 218-626-4300.
Sincerely,
Kristin Horman
USDA Forest Service - Superior National Forest
8901 Grand Ave Place
Duluth, MN 55808
218-626-4349
Please read for important changes pertaining to the 2008 lottery, user fee increases and
the new location of the Kawishiwi Wilderness Station.
Beginning fall 2007, the BWCAW lottery has changed the start date for submitting applications. Lottery applications will be accepted beginning December 1, 2007. Over the past few years, lottery applications have been submitted beginning November 1st. This permit reservation process starts when lottery applications are submitted to Reserve America through website,
US mail or fax. Due to an overwhelming increase in the number of
applications received after January 1st of each year, as well as 95% of our applicants submitting their application via the internet, the need to begin the lottery in early November has significantly decreased.
Applications will continue to be submitted and accepted by mail or fax through the close of business (5:00 p.m. CST) on January 10th. Applications submitted via the website will be accepted through close of business (5:00 p.m. CST) on January 15th. All applications submitted between December 1st and the above periods will be processed by lottery (regardless of the order received).
In order to provide the best customer service to the majority of our customers, the National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS) no longer accepts certified checks or money orders as payment for advance reservations. This includes the lottery. Effective December 1, 2007 a credit or debit card will be required to make an advance reservation. Processing check payments has not been cost-effective for the NRRS for several reasons:
A. The number of customers who pay by check is extremely low (1% of all customers), and B. The rate of checks returned is relatively high
The vast majority of our customers have access to credit or debit cards. This new policy does not affect payment options at Forest Service permit issuing stations. If a customer does not have access to a credit or debit card, the facility may offer first-come, first serve quotas that can be paid in person by check. You may also wish to consider using prepaid gift cards that are offered by most credit card companies or your local bank. In the future, we will be exploring the addition of new payment options such
as electronic check processing.
There will be an increase in user fees for BWCAW permits. User fees are collected through the Recreation Enhancement Act (formerly the Fee Demonstration Program) and returned to the Superior National Forest to help manage the BWCAW. Fees will be as follows: Adult per trip fee: $16.00
Youth and Interagency Senior/Access card holders per trip fee: $8.00
Adult Seasonal Fee Card: $64.00
Youth Seasonal Fee Card: $32.00
Interagency Senior/Access Holder Seasonal Fee Card: $32.00
The Kawishiwi Wilderness Station in Ely, formerly located within the International Wolf Center, has moved across the highway to the new Kawishiwi District Office. The new address is 1393 Highway 169, Ely, MN. Hours of operation for issuing BWCAW permits will be May 1 through Labor Day, 7:00 am -5:00pm daily, and the day after Labor Day through September 30, 8:00am 4:30pm daily.
If you have any questions about these changes, please call 218-626-4300.
Sincerely,
Kristin Horman
USDA Forest Service - Superior National Forest
8901 Grand Ave Place
Duluth, MN 55808
218-626-4349