§1250. Volunteer trails assistance

(a) Volunteer planning, development, maintenance, and management of trails

(1) In addition to the cooperative agreement and other authorities contained in this chapter, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the head of any Federal agency administering Federal lands, are authorized to encourage volunteers and volunteer organizations to plan, develop, maintain, and manage, where appropriate, trails throughout the Nation.

(2) Wherever appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter, the Secretaries are authorized and encouraged to utilize section 102301 of title 54, the Volunteers in the Forests Act of 1972 ¹ [16 U.S.C. 558a et seq.], and 200305 ² of title 54 (relating to the development of Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plans).

(b) Scope of volunteer work

Each Secretary or the head of any Federal land managing agency may assist volunteers and volunteer organizations in planning, developing, maintaining, and managing trails. Volunteer work may include, but need not be limited to-

(1) planning, developing, maintaining, or managing (A) trails which are components of the national trails system, or (B) trails which, if so developed and maintained, could qualify for designation as components of the national trails system; or

(2) operating programs to organize and supervise volunteer trail building efforts with respect to the trails referred to in paragraph (1), conducting trail-related research projects, or providing education and training to volunteers on methods of trails planning, construction, and maintenance.

(c) Use of Federal facilities, equipment, tools, and technical assistance

The appropriate Secretary or the head of any Federal land managing agency may utilize and make available Federal facilities, equipment, tools, and technical assistance to volunteers and volunteer organizations, subject to such limitations and restrictions as the appropriate Secretary or the head of any Federal land managing agency deems necessary or desirable.

(Pub. L. 90–543, §11, as added Pub. L. 98–11, title II, §210, Mar. 28, 1983, 97 Stat. 49 ; amended Pub. L. 113–287, §5(d)(27), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3267 .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Volunteers in the Forests Act of 1972, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), probably means the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972, Pub. L. 92–300, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147 , which was classified generally to former sections 558a to 558d of this title, prior to being amended generally and renamed the Volunteers in the National Forests and Public Lands Act by Pub. L. 118–234, title III, §341, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2913 . Section 342 of Pub. L. 118–234, set out as a note under section 588a of this title, provides that a reference in any law to the Volunteers in National Forests Act of 1972 shall be deemed to be a reference to the Volunteers in the National Forests and Public Lands Act. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 558a of this title and Tables.

Amendments

2014-Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 113–287 substituted "section 102301 of title 54" for "the Volunteers in the Parks Act of 1969" and "200305 of title 54" for "section 460l–8 of this title".

¹ See References in Text note below.

² So in original. Probably should be preceded by "section".