More on cabins in national forests

Regarding “Cabin Has a Catch,” March 18, on the U.S. Forest Service’s Recreation Residence Program: This is a valuable recreation program that allows thousands of extended families to enjoy our national forests, yet is little known and widely misunderstood by those who do come in contact with these cabins.

As you so clearly explain, the privilege of maintaining and occupying a cabin on national forest lands comes with tight restrictions intended to protect these public resources and to return a fair fee to the federal government for our use of these lands. This program is one of the largest noncommercial recreation programs on national forest lands and returns more than its cost of administration to the federal Treasury each year.

ROY E. GLAUTHIER

Costa Mesa

The writer is president of National Forest Homeowners, a 5,000-member association representing cabin owners.