Commercial video rules also apply to national forests

Last week, The Spokesman-Review reported that fishing guides on Lake Roosevelt have been forced to remove videos of their angling clients from YouTube and elsewhere online. The removals come after the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area started enforcing long-standing rules.

The Colville National Forest, along with all national forests, has rules governing commercial videography and photography, including fees that start at $110 per day for still photos.

Forest Service spokesman Franklin Pemberton said the permits are rarely used. In 2018, the Forest Service issued two permits, both for TV commercials.

“Basically, a lot of it is our light up here is not the best,” Pemberton said.

With more people making money off YouTube channels or through other online sources, Pemberton said it’s a regulatory area that the Forest Service may have to examine in coming years.

“If things are not impacting other visitors, and if it’s something that is not clearly commercial, we don’t get too worried about it,” he said.