Thousands of federal employees who protect and manage our public lands are being unjustly fired, and some of those employees are our friends and community members who live right here in the Enchanted Circle.
These employees are the ones who have dedicated their careers, often for very little pay, to protecting the lands that we call home and who have worked tirelessly to ensure that you have access to your public lands for hiking, fishing, rafting, hunting…. the list goes on.
These firings are going to be deeply felt by all of us and have negative implications for the health and safety of our forests, wildlife, and communities.
Here are the effects:
- Immediate, Tangible Impacts on Outdoor Recreation
- Little to no trail maintenance – Fewer workers means trails will become overgrown, eroded, covered in downfall, and harder to navigate
- Campgrounds may go unmaintained or completely close – Trash pickup, restroom maintenance, and reservations all rely on staff
- Search-and-rescue response will be slower
- Longer lines and reduced access – Access to public lands may be delayed or restricted with fewer staff to manage permits, entry gates, and visitor centers
- Threats to Public Safety
- Increased wildfire risk – Seasonal workers (and not just wildland fire seasonals) play a critical role in thinning forests, clearing hazardous fuels, and assisting in early wildfire response.
- More accidents, fewer emergency responders – Less staff means slower medical response or no responses and a higher likelihood of preventable injuries or deaths
- A Lot Less Seasonal, Early Career, and Field-Going Staff
- The unjust firings are mostly targeting seasonal and early-career employees, the field-going employees who:
- Keep trails, campgrounds, and roads open
- Manage visitor services and permits
- Help prevent and respond to wildfires
- The unjust firings are mostly targeting seasonal and early-career employees, the field-going employees who:
- Local Businesses and Gateway Communities Will Suffer
- Businesses in outdoor recreation hubs, like Taos, depend on well-managed public lands
- Less visitors means less money which is bad for business and our local economy
- Gateway towns will lose seasonal jobs tied to recreation and tourism
- No Staff to Implement the EXPLORE Act
- Remember that huge outdoor recreation bill that just passed in an effort to improve outdoor access? With staffing cuts, agencies won’t have the people needed to implement it
- This means fewer streamlined permits, delayed recreation infrastructure projects, and a failure to improve outdoor access
- Public Lands Were Already Understaffed and Under Resourced – This Makes it a Whole Lot Worse
- Since 2010, the National Park Service has lost 20% of its full-time staff despite a 16% increase in visitation
- The US Forest Service had already announced a hiring freeze for seasonal workers in 2025 – these new cuts will make it even harder for the agency to manage recreation areas and protect public lands
- Past Shutdowns Illuminate Exactly What Will Happen
- We’ve already seen what happens when national parks lost staff during government shutdowns:
- Overflowing trash and closed restrooms
- Increased vandalism and illegal off-road vehicle use
- Damage to fragile ecosystems
- We’ve already seen what happens when national parks lost staff during government shutdowns:
Outraged? Irate? Angry?
So are we.
Here’s what we can do to support our federal friends:
- Contact Our Lawmakers
- Demand they oppose these staffing cuts and reinvest in the people that keep public lands accessible
- Make it personal and tell them how it directly affects you, your family and friends, and our community
- Volunteer Your Time
- Get out, get your hands dirty, and meet other folks who are passionate about ensuring the continued accessibility of our trails
- Join Our Adopt-A-Trail Program
- Get your business, organization, or group of friends together to adopt your favorite trail
- Donate To ECTA
- Your donation will directly fund trail maintenance, ensuring continued access to our beautiful public lands.
Together, we can ensure access to our public lands for our generation and the generations to come.
