Outdoor Alliance issued an online memo to outdoor groups this week, with a plea to “Ask Lawmakers to Reverse Staffing Cuts at Land Management Agencies.
I receives notice of this through one of the many mountain bike trail management groups I belong to. In this case it was Mountain Bike the Tetons. Bo doubt this memo was sent to similar mountain bike groups, and other outdoor trail groups.
The online memo contains a form that allows users to contact the two US Senators and the member of congress representing each user’s district. The online memo can be found here.
Here’s the memo text from Outdoor Alliance:
“URGENT! Public lands are under threat from a severe reduction in the workforce. In the past month, an estimated 10-30% of staff at the Forest Service (USFS), National Park Service (NPS), and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have been laid off. Some estimate that half of all recreation staff have been let go.
These staff include essential seasonal workers who maintain trails, campgrounds, and recreation infrastructure. These staffing cuts will lead to fewer maintained trails, campground closures, and a diminished experience for the millions of Americans who rely on public lands for recreation and recreation-related jobs. Even more concerning, layoffs include emergency response teams and wildfire mitigation—both of which are vital to keeping people safe on public lands and waters.
The outdoor community has raised our voices in opposition to these cuts and lawmakers are beginning to listen. The Park Service is working to restore thousands of seasonal positions, and the Senate is speaking up on behalf of Forest Service staff. It’s crucial that the outdoor community keep up the pressure—our easy-action tool makes it simple to write your lawmakers and demand that they reinvest in the workforce that manages our public lands—staff who know these lands intimately, who live in the communities they serve, and who play a crucial role in preserving and protecting them for future generations.”
My Opinion
These cuts to the National Forrest Service (NFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) staff and budgets are likely DOGE, acting on President Trump’s orders to eliminate waste and reduce the size of government.
While every American should applaud the effort, we must also acknowledge that these cuts will affect us all personally in different ways.
That does not mean we should lie down and let it happen without voicing our opinion. Do we want to fund transgender parades in Africa? Probably not. But we do want our taxes to fund programs here at home that enhance our life.
So I suggest filling out the form and letting democracy work. In a perfect world, Washington will see our request as reasonable and restore funding.
Fill out and submit the Outdoor Alliance form here if you like.
It may take a while to see a result. In the meantime, let’s all do what us mountain bikers do and leave the trails better than we found them. Volunteer to maintain the local trail we use. Attend fundraisers for your local trail managers.
I guarantee that, if you do this, your mountain bike lifestyle will be better—regardless of potential budget cuts to the NFS.
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