Ryan Ghelfi
February 21, 2025
By this point, many of you have likely heard news about the terminations that have recently taken place across federal agencies, including at the US Forest Service. We were disheartened to learn that the majority of field-going personnel SBFC has had the privilege of working with across our region have been let go. This same story is repeated in most districts and forests across the country. These staff were “probationary,” not in the sense that their performance was below standard, but because of their untenured time in their position (less than a year in most cases). Many of these people had worked for the agency for many years and were in a probationary period because they had recently changed their employment status from “temporary” to “permanent,” or were recently promoted. These were hard-working people dedicated to providing incredible service to the American people and our public lands.
Public lands, Wilderness, and trails, which in many cases were already significantly short-staffed due to the seasonal employee hiring freeze announced in September and underfunded for years, are going to be in a much worse situation in the coming year and beyond.
We can understand the need for increased government efficiency, but the recent actions were done with a blunt machete and with no regard for how important public functions will get done.
It’s hard to know right now what the future holds for the Selway-Bitterroot, the Frank Church, and so many other wild lands across the country. The Wilderness will still be there, but without a strong workforce to maintain access, will many get the opportunity to experience these treasured places? I don’t know.
What I do know is that it’s incumbent upon us as citizens and people who value Wilderness to ensure people today and tomorrow have the same opportunities we’ve had, to be immersed in wild places, and to have these life-changing experiences. We also need a citizenry who are passionately connected and committed to Wilderness. Right now this feels like it’s the biggest open question. How much do we collectively as citizens value Wilderness and public lands? We are about to find out.
What I can tell you is that SBFC is here for the long haul. We will weather this storm and will continue to work shoulder-to-shoulder with people who care about Wilderness. We will fight to keep our trail crews, volunteers, and youth headed into this wild country, keeping trails open, and the dream of Wilderness alive. If this period of time tells us anything it’s that we cannot take Wilderness or public lands for granted. It’s our job to build the next generation of wilderness constituents and to continue to bring more people into the Wilderness tent.
Were you affected by the federal employee firings? Do you have thoughts about the impact on our federal lands? I want to hear from you. My inbox is open… email me.