HELENA — In Montana, approximately 360 U.S. Forest Service employees have been given job termination notices by the Trump Administration. On Tuesday, former employees shared their concerns about the funding freeze and layoffs.
Bill Avey, a U.S. Forest Service retiree says, "I have a lot of concerns about how the agency is going to get its work done and how they are going to take care of these lands that are public trust."
The Big Elk Divide Restoration Committee and Elkhorn Working Group gathered Tuesday with retirees from the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service to discuss how these recent layoffs could impact our public lands.
"You can expect a big decline in trail clearing and you can expect a lot of dirty campgrounds if they are even open," Avey said.
In the Helena Lewis and Clark National Forest alone 38 employees have been laid off.
With the layoffs, there is also serious concerns about wildland firefighting as 75 percent of Forest Service staff are qualified to fight wildland fire.
"They just lost a whole bunch of that capacity, plus all of those folks supported with logistics, driving, helped feed people," Avey says. "There is all kind of work that goes into a fire that is not just on the line."
Another concern is economic impact as many local workers are in search of other jobs and are looking for income.
Retirees of the Forest Service are gathering funds to support those who have been fired.
Dennis Millburn, a forest service retiree, "Trying to fight this in any way I think we need to focus on as best we can the true impacts the results."
The meeting went on for several hours and attendees worked together on a letter in support of federal agencies and will continue discussion in upcoming meetings.
