1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I’m writing with my serious concerns about the layoffs and RIFs at land management agencies like the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), National Park Service (NPS), and Bureau of Land Management (BLM). These agencies play a crucial role in maintaining our public lands and ensuring that they remain accessible, safe, and well-preserved for the millions of Americans who depend on them for recreation, jobs, and community well-being. The reductions—affecting 30% or more of agency staff—threaten the quality of our outdoor recreation experience. The initial cuts have disproportionately impacted staff responsible for trail maintenance, campground management, emergency response, and land restoration efforts like reforestation and invasive species removal. As visitation to public lands continues to rise, these cuts will have immediate and lasting consequences for the outdoor recreation economy and public safety, including affecting my own experiences in the outdoors. For example, opening up more campgrounds in Yosemite and unlimited number of cars into the valley all while reducing staffing is a recipe for disaster. Poor air quality and dirty bathrooms are guaranteed but the bigger concern is during wildfire season. Yosemite was already very short staffed before these cuts. Will there be enough personnel to evacuate the park and also help support firefighting activities should a wildfire start? Please make it an urgent priority to address funding and support for agencies. Public lands are a national treasure, and the dedicated staff who manage them must be adequately supported to ensure that these lands remain healthy and accessible for all. Senator Kelly's “Save Our Forests Act” and “Protect Our Parks Act” are two possible pieces of legislation to support that would restore staffing for the agencies. Don’t vote for Any Bill that authorizes the sale of Federal lands without thorough review, environmental assessment, and plenty of time for public comment. Thanks.