In response to Trump administration funding cuts that disrupted trail repair and maintenance plans, the U.S. Forest Service issued a statement emphasizing its commitment to ensuring public safety and maintaining access to key recreation areas, despite the challenging fiscal environment.

On March 6, 2025, the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) filed a mass grievance in response to the firing of roughly 3,500 U.S. Forest Service probationary employees by the Trump Administration and Elon Musk’s DOGE. The Merit Systems Protection Board later ruled these terminations illegal and ordered their temporary reinstatement pending further investigation.

Following a politically motivated mass firing initiated under the Trump administration, a civil service review board mandated that terminated probationary employees be reinstated with back pay. This move has helped stabilize the U.S. Forest Service workforce and reinforce worker protections, even as uncertainty about future reductions persists.

Following mass layoffs initiated by the Trump administration, around 2,000 recently hired employees at the U.S. Forest Service were terminated, sparking protests across national parks as workers and communities expressed outrage over compromised labor rights and public service conditions.

USFS Chief Randy Moore announced his retirement in an emotional letter as 3,400 federal employees face layoffs. The decision is part of wider cost‐cutting efforts driven by directives from President Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), raising concerns over diminished worker rights and reduced capacity to serve communities.

The U.S. Forest Service laid off roughly 3,400 probationary employees on February 14, 2025, as part of a Trump administration cost‐cutting directive. The abrupt firings have deepened chronic understaffing issues, disrupted essential services, and prompted union action and lawsuits challenging the process.

The US Forest Service is set to discharge about 3,400 employees following a directive from President Donald Trump to eliminate positions performing non-statutory functions, including diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. The action has been criticized by union leaders for undermining worker rights.

An opinion piece discusses a proposal to change the appointment process for the Forest Service chief from a traditional career-based selection to a politically nominated, Senate-confirmed role. The article highlights concerns that such a change could politicize the agency, rewarding political allies over experienced professionals and undermining impartial, long-term management of public lands.