Last month, I wrote about how staffing and funding cuts to federal agencies and nonprofit partners like PNTA would likely impact the management of public lands. This is a report of the most recent developments for the PNT and what trail users should expect in the year ahead.
Agency Budgets
In March, congress averted a shutdown by passing a continuing resolution to fund the government for the remainder of the 2025 federal fiscal year. Rather than looking at the federal budget line-by-line and making annual adjustments —as is done through the regular budgeting process— a continuing resolution extends funding levels from the previous budget to keep government programs operating.
At first glance, it should have been welcome news to have a budget for agencies like the Forest Service and National Park Service— instead, significant uncertainty remains. While this particular continuing resolution legislation carried over top-line funding levels for federal programs, it did not include the specifics of line-item spending, largely leaving federal agencies in the dark while awaiting further direction from the administration on spending priorities.
To date, the Forest Service, which is the congressionally assigned administering agency for the Pacific Northwest Trail — and our primary public partner — has yet to receive a budget for the fiscal year here in the Pacific Northwest, which runs through September 30th. This means that as the field season for managing the Pacific Northwest Trail begins, budgets for agency upkeep of recreation infrastructure are unknown, and agreements with partners and contractors remain unfunded.
Agency Staffing
Staff reductions at the Forest Service continue this month with 3,100 additional Forest Service employees reportedly accepting deferred resignation offers in the second round of buyouts. This follows an estimated 3,400 probationary employees whose jobs have been in limbo since having their positions terminated in February, reinstated by court order in March, and halted by a subsequent ruling in April. Further reductions are expected later this month, when an additional reduction in force is expected.
The Forest Service started the year with approximately 35,000 employees. A reduction of 6,500 is 19% of the workforce, with more cuts expected — and this is on top of last year’s freeze on the hiring of seasonal employees.
Looking Forward
It feels like just yesterday that congress voted on a budget, but the news is full of headlines related to the federal budgeting process once again. That’s because the continuing resolution only extended funding for the remainder of the federal fiscal year, which ends September 30th. On October 1st, the FY26 fiscal year begins and the government will be operating on a new budget that is being developed by congress right now.
We’ll have to wait to learn the specifics, but we do know that major cuts to public lands funding are expected, and the sale of public lands is on the table to fund tax cut extensions and other priorities.
This year has been really hard on our public lands and the dedicated folks who steward them. With your support of PNTA and calls to your representatives to emphasize how important our public lands are to you, we can make a difference in next year’s budget — before things get any worse. Now’s not the time to sit on the sidelines!
Montana Senators Vote to Block the Sale of Public Lands
PNTA would like to recognize Montana Senators Tim Sheehy and Steve Daines for being the only senate republicans to vote to block the sale of public lands through the FY26 budgeting process.
“Public lands belong in public hands,” Sheehy said “That’s one thing most Montanans agree on regardless of party. I will always protect our right to hunt, fish, and recreate on our public lands, because as Montanans, we all share a passion and reverence for our forests, mountains, streams, and prairies.”
“Senator Daines never has, and never will support the sale of public lands,” a spokesperson for Daines said.
Unfortunately, even with the help from Montana, the amendment failed in a 51-48 vote.
What Does All of This Mean for the Pacific Northwest Trail?
In many of the Forest Service Ranger Districts where we work, we are expecting very few — if any — agency staff in the field performing tasks like trail maintenance, serving as wilderness rangers, conducting scientific research, supporting fire fighting efforts, emptying trash cans, pumping and stocking outhouses… the list goes on. Recreationists should plan accordingly for this lack of services, practice strict Leave No Trace techniques, and make sure they do their part to leave things better than they found them.
In addition to staff reductions at federal agencies like the Forest Service, we’re anticipating significant impacts to partner and contractor capacities this year. Our federal agency partners do a lot, but they don’t do it alone. That’s where partners like PNTA come in. Due to budget uncertainties, we’ll be forced to reduce the size of our conservation corps program this year, meaning less work will get done on the trail, and fewer summer employment opportunities will be available to young people in PNT trailside communities. We’re hearing the same story from every partner we talk to.
As a result of all the cuts, trail users should expect greatly reduced trail maintenance activity across the region, especially in the backcountry and in more rural districts where paid crews are needed to pick up the work where volunteer efforts often taper off. Users should expect to encounter a lot more brush and blowdown than usual in 2025, accessibility may be limited for some user groups, and safety should be on the top of all users’ minds.
Maintenance efforts could be further impacted in places like the Pasayten Wilderness because staffing and funding cuts have put pack stock programs in jeopardy. Without horses and mules to transport tools and supplies to the most remote locations, crews may not be able to get to them this year. We’re hoping our friends at Back Country Horsemen will be able to help fill some of the gaps, but pack support capacity has been a limiting factor in the best of years, so we know things will be especially tough in the season ahead.
For the last two years, PNTA has operated a full time crew for the entire field season in North Cascades National Park, contributing to the effort to reopen a critical linkage along the Pacific Northwest Trail. Its closure has sent trail users on 100-mile hitches to get around for the last two and a half seasons. PNTA crews have worked alongside seasonal trail crews employed by the National Park Service, and have been supported by an agency packer. While we’re optimistic about getting back into the park with a crew this
year, we expect it will only be for a partial season. Cuts to the National Park Service budget will likely result in reduced capacity on their side as well, and that packing position may go unfilled. We had previously expected this to be the year that the PNT through North Cascades National Park would reopen, but it now seems that outcome is less likely.
While much attention has been given to the exemption of frontline firefighters from the agency staffing cuts, a piece of the story that’s been missing is that when a wildfire breaks out on a federal land management unit, everyone supports the response. With substantial cuts to agency staffing at the ground level this year, support for the management of wildfire will be significantly reduced, and efforts to manage fires will almost certainly be hampered.
PNT users have an untarnished track record of not being the cause of any fires within the trail corridor. We want to see that streak continue in 2025. A lot could be riding on it. PNTA has long recommended safer canister stoves over lighter alcohol ones, and applauded those who cold soak (even if we think it’s kind of gross!). As trail users are thinking about their meal prep strategies for the upcoming season, PNTA urges them to consider the increased wildfire activity seen in recent years, and how firefighters are likely to be limited in their response moving forward.
How You Can Help
When you’re facing the reality of staffing and funding cuts to federal agencies like the Forest Service, it’s easy to feel helpless or overwhelmed. A similar feeling might arise for a trail crew, staring down hundreds of downed trees across the trail. However — beneath all the uncertainty, the path still remains. All you have to do is clear one log at a time, and together we all make progress. The PNT needs your support now more than ever. Start taking steps towards the future that you want to see for your public lands and act today.