Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** Trump removes protections for half of national forest land
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Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Lodgepole pine forest, Colville National Forest; USFS/Flickr ([link removed])
The Trump administration has removed protections ([link removed]) for over half of the National Forest System via the issuance of an emergency order related to wildfire risk. The order covers more than 110 million acres ([link removed]) of forest land and will fast-track timber production by removing National Environmental Policy Act regulations in the name of wildfire mitigation. But the memo comes on the heels of an executive order ([link removed]) issued by President Donald Trump to expand timber production in the country by 25 percent.
“Nobody should be fooled into thinking that this secretarial order or Trump’s executive order are anything more than a handout to the industry to basically log-baby-log on our public lands,” Randi Spivak, public lands policy director for the Center for Biological Diversity, told Inside Climate News ([link removed]) .
The Trump administration also recently hollowed out the Forest Service's ranks, including firing many potential firefighters. About 700 Forest Service employees terminated in mid-February’s “Valentine’s Day massacre” were red-card-carrying staffers, according to reporting in ProPublica ([link removed]) , which means they held other full-time jobs in the agency but had been trained to aid firefighting crews.
Gutting of Park Service continues
The Trump administration is continuing to shrink ([link removed]) the National Park Service's workforce despite the Interior department's recent order ([link removed]) requiring parks facing closures due to understaffing to fully reopen. The National Park Conservation Association obtained an internal memo ([link removed]) detailing a buyout offer that runs from April 4 to 9 and applies to most Park Service employees with some exceptions. Over 700 Park Service employees have already taken buyouts ([link removed]) in response to the Trump administration's "Fork in the Road" memo, and the agency is still in the process of trying to hire thousands of seasonal
workers after the Trump administration rescinded those job offers ([link removed]) in January.
** Quick hits
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Trump admin fired hundreds of workers who help fight wildfires, despite promises not to
ProPublica ([link removed])
Almost 20,000 acres of forest in Utah protected with $14.4 million LWCF purchase
Cache Valley Daily ([link removed])
These St. George dino diggers are in a race to save fossils from development
KUER ([link removed])
Congress to hold hearing on Trump's pick to run the BLM
E&E News ([link removed]) | Public Domain ([link removed])
As federal government becomes “more unpredictable,” hikers may look to the state to maintain trails
Denver Post ([link removed])
Trump admin to re-open Ruby Mountains to drilling in reversal of Biden-era ruling
Nevada Current ([link removed])
Doug Burgum's diva behavior prompts Pruitt comparisons
E&E News ([link removed])
National parks are in crisis. Should you still visit?
SFGate ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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” The administration’s relentless attacks are crushing the Park Service... Forcing another round of buyouts is yet another reckless action by the administration that will have long-lasting, irreversible impacts on this generation of National Park Service staff. Who will care for our national parks if they keep pushing out staff?”
—Kristen Brengel ([link removed]) , SVP of government affairs for the National Parks Conservation Association
** Picture This
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@mypubliclands ([link removed])
It all comes down to this, the final day of Arch Madness! Formed through weathering, erosion, and time (lots of time), public lands are home to many of these geologic wonders.
From Rattlesnake Arch in Colorado to Corona Arch in Utah - they're all sedimentary superstars in our eyes. 🏆
📷 Rattlesnake Arch in McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, Colorado.
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