And it’s not just conservationists who are concerned. Federal employees have pushed back at political claims of government bloat while its employment levels have been static.
“Across the board, we are seeing public land agencies being asked to do more with less,” said Chandra Rosenthal, a representative for Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. “When federal employees are asked to do more with less, the cracks show in the climate battlefront—protection falters and ecosystems suffer. The hiring freeze at the Forest Service leaves important restoration and conservation work understaffed, undermining our national forests’ resilience.”