‘Staggering' cuts leave Forest Service seeking outside help
The Forest Service has lost a quarter of its non-fire-related workforce to the Trump administration's downsizing, further eroding the agency's ability to care for the country's 193 million acres of national forest.
The updated statistic, provided by acting Associate Chief Chris French at a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing Tuesday, illustrates the impact the Forest Service has seen from workforce reductions this year and offers hints about challenges heading into wildfire season.
In total, the Forest Service has seen around 5,000 people take voluntary departures, including through a deferred resignation offer that allows workers to quit and be paid through September. That number doesn't include wildland firefighters, who weren't allowed to take the offer.
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It also doesn't include some employees older than 40 who have until later this month to decide on leaving voluntarily, according to Forest Service employees familiar with the plan. But it could include probationary employees who were fired earlier this year, then reinstated and put on administrative leave.
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