Terminated Uinta-Wasatch-Cache USFS Employees

I am creating this to provide financial support to employees of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest that have been recently terminated as part of DOGE efforts to reduce the Federal workforce. I spent multiple seasons working for this Forest in multiple departments and am devastated to see what is happening to my friends, and the land I worked so hard for.

I remain in contact with employees from this Forest and have personal knowledge that as of February 17th, forty eight employees on this Forest alone have been let go. The majority of the employees that were terminated were in recreation positions. They are the employees that maintain and build trails, keep recreation sites open and clean, keep restrooms stocked and cleaned, maintain OHV routes, and keep dispersed camping areas free of litter and available for camping. They complete thorough condition surveys to support efficient use of government funding and for writing grants. They replace signs, and do hours of visitor education. Many of these employees also support wildfire suppression efforts as supplemental fire fighters. These employees also support special recreation events like marathons or trail races that occur on the Forest. Other employees support the range program, timber, and fire support positions. The list could continue on and on with all the work they did. These terminated employees are the front line of positions in the agency that provide direct services to the American public.

There are a few key facts to understand about these terminations:

1-Employees are on a probationary period due to being a new permanent employee to the agency. Some positions require one year of good performance, and for other types of positions, ones that allow agencies to reduce barriers for hiring veterans and those with disabilities, it is two years.

2- These employees are being told they are being let go due to performance, which is completely inaccurate. These employees are the heart and soul of this Forest and some of the hardest working employees as they are new to their career and making a name for themselves. They bring innovation, enthusiasm and a work ethic that is unparalleled.

3-Most of these employees are some of the lowest paid in the agency. Living and trying to work for the Forest where the cost of living is so high, already keeps many of these employees living paycheck to paycheck. During the summer some of these employees work on the trails you recreate on during the day, and then sleep in their cars due to the unaffordable cost of living.

100% of this funding will go to providing these employees with some relief for rent, mortgages, and other living expenses while they see if these terminations will hold, or get other employment options lined up.

If you want to support beyond financial contributions, please reach out to your elected officials and tell them to stop these wrongful terminations, to reinstate these employees, and to fund our public lands appropriately.

Let’s show these employees that the work they did matters, that they matter! Thank you in advance for any donations made!