National parks, forest service layoffs hit Oregon
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A hiker walks along a trail in Mount Hood National Forest. Photo: Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images
Recent federal workforce cuts by the Trump administration have already reached several of Oregon's popular parks and forests.
Why it matters: Former employees and labor union representatives warn the layoffs — part of a nationwide reduction of 3,400 U.S. Forest Service and 1,000 National Park Service jobs — could weaken wildfire prevention efforts as well as the maintenance of beloved campgrounds and trails.
- The cuts appear to be disproportionately affecting those in central and eastern Oregon, a region that voted for Trump and where federal employment plays a crucial role in those local economies.
By the numbers: At least two National Park Service employees stationed at Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve have been laid off, Bill Wade, executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers, told Axios.
- 25 people employed at the Ochoco National Forest and 16 at the Deschutes National Forest received severance letters, according to the Central Oregon Daily News.
- About 20 employees at the Umatilla National Forest were laid off too, per the Oregonian.
- U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier (D-Sammamish) told Axios her office has received word that about 250 U.S. Forest Service employees across Washington and Oregon were laid off as part of the reductions.
Zoom in: Oregon has one national park — Crater Lake National Park — and several monuments and recreation areas — John Day Fossil Beds National Monument and the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.
- National park tourism contributed roughly $76 million to the state's economy in 2023, according to a federal report released last year.
- The U.S. Forest Service manages 11 national forests — spanning more than 16 million acres — in Oregon, and is typically the first line of defense in preventing and repressing wildfires.
What they're saying: "This will impact the public. These individuals were not waste," said Isabella Isaksen, who was recently laid off from the Ochoco National Forest and was responsible for disseminating information about last year's Wiley Flat Fire.
- Representatives of the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment.
State of play: Wade said the Association of National Park Rangers is still gathering information on how many people at what parks have been affected, but he noted that park rangers who have law enforcement commissions appear to have been exempted from the layoffs.
- Yes, but: Maintenance workers, people who collect fees at park entrances, and rangers who provide tours and educational services were hit hard, Wade said, so expect instances where visitor centers will have reduced hours.
- Anca Matica, a spokesperson for Gov. Tina Kotek, told Axios the state does not know how far-reaching the layoffs are across Oregon, but she noted the state's parks and recreation department plans to hire about 250 seasonal rangers and assistants this year.
What we're watching: The Trump administration is now signaling that some seasonal workers could be brought back, but hiring delays mean many may start well after the summer visitor surge — missing key preseason training and leaving parks understaffed during peak months.