News & Updates

The Partnership for the National Trails System is dedicated to keeping our members and supporters up to date on the rapid decisions coming from Washington, DC, and how they are impacting the National Trails System. On this page, you will find up to date information on hiring freezes, funding freezes, and more.

Member Impacts:

Appalachian Trail Conservancy:

Our current ten-year average is $2,981,325.31. Although this amount is larger than the unit’s base allocation of Operation of the National Park System appropriated funds, when viewed as a portion of the total amount that NPS and ATC devote to administering, managing, and operating the ANST, we understand the percentage as in line with §7(h)’s authorization for “limited funds” to be available.

The FY24 appropriation for APPA was just over $2 million. ATC’s annual operating budget is approximately $15 million (including the TA funds used to operate the ANST). The Independent Sector (NGO) calculator, relying on Bureau of Labor Statistics data, pegs the value of a volunteer hour at $33.49. Given the 214,466 hours contributed by 5,059 volunteers across NPS and USDA FS-managed lands, A.T. volunteers contributed no less than $7,182,466.34 to the ANST. These funding streams taken together are approximately $25 million, which puts the NPS TA funds at approximately 12% of the ANST’s total NPS-ATC-Club combined operating budget.

This does not include the funds or staff time contributed by the ANST’s consulting administrator, the USDA Forest Service, which would make yet proportionally smaller the “limited financial assistance” provided by the NPS. Despite the limited nature of this assistance, “it is the fuel that makes the car drive.”

Florida Trail Association:

Recent federal layoffs are already having serious consequences for conservation, stewardship, and land management across public lands, including areas the Florida National Scenic Trail (FNST) passes through. Support staff that fire crews depend on have been laid off, affecting their ability to conduct prescribed burns—an essential tool for wildfire prevention, ecological health, and protecting nearby communities.

Additionally, key land management agencies have suffered significant cuts, further straining resources. The Gulf Islands National Seashore has lost seven rangers responsible for marking sea turtle nests and leading educational programs. Layoffs within the Army Corps of Engineers could impact management of the FNST along the Lake Okeechobee section. Big Cypress National Preserve, another critical segment of the trail, is also facing reductions.

These cuts are forcing agencies to reassign staff from conservation roles to essential visitor services, such as front gate operations, limiting their capacity to manage and protect public lands effectively.

On a broader scale, approximately 3,400 U.S. Forest Service employees—around 10% of the workforce—have been laid off, with similar cuts occurring across the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management. This comes at a time when visitation to public lands is increasing, making it even harder to keep up with necessary maintenance, conservation, and restoration efforts.

The Florida Trail Association (FTA) relies on a longstanding partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to maintain and protect the FNST. Each year, volunteers contribute thousands of hours to trail maintenance, but without sufficient federal funding and agency support, these efforts will be severely impacted. Freezes on cooperative agreements are preventing organizations like the FTA from receiving grants that support trail crews, infrastructure repairs, and habitat restoration projects.

Without immediate action, we risk seeing sections of the Florida Trail deteriorate due to lack of maintenance, reduced conservation efforts, and fewer staff to manage and protect public lands. These cuts also weaken the $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy, affecting local businesses and communities that rely on trail-related tourism.

North Country Trail Association:

Confirmed that the NPS planner was included in the layoffs. In addition, one NPS staff member took the resignation offer and our Superintendent will not be able to replace her or hire the additional 2 positions planned for compliance and lands. These three positions were two-year term positions so it’s less of an impact long-term but still important as these positions were intended to free a backlog of compliance and set up standards and processes for NPS to follow for land acquisition and management. Their loss means NPS will not want to pursue land acquisition to protect the Trail.

In summary, the North Country Trail is now back down to 4 NPS staff for America’s longest National Scenic Trail. All signs point to more layoffs in the future with no indication how those decisions will be made and when. At least so far, DOGE is making decisions without consulting the agency leadership therefore these decisions aren’t based on performance or assessing critical needs.

Nez Perce National Historic Trail:

Trail Administrator retired and is not being replaced. There will be no dedicated Trail Administrator for this trail.

Oregon-California Trails Association:

OCTA has a cooperative agreement with the Tahoe National Forest to reimburse travel expenses for volunteers. The Association also has a cooperative agreement with the National Trails Office of the National Park Service that reimburses volunteer travel expenses. A shut-down of cooperative agreements would negatively impact the ability of volunteers to assist on the mapping and marking of historic trails on National Trails. The Association leverages federal appropriations at a 14:1 ratio.

Pacific Northwest Trail Association:

PNTA has a Challenge Cost Share (CCS) agreement expiring in May and a GAOA agreement that is due for budget modification prior to our field season. Without a replacement CCS agreement executed by June and funds added to GAOA, we may have to furlough key employees, and may have to rescind job offers for up to 60 seasonal employees.

USFS and PNTA were eager to move forward with the first optimal location reviews for the PNT in 2025, and had begun scheduling the work with local units. We’re now hearing that local units will no longer have the capacity for this work due to the hiring freeze.

Our largest expense, by far, is what we put into our conservation corps, and the indirect that we collect on-top of the federal reimbursements that we receive for those expenses is what pays important salaries, pays the rent, and keeps the lights on at PNTA.

If we have a shutdown, or a short term CR to allow negotiations to continue on a regular budget, it will be too late for us to put a season together, and that would be pretty catastrophic for us.

Pacific Crest Trail Association:

PCTA is cancelling 56 weeks of crew work (45 corps crew and 11 local partners) – that equates to over one full year of a trail crew doing work on the PCT!

Cancelled 6 Field Project Specialist positions (two job offers had to be rescinded)
Cancelled 45 corps crew weeks
Cancelled 11 partner organization weeks (time/projects by other partner trail groups paid for through sub-recipient agreements w/ PCTA)
Loss of 2 permanent full-time positions that can’t be refilled in the immediate term

Affiliate Member Impacts:

Washington Trails Association

All day projects are flexed off US Forest Service land. This decision was made In the middle of seasonal hiring, which makes it a pressing concern.

If you would like to include how these recent changes have impacted your organization, please send to nora@pnts.org

How Can You Help?

Call Your Representatives.
1. Use this link to identify your representative. If you don’t know what to say, follow this script:
  1. “Hello, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [City, Zip] I’m calling to ask [REP/SEN NAME] to stop the efforts of this administration to devastate our National Trails System under the cover of “cutting costs”. These decisions have immediate and long term consequences on communities in your district and do not save the taxpayer any money. These are everyday, hardworking Americans who are losing their jobs and livelihoods. From small business owners to outdoor enthusiasts – many people will suffer. Thank you for your time and consideration.

*****IF LEAVING VOICEMAIL: Please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied.

You can also add personal details if you would like – ie “I thru hiked the Appalachian Trail” ; “My grandparents run a restaurant in a trail town” ; “my job offer was rescinded” ;

2. Stay up to date on what’s happening.

3. Donate Here

Donate to PNTS and other organizations dedicated to protecting the National Trails System and those who care for it.

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