Idaho Trails Association was saddened to learn that over 3,400 Forest Service employees nationwide were fired last week, many of whom were in Idaho. As a partner in public land trail stewardship, we value our dedicated land manager partners. We are a force multiplier, adding to what Forest Service trail crews accomplish on the ground each season. We feel for Forest Service employees that have, over the years, become friends in addition to partners whose dedication to public lands is deep and inspiring.

Public lands will see the effects of a 10% reduction in work force. The immediate effect may be amplified by the fact that most of these employees were field-going, on-the-ground workers, people tasked with clearing trails, cleaning campgrounds and outhouses, spraying noxious weeds, maintaining range fences, and marking timber sales. Many were also part of their forest’s “surge capacity” for wildfire suppression, certified to fight fire and called up to leave their regular duties and be part of fire crews when the season got busy.

Most of these gaps ITA can’t help with, but we can continue to step up for trails. Through thick and thin, and as much as it pains us to see our Forest Service partners going through this hard time, ITA is committed to keeping Idaho’s hiking trails open for all. We are in it for the long haul and focused on being part of the solution. We will step up to work on as many trails as possible and to encourage our members to do what they can for public lands, be it on a trail project, volunteering with another organization to plant trees or treat noxious weeds or cleaning up trash at a local campground on their own.

Our 2025 volunteer project schedule release date is still March 1; we have over 85 diverse projects planned and are excited to get to work. We hope you will join us in showing up for public lands this season by volunteering to keep Idaho’s beautiful trails open for all!

Respectfully,

Melanie Vining

Executive Director

ITA Board of Directors

Tim Martin- President

Mark Sugden- Vice President

Lilly Ragan- Treasurer

Pam Bond- Secretary

Tom Dabrowski

Tobey Jinkins

Herbert Klein