NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Tens of thousands of national parks and forest employees were terminated last week. The cuts, part of a larger push to cut federal spending, have left federal employees worried about the future of public lands and employment opportunities.
“I mean, it’s still very fresh, but we just don’t know what the next step forward is for us,” shared Justin Schatz, who formerly worked as a crew lead for the Gila National Forest. These thoughts and sentiments were echoed by the tens of thousands of men and women who were laid off following the Trump administration’s purge of federal workers.
“We’re seeing devastating impacts already to service delivery to folks who visit our public lands, national forests, national park sites, but also the local economy,” emphasized State Representative Gabe Vasquez.
“I think a lot of people just received a message that they’re dispensable, that they’re not doing good work, that we don’t really need them taking care of our public lands, we don’t really need them in our community,” commented Luke Koenig, grassroots organizer at NM Wild.
Justin Schatz is one of those workers here in New Mexico, whose name was on the chopping block. “When my name finally popped up on that list, I was mad, I was sad, I mourned too just because I’ve invested the last four years of my life to protecting this forest,” said Schatz.
But nonprofits like NM Wild are working to support staff here, within the Gila wilderness, “With this threat that’s directed at our community, that’s directed at the personnel, that takes care of public lands, we’re just trying to find creative ways to respond to that right now,” said Koenig.
Schatz says it’s hard to transfer these skills away from the forest, which is why many of his former colleagues including himself, are considering moving away. “If I get a call tomorrow in a year or, say, four years, I will immediately get back into the Forest Service…But until then, I’m just going to try to find any route that I can help in any conservation efforts here in Southwest New Mexico,” concluded Schatz.
Down south at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, they have lost about 20% of their staff
and they will be reducing their hours of operation.