Michael Martz 
Mar 11, 2025

Katherine “Katie” Steele could have been the person collecting fees from campers in Virginia’s national forests this spring or removing trash from campgrounds in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. 

But she won’t because the U.S. Forest Service laid her off last month, along with 18 other probationary employees who lost their jobs in the first wave of layoffs that President Donald Trump’s new administration is carrying out as part of a sweeping effort to slash the federal government workforce. 

Steele, a Staunton resident who worked for nine months at Cave Mountain Lake in Natural Bridge in the Glenwood-Pedlar Ranger District, was one of four laid-off federal workers who appeared on MSNBC before Trump spoke to a joint session of Congress last week. She offered little hope that the Forest Service will replace her as visitors begin arriving at recreation areas in national forests in Virginia this spring. 

“The reality is, the Forest Service is now looking at closing recreation areas because we don’t have the staffing to provide the essential services anymore,” she said. “I don’t think they have any idea who we are and the essential work we do.”

Steele, in an interview on Monday, said the public is likely to notice after campgrounds open on April 1. 
“I was there cleaning the bathrooms and picking up trash, (ensuring) visitor safety and collecting fees for the government,” she said. “I expect folks can expect a lot more deferred maintenance and uncleaned facilities.” 
The Forest Service did not confirm the cuts in Virginia. However, an unnamed spokesperson said Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins “fully supports the President’s directive to improve government, eliminate inefficiencies and strengthen the USDA’s many services to the American people.”

The Forest Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ultimately rehired four of the workers it had laid off, for a net loss of 15 in the two national forests that run along the spine of western Virginia, according to the Forest Service Council of the National Federation of Federal Employees. Nationally, the Forest Service laid off 1,376 union-represented workers among 2,000 employees that the administration has confirmed releasing under what the council termed the pretext of poor performance.

“The ones who actually go into the woods and do the work,” said Warner Vanderheul, president of the union council. 

It’s likely to get much worse. 

The Forest Service faces the potential loss of thousands more employees under a reduction-in-force plan that it must submit to Trump’s Office of Management and Budget by Thursday. E&E News reported that the agency would use a combination of layoffs and early retirements to eliminate 7,000 to 10,000 jobs, or up to one-third of its 30,000-member workforce. 

“I think the George Washington and Jefferson (National Forests) might be one of the first places where we start seeing the effects,” Vanderheul said on Monday. 

Before the cuts, the Forest Service employed about 230 people at the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, with about 60 job vacancies, the union said.
 
“The Forest Service has been operating on a very small budget with a very lean staff for years and years and years,” said Kristin Gendzier, a senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center in Charlottesville.
“It’s nonsensical or illogical from an efficiency perspective,” Gendzier said. “It’s heart-wrenching from a humanitarian perspective.” 

“The national forests have to be a lot of things for everyone,” she said.

The federal cuts alarm conservation organizations that work with the Forest Service to help it manage more than 1.6 million acres of national forests in Virginia for recreational and commercial use, as well as environmental protection. The George Washington and Jefferson forests include nearly two dozen national wilderness areas that account for about 150,000 acres that include old growth forest. 

“It is quite concerning, not only for the Forest Service,” said Ellen Stuart-Haentjens of Richmond, executive director of the Virginia Wilderness Committee, which collaborates with the agency to balance the many sometimes competing goals for managing public lands. 

Stuart-Haentjens is concerned that the Trump administration is upsetting that balance in favor of using the national forests predominantly for timber, while rolling back regulations that protect other essential interests. 

“The regulations are in place not just for habitat and wildlife, but to keep our water clean,” she said. 

Genny Kotyk, a union steward for the Forest Service Council who works as a forester at the George Washington and Jefferson forests, said timber harvesting is a priority of the new administration, but predicted that the job cuts will affect the public more. 

“I can guess that the public is going to be more upset about recreation sites than timber sales,” Kotyk said. 

E&E News, citing unnamed sources, said the upcoming plan for slashing the Forest Service workforce through mass layoffs and early retirement is focusing primarily on the agency’s research and development efforts, as well as urban and community forestry. 

Joel Koci, a longtime board-certified arborist and educator in the Richmond area, said he expects the Trump administration also to reduce funding for urban forests that he called vital for protecting air quality, lowering heat and reducing storm runoff in populated areas. 

“Like anything else, when the budget gets targeted, recreation and conservation is the first place to cut, when it should be the last place to cut,” Koci said.​
​https://richmond.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/article_c3e325ac-fde2-11ef-bf91- af29bae691f6.html

We’ll be at this event hosted by SVBC:
Protect Our Public Lands: Letter-Writing Party
March 13th, 6:30–8:00 PM
The Perch, Harrisonburg
Virtual option available
Follow this link to register
Join us for an evening of advocacy and community at our letter-writing party! We’ll discuss the threats facing our public lands and how you can make your voice heard by writing to our Senators and Congresspeople. We’ll provide everything you need—including information, advocacy best practices, and materials for your letters. Bring your laptop if you’d prefer to type, and we’ll print your letter for you.
Event Schedule (you can also drop in as you like):
10-Minute Introduction: Learn why protecting our public lands matters and how to write an effective letter.
30-Minute Writing Sprint: A bit of quiet time to draft your letters. You can stay until 8p and write your letter if you’d like
20-Minute Social Time: Head to Sage Bird for more conversation and connect with fellow outdoor advocates. 
This is a casual, drop-in event—snacks and drinks provided. Can’t make it in person? Join us virtually or write from home!
We hope to see you there!

On Saturday March 1st, the White House issued an Executive Order for the “Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production”.

The order directs the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior to issue new guidance within the next 30 days to accelerate timber harvesting on federal lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), with the goal to “fully exploit our domestic timber supply.”

This executive order intends to remove compliance with the Endangered Species Act, bypassing critical protections for Virginia’s most vulnerable animals and plants. There’s no way to increase timber production without targeting old-growth and mature forest stands that do the crucial work of providing habitat for wildlife, filtering municipal drinking water, providing recreational opportunities, enhancing wildfire resilience, and absorbing and storing the carbon necessary to fight climate change. It’s also unclear how timber sales could be planned, administered, and implemented when the government has just dismissed thousands of Forest Service employees.

These public lands are for all of us, held in trust for the common good. If you hunt, hike, fish, paddle, picnic, or bird watch on public lands, this executive order has imminent consequences for the wild places you currently enjoy using. Once these trees are cut and sold, your forests are lost for a human lifetime.

Since its formation in 1969, the Virginia Wilderness Committee has been the driving force behind federal legislation that permanently protects Virginia's most outstanding wild areas. Our hard work has resulted in the designation of 23 Wilderness and three National Scenic areas on the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests (NF), totaling over 155,000 acres of permanently protected NF land in Virginia managed by the USFS. These designations ensure that these special places remain perpetually off limits for energy development and timber harvesting; however, the Commonwealth’s remaining 1.65 million acres of National Forest could be targeted for exploitation under this new Executive Order.

With our federal lands under threat, and 30 days until the first Executive Order deadline, time is of the essence. Send a message to your Senators and Representatives today, using our suggested draft below. Urge them to push back against the direction set by President Trump’s March 1st Executive Orders on timber production.
Let your congressperson know today your #PublicLands are #WorthMoreStanding.

Sincerely,
Ellen Stuart-Haentjens
Executive Director VWC
[email protected]

Click below for your Congress members' contact information.

Virginia Senators
Tim Kaine Contact page
Mark Warner Contact Page

Virginia Representatives
1st District Robert Wittman Contact page
2nd District Jennifer Kiggans Contact page
3rd District Bobby Scott Congress page
4th District Jennifer McClellan Contact page
5th District John McGuire Contact page
6th District Ben Cline Contact page
7th District Eugene Vindman Contact page
8th District Don Beyer Contact page
9th District Morgan Griffith Contact page


VWC encourages you to use the following draft letter to contact your Senators and Representative.

Dear Senator/Representative XXX:

The White House’s Executive Order to expand American timber production seeks to remove compliance with the Endangered Species Act, ease restrictions on necessary environmental regulations that “impose an undue burden on timber production”, and “fully exploit our domestic timber supply.”

There’s no way to speed approval of timber sales or increase timber production without targeting old-growth and mature forest stands that do the crucial work of providing habitat for wildlife, filtering municipal drinking water, providing recreational opportunities, enhancing wildfire resilience, and absorbing and storing the carbon necessary to fight climate change.

These public lands are for all of us, held in trust for the common good. Once these trees are cut and sold, our forests will be lost for a human lifetime.

We urge you to push back against the direction set by President Trump’s March 1st Executive Orders on timber production.

Our Public Lands are #WorthMoreStanding.

​Sincerely,
Public Lands Owner/User

Press Release  
For Immediate Release: February 14, 2025 
Contact: Ellen Stuart-Haentjens (804) 814-8927

RICHMOND—Yesterday, the U.S. Forest Service informed the union representing that agency’s workers that 3,400 employees (ten percent of their workforce) would soon be terminated across the country. The Forest Service is responsible for managing millions of acres of public lands across Virginia and the United States under a mandate that protects the ecological, economic, and recreation values of our national forests.
   
In response, the Virginia Wilderness Committee’s Executive Director Ellen Stuart-Haentjens released the following statement:
 
“This action jeopardizes the many public benefits provided by our National Forests, like clean municipal water, outdoor recreation, and support for local economic development. These lands are held in trust for the common good, and further workforce reductions - particularly as we enter the busiest time of year for the Forest Service - will have real consequences for Virginians who love to hunt, fish, hike, camp, and paddle in our forests.
 
“The Virginia Wilderness Committee has worked shoulder-to-shoulder with many talented employees of the George Washington-Jefferson National Forest over the years, and we hope to see this action reversed so that we can continue partnering with them on maintaining and improving forest health.”
 
                                                                                      ### 
Organized in 1969, the Virginia Wilderness Committee (VWC) works to permanently protect the best of Virginia's wild places for future generations,foster understanding and appreciation of Wilderness, and promote enjoyment and stewardship of our last remaining wildlands. The Virginia Wilderness Committee is a 501(C)3 non-profit citizens' group.  

12/15 Update
St. Mary's trail and St. Mary's Gorge trail are now open.

12/12 Update
The Big Level fire is currently 1,627 acres and 25% contained. Yesterday’s precipitation had a major dampening effect on the fire area. This will render smaller fuel unavailable for ignition. Larger fuels, such as stumps, however, may continue to smolder despite the moisture. As such fire management personnel will inspect the perimeter to identify any lingering hot spots that may threaten the line. Further fire spread is unanticipated, but the perimeter must still be protected from the possibility of smoldering fuels fanning back to life in the coming days and flipping an ember over the line.

12/10 Update
Big Level Fire is currently at 1,965 acres with 84 personnel and its 12% contained. The incident is being managed by a Forest Service Type 3 team. Today's crews will improve containment features along the Coal Road and the Bald Mountain Jeep Trail. Engines will be actively patrolling the Coal Road as well. With rain yesterday and precipitation possible again, this will give the crews a valuable time window to improve containment lines. For further information, refer to the GWJNF website, follow us on Facebook or contact the Glenwood and Pedlar Ranger District at 540-291-2188.

12/9 Update
​Big Level Fire is currently at 1,900 acres and 10% contained. Today Crews will improve containment features along the Coal Road and the Bald Mountain Jeep Trail. Engines will be actively patrolling, and aviation support will be on call as weather allows. Today, rain is expected to moderate fire behavior. The following areas are temporarily closed to all public use due to the Big Levels Fire to allow for public and firefighter safety (CFR 261.53, 261.54 & 261.55):
• Cold Springs Trail (FT# 524)
• Cellar Mountain Trail (FT#587)
• Bald Mountain Jeep Trail (FSR#162)
• Bald Mountain Spur Road (FSR#162A)
• Saint Mary's Trail (FT#500)
• Saint Mary's Gorge Trail (FT#500B)
• The national forest system lands north of the Saint Mary’s Trail (#500) and within the area bounded by the Bald Mountain Jeep Trail (FSR#162) and the Coal Road (FSR#42) are also CLOSED.

The year may be winding down, but the Virginia Wilderness Committee’s efforts to protect the George Washington/Jefferson National Forest are kicking into high gear!

These next six weeks are essential. Before Congress adjourns for good, it plans to act on several pieces of legislation regarding government funding, our nation’s national security, and changes to agriculture and public lands policy. If history is any indication, there’s a good chance that one of those bills could carry with it various public lands protections, including the Virginia Wilderness Additions Act and the Shenandoah Mountain Act. These two bi-partisan supported bills together will preserve nearly 100,000 acres of National Forest land.

You can help push these bills over the finish line by taking action in two ways:

First, support our work to enact these protections today. Your gift will allow us to push for these priorities to be included in a year-end legislative package. Our staff will be advocating for these bills in DC in the coming weeks, and your gift of $100 or more will support their travel, lodging, and meals. Click here to donate today. Your timely donation will allow for these important face-to-face efforts.

Second, email Senator Kaine and Senator Warner and let them know how important their continued support for these bills will be in getting them passed. The Senators have long been champions of this measure, but the next few weeks may represent the best chance we have to get these bills passed for some time. Click here to learn more about these bills.

Thank you for your continued support of the Virginia Wilderness Committee! We’re very excited about what we can accomplish before the end of the year and your support will get us there!
​
Click here to donate now.

We are so pleased to announce three new board members who have joined VWC: Ariel Johnson, Anders Reynolds, and Andrew Young. As you will see, these three bring a lot of the table. 
​
​Ariel Johnson is a PhD student at Virginia Commonwealth University studying forest ecology, disturbance, and biogeochemistry. During her time receiving her B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy from the University of Maryland, College Park, she studied White Nose Syndrome in bats as a part of the wildlife ecology lab. Between undergrad and graduate school, Ariel worked for the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, and USGS working in partnerships, volunteer coordination and outreach, biological data collection, and wildland firefighting.

​As a Federal Legislative Director for Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), Anders Reynolds has spent most of his career at the intersection of politics and environmental policy, additionally working with The Pew Charitable Trusts on U.S. public land protection and as a legislative director for a Member of Congress. He’s also served in the Obama administration as federal policy analyst at the Delta Regional Authority and has extensive federal and state campaign experience. As SELC’s federal legislative director, Anders builds and maintains working relationships with Members of Congress and their staffs, offering policy expertise and working with them to advance SELC’s conservation goals.

​Andrew Young is a Staff Attorney at Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance (ABRA), who focuses on public lands conservation, protecting endangered species, ensuring clean water, and ending Appalachia's reliance upon coal. Andrew leads ABRA’s campaign to improve public accessibility of critical environmental information and works in close collaboration with partner organizations to hold regulatory agencies accountable, using all tools from FOIA requests to litigation.

With these new additions to our already active board, we anticipate great things in the coming year. Our commitment to preserving wild landscapes in Virginia ensures that they remain places where nature thrives, providing secure homes for diverse plant and animal species. By safeguarding these areas, VWC contributes to the overall health of our environment and the well-being of both humans and wildlife.