Federal layoffs hit Washington’s park rangers
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For years, Owen Wickenheiser was a wilderness and climbing ranger, primarily stationed in the Enchantments near Leavenworth Wash. He spent his summers hauling trash out of the forest, clearing fallen trees, maintaining trails, and issuing permits to ensure visitors could safely enjoy public lands. On Friday, he received a call from his park ranger informing him he was fired.
Wickenheiser was one of 40 Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest employees fired from the U.S. Forest Service according to their union. His colleagues who were terminated received an email stating they were terminated for poor performance. This came as a shock to people like Wickenheiser, who said they had only received positive evaluations in the past.
“As wilderness rangers, no one was doing this for the money. We love just being stewards of the land and helping people. This is not a job for us to make a lot of money — it’s about protecting these places,” Wickenheiser said
Many of those let go were in the lowest-paying positions, earning around $22 an hour, and played critical roles in maintaining public lands according to the union. They staffed visitor centers, issued permits, cleared trails, and maintained pit toilets in heavily used areas like the Enchantments.
Across the country over Presidents Day weekend, about thousands of Forest Service employees were fired, according to a Reuters article, representing 10% of its workforce.
The layoffs are part of a broader push by the Trump administration to cut federal spending through the Department of Government Efficiency and Workforce Optimization Initiative, which has resulted in firings from nearly a dozen agencies.
In response to the layoffs, members of the National Federation of Federal Employees union gathered at Memorial Park in Wenatchee to protest what they claim are “illegal terminations.” More than 200 people joined the protest against Trump administration policies and in support of federal workers.
Rachel Granberg, a union steward with the NFFE and a Forest Service employee, said, “I think the intent was to slash the budget, but they’re doing it with employees who are doing a lot of good for taxpayers. And so it’s the taxpayers and people who enjoy recreating on public land who are going to see the most negative impacts.”
She added, “They’re using a sledgehammer when they’re supposed to be using a scalpel.”
Most of those fired were still in their probationary period, a status that applies to employees in their first year of federal service or those who recently changed positions. During this period, workers have fewer job protections and can be dismissed without the same due process as permanent employees, according to the union.
Katijo Maher, president of a local NFFE chapter, said the cuts disproportionately targeted probationary workers, many of whom had years of experience but had recently transitioned to permanent positions.
“The Forest Service was asked to compile lists of probationary employees, who have the least protection under our contract,” Maher said. “They went through those lists and terminated people who had the longest time left in their probationary period.”
Maher added, “Across the state, we are seeing layoffs in the Forest Service. We are right around 200 in the combined forests that are in our local Washington state.”
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest spans about 3.8 million acres along the eastern slopes of the Cascade Range. Wilderness rangers like those recently laid off are responsible for keeping forests intact by preventing overcrowding, monitoring illegal campsites, and enforcing Leave No Trace principles.
Without these employees, rangers worry there will be a rise in environmental degradation.
Jaelle Downs, who worked for the Cle Elum Ranger District since 2018 and received a permanent job with the Forest Service last year, managed toilets.
“Without rangers to manage those facilities, waste will build up quickly, potentially contaminating water sources and creating health hazards. If we are not out there, there’s literally going to be human waste overflowing in these pristine, fragile alpine wilderness areas,” Downs said.
Another major concern is wildfire prevention. While firefighters remain employed, many terminated workers held fire certifications and assisted in suppression efforts during peak fire season. These employees often served as initial responders to backcountry blazes, reporting and extinguishing small fires before they spread.
“A lot of us are ground firefighters,” said Elizabeth Dare, a Forest Service employee who remains on staff but anticipates being laid off. “We fill in on fire engines and hand crews when major fires break out. Without those extra people, response times could be slower, and more fires could get out of control.”
Congresswoman Kim Schrier called the decision “irresponsible” and “dangerous.”
“Dozens of hardworking, dedicated Forest Service employees in our community who play crucial roles in fire mitigation and keeping our public lands accessible are unfairly out of a job,” she said in a statement Wednesday.
She noted that popular areas like the Denny Creek Trailhead in King County, which was averaging over 1,000 guests per day on weekends, have had to close due to staffing shortages.
“This is just the beginning, as staffing shortages will cause unsafe conditions in popular recreation areas and leave the Eighth District especially vulnerable during fire season,” Schrier said.
For stewards like Wickenheiser, the firings feel like a step back in protecting public lands. The Wilderness Act of 1964 was designed to preserve areas for future generations. He said without adequate staffing, the Forest Service may not be able to accomplish its mission.
“It is illegal to not steward this land,” Wickenheiser said. “Congress protected it for a reason, and now we don’t have the people in place to uphold those protections.”
Union officials say legal challenges are in the works. For now, those who remain in the Forest Service are left to do more with less. As summer approaches, with peak visitor traffic and fire danger, the results of these cuts may soon become clear.
Wenatchee World news editor Pete O’Cain contributed to this report.
Reneé Diaz may be contacted at renee.diaz@wenatcheeworld.com. Collaborative reporting by The Wenatchee World, NWPB and Murrow College of Communication Newsroom Fellowship.
