conservationcurrents
A Brighter Future for Washington’s Forests Why we must invest in the U.S. Forest Service By Conor Marshall, Advocacy and Engagement Manager
Mt. Baker. Photo by Anita Elder.
F
or years, Mountaineers Super Volunteer Richard Babunovic loaded up his Subaru Outback and headed to Mt. Pilchuck - his favorite mountain.
“What’s really great about Mt. Pilchuck are the scrambling opportunities, breathtaking views of Puget Sound, and the diversity of ecosystems. On a single hike, you pass through wet and alpine forests as well as boulder fields,” said Richard. However, on his last trip he found his well-loved peak nearly inaccessible. The massive potholes on the Forest Service road nearly damaged his car. “The condition of the road was so poor, it looked like continuous waves of dirt,” said Richard. The lack of road maintenance caused Richard to stay away for the last year and a half, impacting both his hiking and his stewardship work helping to maintain the lookout stationed at the top. Stories like Richard’s are becoming increasingly common. The Forest Service and other agencies have been starved for funding for decades, while outdoor recreation continues to increase. The unfortunate reality is that land managers have been trying to do more with less for a long time.
Funding challenges for National Forests Since the 1990s, the Forest Service has seen funding and staff reduced across nearly every program. Across the country, we have 50% of the trail crews and forestry technicians we had 16
mountaineer | spring 2022
in 1992, though use has increased by more than 800,000 visits per year. With half the staff and twice the responsibility, National Forests have been struggling, suffering from maintenance issues, increased litter, illegal parking, and more. Forest Service staff are burned out and demoralized. These issues are largely the result of chronic underinvestment in the Forest Service by Congress. Each year more of its budget goes towards fighting wildfires, leaving little left to respond to, let alone proactively plan for, current challenges. The impacts of Forest Service understaffing also affect capacity to conduct the National Environmental Policy Act analyses and Tribal consultation necessary for recreation and environmental management planning. Climate change, intensifying wildfires, and increasing demand for recreation further underscore the need for bold investment and staff increases.
Impacts on local forests The impacts of underfunding can be acutely felt in Washington. Since 2000, the population of central Puget Sound has grown by over one million people: the equivalent of adding another Seattle and Tacoma. As evidenced by a 2020 Earth Economics analysis, Washington residents love the outdoors. Outdoor recreation is a $26.5 billion industry in our state, and today many of us routinely experience busy trails, full parking lots, and heavy use of campgrounds and other recreational amenities.
