Dragontail Peak, center, and Colchuck Peak, right, began to see sunlight above Colchuck Lake July 1, in the Alpine Wilderness of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is facing staffing shortages this summer, impacting maintenance and management of popular recreation areas.
"We're in kind of in the middle of summer now and recreation is definitely hitting into its full use," said Katijo Maher, president of Local 34, which represents National Federation of Federal Employees. "The majority of the hits really came affected recreation, with the inability to hire seasonal employees."
The staffing shortage goes back to layoffs on Valentine’s Day, when a large amount of seasonal workers were let go as part of a broader workforce cut tied to the Trump administration.
Maher described challenges managing the Enchantments and dispersed recreation sites.
She explained that the Enchantments uses a limited-entry permit system because heavy visitor usage had caused significant resource damage. One major issue in recreation areas is human waste and the difficulty of maintaining and servicing toilets effectively. Management has the right to assign employees up to 20% additional duties beyond their job descriptions.
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Katijo Maher, president of a local chapter National Federation of Federal Employees, stands next to a fire danger sign April 1 in Leavenworth. Maher said she has 37 years of experience with the U.S. Forest Service and began her career at Lake Wenatchee.
"The majority of our employees are so committed and so conscientious that they're willingly taking on more than 20% of those assigned duties to be able to maintain the facilities and and accomplished their jobs so," she said.
She said she’s concerned about the mental and physical toll the situation is taking on employees. She noted that management is focusing on the most popular trails but is not advertising closures caused by staffing shortages because they don’t want the public to be aware.
Employees of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, including those represented by Local 34 of the National Federation of Federal Employees, returned to work March 24 following layoffs on Valentine’s Day.
Many probationary employees — longtime seasonal workers with strong performance records were wrongfully terminated as part of a broad workforce reduction under the Donald Trump administration.
The Merit Systems Protection Board, a federal agency tasked with protecting the rights of federal employees, ordered their reinstatement for at least 45 days amid ongoing legal challenges. However, some faced difficulties regaining access to employment records and job systems, complicating their return.
Those affected played vital roles in maintaining public lands, staffing visitor centers, issuing permits, and maintaining popular recreation areas, like the Enchantments in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
After several months of terminations and reinstatements, trails are now in use during the busiest season amid ongoing challenges.
Employees who share information about trail closures face repercussions, Maher said, recalling one individual who was “pretty heavily chastised for that.” Despite efforts to keep closures quiet, the public still notices issues like trash and unauthorized campfires that normally would be enforced or educated about.
Trail maintenance focuses on heavily used routes.
Maher said the Forest Service typically doesn’t close a trail unless it's necessary, like a washed-out bridge. But that doesn’t mean the trail is being maintained, even popular routes can go uncleared, with downed trees and other obstacles left in place.
Less-traveled trails often go unmaintained due to staffing shortages.
Maher said sanitation is a major concern, with worries about employees' ability to “stay on top of cleaning up, like, human waste, and garbage.
Employees are “really overwhelmed” and “very stressed out,” especially as leadership often cannot provide clear guidance, she added.
In a statement provided to The World, the Forest Service said that there have been no layoffs, with all departures entirely voluntary.
It reiterated that staff is working closely with partners, volunteers, and community groups to keep priority trails open and well-maintained.
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