Federal Terminations to Impact the Management and Protection of the Appalachian Trail

Statement from Sandra Marra, President & CEO of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy

“The mass terminations of federal employees within the USDA Forest Service and the National Park Service are deeply concerning and will have devastating impacts to our beloved public lands, including the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Unprecedented in magnitude, these firings are being carried out without regard to the agencies’ ability to perform their essential duties as required by law to effectively manage our public lands and resources.

The Appalachian Trail is a beloved and internationally revered American treasure that depends on strong public-private collaboration across 14 states. These terminations will significantly impact the quality of the hiking experience and safety for millions of people who visit the Trail every year.

Our dedicated public lands partners deserve tremendous respect for the work they do for our national forests, parks and trails. These agency terminations are threatening the very fabric of the A.T.’s cooperative management and compromising efforts to ensure a healthy, resilient and connected A.T. for millions of visitors to experience during this hiking season and for years to come.

Unlike other units of the Park Service, National Scenic and Historic Trails depend on volunteers and NGO partners to steward and maintain the integrity and connectivity of the Trails. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy works shoulder-to-shoulder with the USFS and NPS in the day-to-day operation of the Appalachian Trail and coordinates the on-the-ground efforts of the 30 Trail Clubs and thousands of volunteers. Despite the reliance on volunteers and NGOs, none of our work is possible without our federal partners.

The 10% reduction of USFS staff and 5% reduction at the NPS will further hinder already understaffed teams and severely delay the agencies’ approval and supervision of critical Trail improvement projects — including treadway and shelter repairs in the areas impacted by Hurricane Helene and, along the entire treadway, bridge replacements, privy upgrades, invasive species removal, and natural resource restoration. In addition, these inefficient and scattershot terminations will negatively impact wildfire and emergency response in an era when wildfires are becoming increasingly larger and more destructive.

The ATC, together with our Trail Club partners, is willing to step up and pick up the slack in every way possible, however, with this level of disruption, ATC cannot fully offset the agencies’ reduced ability to service the Trail. We anticipate the agencies’ reduced ability to provide staff support and material resources will result in the stoppage of projects across the entire Trail, from the sections in North Carolina and Tennessee still recovering and closed after Helene to stretches of the A.T. in New England awaiting much needed repairs and updates.”

We ask anyone who cares for the Appalachian Trail to step up with us and:

• Contact your U.S. Senators, U.S. Representatives and the White House to demand the reversal of these firings and urge that any reductions of public lands staff outside of the annual appropriations processes be stopped;
• Volunteer on the Trail to help shoulder the growing responsibility that the ATC and the clubs will be undertaking to maintain the iconic and scenic qualities of the A.T. experience; and
• Donate to the ATC and the local A.T. clubs so that we have the resources needed to keep critical Trail maintenance and restoration projects moving forward.

About the Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Founded in 1925, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy works passionately to manage and protect the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. As the only non-profit devoted exclusively to the entirety of the Trail and its landscape, we endeavor to keep its vast natural and scenic beauty healthy, resilient, and connected, so that everyone can experience its transformative power for generations to come. Together with our supporters, partners, and thousands of volunteers, we keep the Trail alive.

Media Contact:
Ann Simonelli, 304.885.0482, asimonelli@appalachiantrail.org