(Photo credit: Don Amador)
OHV Community Feeling the Impacts of the Seasonal Hiring Freeze
The U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management have been underfunded for decades and rely heavily on seasonal and temporary workers to provide many essential services to support recreation. With the spring/summer tourism season rapidly approaching, the staffing cuts could not have come at a worse time. The on-again off-again cuts may lead to closures of popular multiple-use trails and campgrounds used by millions of American families. The affected staff provide critical on-the-ground services that include clearing fallen trees off trails, cleaning and stocking public restrooms, monitoring water spigots, installing trail signage, updating information kiosks with travel and public safety information, supporting law enforcement during search and rescue operations, and making sure campfires are drowned out.
Feedback from local media, trail stewardship non-profits, and ARRA partners have noted that numerous FS and BLM recreation staff who help maintain trails and facilities at popular OHV areas throughout the West were terminated on units, including the Hull Creek OHV Area on the Stanislaus National Forest and the Downieville OHV and MTB Trail System on the Tahoe National Forest.
The seasonal and probationary staff are also critical to pre- and post-wildfire mitigation and recovery efforts. They serve as a force multiplier to the career staff by supporting prescribed fire projects and wildfire suppression activities. ARRA is also concerned about the long-term impacts these staff layoffs will have on the capacity of career staff to manage recreation facilities and provide access to high-quality outdoor recreation opportunities for the 2025 tourism season and the downward pressure it will have on local recreation economies.
ARRA thanks the members who wrote to their members of Congress urging immediate action to ensure that land agencies have adequate field staff to manage federal lands responsibly.
New Mexico Invests $4M in Outdoor Recreation Access and Trail Infrastructure Projects
In early February, the New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Outdoor Recreation Division awarded more than $4 million to 28 recipients across 13 counties in the third round of the FY25 Outdoor Recreation Trails+ Grant program. The Trails+ Grant program supports trail and outdoor recreation infrastructure projects that connect New Mexicans to nature, promote equitable outdoor access, and drive sustainable economic growth. Grant recipients will amplify the investment’s impact by contributing $3.3 million in matching funds. The selected projects will boost New Mexico’s $3.2 billion outdoor recreation industry by creating 300 jobs.
Recent Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Activity
- Albuquerque, N.M. – The BLM and Cochiti Pueblo announced the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument reopening on Saturday, Feb. 1. The Monument was temporarily closed for a seasonal closure from Dec. 15, 2024, through Jan. 31. Fee, closures, and other visitation details are available at blm.gov/visit/kktr. The Monument is a popular geologic hiking destination for visitors worldwide. Average annual visitation peaked at just over 130,000 visitors five years before the temporary closure.
- Susanville, Calif. – The BLM has issued a temporary emergency closure on part of the Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail in response to a rockslide blocking the route about three miles west of the Susanville Trailhead. Trail access is still available from the Susanville Trailhead to the slide area and from the Devil’s Corral Trailhead. The BLM asks that trail users monitor conditions and stay off the trail when it is muddy.
- Bakersfield, Calif. – The BLM Central California District is hosting virtual public and stakeholder meetings to gather input on developing off-highway vehicle grant proposals for submission to the California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division. Grants support off-highway vehicle management activities, including visitor services, law enforcement, resource protection, planning and monitoring, and maintenance on BLM-managed public lands. Grant applications are currently being prepared for the G25 OHMVR Division grant cycle. Public and stakeholder input will help the BLM identify OHV recreation needs for better connectivity, safer solutions for shared trails, greater public access, and more enjoyable experiences. Preliminary applications must be submitted to the OHMVR Division no later than March 3. They will be available on the OHMVR Division’s website at ohv.parks.ca.gov for additional public review and comment from March 4 – May 5.
- Cedar City, Utah – The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public scoping comments for the proposed use of Class 1 e-bikes on designated mountain bike trails across six trail systems on public lands in Iron and Beaver Counties. The areas under consideration include the Beaver Bench, Evil Water, Iron Hills, Three Peaks Mountain Bike, Thunderbird Canyons, and the proposed Enoch Bench trail systems. Additional information, including maps and a detailed list of the trails being considered, is available at the BLM National NEPA Register, where scoping comments may be submitted through the “Participate Now” option. The public scoping period will close on March 17.