The U.S. Forest Service's research and development team has faced significant challenges due to recent executive actions. With a drastic reduction in personnel and resources, scientists report a climate of fear affecting their work, critical to managing the nation's forests. Jennifer Jones emphasizes the importance of science in resource management, warning that disrupted research could lead to severe long-term ecological consequences. The emotional turmoil among workers has stemmed from spending freezes, confusing staffing changes, and threats to research stations, all of which jeopardize the agency's mission to sustain vital natural resources.
Since President Donald Trump took office, his barrage of executive actions in the name of curbing waste have imperiled the basic functions of federal agencies.
Science and research are critical to maintaining public lands... If we lose a few months - a few years - of science and science-led management of those natural resources, it could take decades and generations for ecosystems to recover.
Forest Service workers describe the last few months as an emotional roller coaster... the Trump administration has even called for eliminating Forest Service research stations.
Their institutional position and on-the-ground knowledge make them uniquely suited to translate study findings into effective management.
#us-forest-service #research-and-development #environmental-policy #ecosystem-management #trump-administration
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