Thirteen members of Congress are demanding answers about staffing shortages, trail maintenance backlogs and wildfire preparedness, giving the Forest Service until Oct. 30 to respond.

Damien Willis, Organ Mountain News

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez is among 13 members of Congress pressing the U.S. Forest Service for answers about trail maintenance, staffing shortages and wildfire preparedness as the White House proposes cutting federal trail funding by nearly two-thirds.

The lawmakers are questioning a proposed reduction in the Forest Service's Capital Improvement and Maintenance, Trails budget from $22 million in fiscal year 2026 to $8 million in fiscal year 2027 — a $14 million cut, or approximately 64%.

In a letter dated Oct. 14 to U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Michael Boren, the congressional delegation requested detailed information about how the Forest Service has maintained public trails despite workforce reductions, hiring restrictions and mounting maintenance needs.

The letter, led by Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Ore., and signed by Vasquez and 11 other lawmakers, calls for a response by Oct. 30.

The questions have implications for southern New Mexico, where Forest Service trails throughout the Gila and Lincoln national forests support recreation, tourism and access to remote areas.

Neglected trails and overgrown vegetation can also complicate access for personnel working in rugged terrain, raising concerns about wildfire preparedness and emergency response.

Lawmakers seek accounting of staffing and maintenance

The congressional letter follows earlier exchanges with the Forest Service about its ability to maintain trails across the National Forest System.

In an April response to lawmakers, the agency indicated it planned to hire up to 2,000 nonfire seasonal employees before the summer field season.

Now, lawmakers want to know how many of those employees were actually hired, whether they started work on time, where they were assigned and how many were primarily responsible for maintaining trails.

They also want to know how many miles of trail those workers maintained during the 2026 season.

The letter references a 2025 internal report indicating some national forest units had lost their entire trail maintenance staffs.

Members of Congress are requesting an updated accounting of vacancies, permanent hiring and the ranger districts most affected by staffing shortages.

“In April, I demanded answers from the Forest Service after concerning reports of our trails falling into disarray,” Vasquez said in an Oct. 19 statement.

“This is an urgent issue – my constituents know that overgrown brush increases wildfire risk, and the more there is this season, the more dangerous it becomes next season.”

Proposed funding cut raises questions

The lawmakers specifically question the administration's proposal to reduce the federal trails funding line by approximately 64%.

The proposed reduction is part of the White House's fiscal year 2027 budget request, not an enacted spending cut.

The letter asks the Forest Service to explain how the proposed funding level would affect its ability to address overdue maintenance of trails, bridges and other infrastructure.

Lawmakers also want to know how much the agency spends on employees and other expenses associated with its trail program and how that spending has changed over the past 20 years after adjusting for inflation.

Those questions come amid longstanding concerns about the condition of the national forest trail system.

A 2013 Government Accountability Office report identified maintenance backlogs, limited resources and challenges involving staff training and volunteer partnerships as obstacles to keeping Forest Service trails in good condition.

The congressional delegation is seeking current figures showing how much trail work remains unfinished and what additional federal funding would be required to address the backlog.

Volunteers and long-term maintenance

The lawmakers are also scrutinizing the Forest Service's reliance on volunteers and outside organizations.

Their letter requests figures showing how many people participated in the agency's adopt-a-trail program during the 2026 field season, how many miles they maintained and how volunteer participation compares with previous years.

They also ask what steps the agency has taken to reduce administrative burdens on partner organizations while ensuring volunteers receive appropriate training and safety support.

Another question concerns the Forest Service's Ten-Year Trail Stewardship Challenge, which aims to improve trail maintenance and partnerships by 2030.

Lawmakers want to know whether the agency remains on track to meet its objectives and what obstacles could prevent it from doing so.

For southern New Mexico residents who use national forest trails for hiking, horseback riding, hunting and other outdoor activities, the broader issue is whether the agency has sufficient staffing and resources to keep its trail system accessible and maintained.

Vasquez has also raised concerns about how federal workforce reductions could affect wildfire preparedness and the management of public lands.

The lawmakers have requested a written response by Oct. 30, including updated staffing figures, maintenance accomplishments, funding information and estimates of the remaining trail backlog.

The Forest Service's responses could provide a clearer picture of how national staffing and budget decisions are affecting maintenance work across the country, including the national forests serving southern New Mexico.

The full congressional letter is available through Vasquez's office.

Damien Willis is founder and editor of Organ Mountain News. If you have a personal story to share or a lead we should follow up on, reach out at OrganMountainNews@gmail.com or connect with him on X at @damienwillis.