Public Lands

A new analysis of public federal workforce data shows about 5,800 fewer workers at public lands agencies in 2025 compared to the year before.

The Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency cut 1,753 land management jobs last year, or 26% of the jobs managing 24 million public acres. "Morning Edition" host Michael Lyle, Jr. and Colorado Sun reporter Jason Blevins discuss the ramifications of these cuts.

The Wilderness Society says that threats to landscapes in Colorado and the West come from Congress and the Trump administration, and are only increasing as the administration rolls back protections for public lands.

Steve Pearce, a former Republican congressman from New Mexico, would next need to clear a vote in the full Senate in the coming weeks to be confirmed.

Steve Pearce, Trump's pick to lead the Bureau of Land Management, said he would not propose large-scale sales of public lands.

The 16th annual "Conservation in the West" poll by Colorado College revealed that voters across the political spectrum are concerned by the Trump administration's cuts to public land management.

Last year, lawmakers turned to the Congressional Review Act to overturn Biden-era resources plans. Now, the tool is being looked at to unwind other public lands management actions.

Scott Fitzwilliams took early retirement in 2025 after more than three decades with the U.S. Forest Service. He says the Trump administration's public lands policies amount to a deliberate dismantling of the system.

The Trump administration spent much of the year rolling back environmental regulations, stripping protections for public lands, and working to limit the development of green energy while bolstering fossil fuels.

National parks and other popular destinations on public lands are still open with little to no staff. Advocates don't want the public to forget that it's the federal government's responsibility to protect and maintain these areas.