Ask Congress to Fund the Forest Service!

Right now, Congress is debating the federal budget for the upcoming year. This process, called appropriations, is complex but has huge implications for how our public lands and waters are managed. Budget cuts mean reduced funds for everything from avalanche forecasting to climate science to managing volunteers and coordinating public input. Our public lands are already suffering from an under-investment from Congress. Lawmakers need to fix this problem, not make it worse.

Ultimately, while Congress decides the budget, your tax dollars provide the funds, so your input is incredibly important in the budget process. Please share a message with your members of Congress about your priorities for the federal budget. We've offered some sample text, but encourage you to personalize it - share how cuts to public land agency budgets has affected you! This ensures that offices read messages more closely.

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Dear [elected official],

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As your constituent, who recreates on public lands, I'm writing you today to share my priorities for how you should use my tax dollars in the federal budget.

Year-round outdoor recreation participation is increasing, and yet real funding for recreation on our public lands and waters has been decreasing. I'm concerned that the current budget proposals will be inadequate for managing our public lands and waters, which are treasures that we need to steward as a country. Investing in public lands protects critical national treasures and pays dividends for the economies of nearby communities. For example, under the current budget proposals, funding for the Forest Service is so low the agency has proactively instituted a spending and hiring freeze which is already impacting the Forest Service avalanche forecasting program. This has a direct negative effect on public safety.

Proposed budget cuts for the Forest Service (Department of Agriculture) and Bureau of Land Management (Department of Interior) threaten our public lands, waters, and clean air. I’m asking that you fully fund recreation budgets at the Forest Service and BLM, including:

$70 million for USFS Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness
$100 million for BLM Recreation Resources Management

As an outdoor enthusiast, these places matter greatly to me, and it's important that we steward them so that we can enjoy them today and into the future.

Thank you!

Sincerely, [Your information here]