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]]>Policy Update – March 2025
Federal cuts, mining expansions, and weakened protections threaten winter recreation and public lands.
Photo by Eric Philips
Policy Director Letter
Hilary Eisen
(3/27/2025)
“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.” – Charles Dickens
Dickens might have been describing 19th century England, but he could just as easily have been talking about our recent Backcountry Snowsports Initiative (BSI) hut trip outside of Leadville, CO. We skied north-facing powder and south-facing corn in between in-depth policy discussions with partners from across Colorado. The annual BSI hut trip is always a high point of the year for me—I get to nerd out on policy and ski?!
Backcountry Snowsports Initiative 2025 gathering, Fowler-Hilliard Hut, 11,500 ft. Represented: WWA, CMC, White River National Forest, 10th Mountain Huts Assoc., Elk Mountain Backcountry Alliance, Outdoor Alliance, Gunnison County Planning Commission, Sawatch Outfitters, Wilderness Workshop. Photo by Eric Philips
Hut trip vibes were an especially appreciated recharge this month, given the challenges facing public lands conservation these days. Public lands and outdoor recreation face unprecedented uncertainty. Here’s some of what’s happening:
Uncertainty and Anxiety
Federal Workforce Cuts
There is a strong undercurrent of anxiety and uncertainty over what will become of the federal agencies who steward our public lands, manage and support outdoor recreation, and conduct science critical to understanding the natural world in the face of the Administration’s efforts to drastically shrink and remake the federal workforce.
One spot of bright news has been that many federal employees were reinstated after multiple courts ruled that the mass-firing of probationary employees was illegal. However, we fully expect many of these workers, and more, to be laid off again when the agencies complete White House-mandated Reduction in Force initiatives.
In related news, you may have heard that the Park Service has authority to hire hundreds of seasonal employees. While that’s good news for the National Parks (assuming the agency is actually able to get people hired before summer), the Forest Service hiring freeze remains in place.
With agency capacity severely limited, Ambassador programs like WWA’s Winter Ambassador program in California are playing a key role in sustainable recreation management through visitor education.
Public Lands Funding
Funding for public lands is also uncertain. Congress passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) March 14, funding the government for FY25. However, unlike most (all?) past CRs, this bill did not include specific line items for various agency programs. This means it’s unclear how much money is available for recreation management, land management planning, conservation programs, research, etc. across each agency. If you want to dive in, compare the recent CR with the March 2024 appropriations bill it is based upon.
We’re hearing from Congressional offices that they are hearing loud and clear that their constituents are unhappy with the staffing cuts the Administration has taken. We need to keep the pressure on. Use this form to quickly and easily send a letter to your representatives! Next, share the link with your friends and family. Encourage your community to send letters to Congress in support of public lands.
Environmental Laws and Public Land Protections Under Attack
National Environmental Policy Act:
In late February the White House moved to significantly weaken the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by eliminating the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations. For decades, CEQ’s NEPA regulations have provided direction for how the environmental impact analyses required by NEPA should take place, regardless of agency.
Without CEQ NEPA regulations, we anticipate reduced government transparency, reduced opportunities for public participation in government decision-making, and more delays and inefficiencies. Read more on our blog.
Public Lands Opened to Mining
On March 20, President Trump signed an Executive Order titled “Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production,” putting all public lands, including protected areas, at immediate risk of mining. The Order fast-tracks domestic mining on federal lands, citing that mining should be the primary purpose of these lands. The Order also significantly broadens the list of “critical minerals” and enacts the Cold War-era Defense Production Act (DPA), which would subsidize companies that already mine hardrock minerals without paying royalties. This Order puts the Boundary Waters and many other special places in the crosshairs.
Ambler Road Controversy
The Department of the Interior recently issued a press release stating the Department’s intentions to pave the way for the Ambler Road in Alaska, a 2024 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) decision to deny permits for the Ambler Road. Specifically, Interior intends to pursue actions that would allow for transfers of key federal parcels of land along the road corridor to the State of Alaska.
This move threatens the wilderness of the Brooks Range including the communities and wildlife that rely on it. We will continue to defend the Brooks Range, so stay tuned for opportunities to take action!
Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to
inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.
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]]>Policy Update – February 2025
Layoffs, NEPA rollbacks, the SHRED Act, and more. What does this mean for our public lands?
Policy Director Letter
Hilary Eisen
(2/27/2025)
February might be the shortest month of the year, but it has certainly felt long enough. From unraveling 50 years of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) law to taking a chainsaw to the federal workforce, it’s been a month.
Here’s what you need to know—and how you can take action.
Mass Federal Layoffs Hit Public Lands Agencies:
On Valentine’s Day, the White House fired thousands of federal employees, including many responsible for stewarding public lands. Among those terminated from agencies like the Forest Service and Park Service were staff who worked to keep public lands accessible, sanitary, and ecologically healthy.
These cuts, coupled with a federal spending freeze and new restrictions on agency employees’ interactions with the public, are creating major uncertainty for public lands and recreation management.
In response, we are:
- Raising hue and cry in Congress (you can, too—share this form!).
- Connecting affected federal employees with local and national media to amplify their stories and highlight the vital role of federal workers to our public lands.
- In Colorado, we have been mobilizing winter recreation users and businesses to submit testimony in support of the Rio Grande National Forest to local County Commissioners and helping organize a “Public Lands Love-In” to show appreciation for San Juan National Forest employees.
How you can help:
If you have information to share about how the federal layoffs are affecting public lands near you, or know impacted federal employees willing to share their stories, please help us gather these stories!
NEPA Rollbacks: What’s Changing?
On February 25th, the Trump Administration issued an Interim Final Rule rescinding the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ’s) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations. This follows guidance issued on February 19 that requires agencies to revise their own NEPA regulations to comply with the President’s January 20, 2025 Unleashing American Energy Executive Order.
Since 1978, CEQ’s NEPA regulations have ensured NEPA was implemented consistently across the federal government, with every agency following the same basic processes when it came to environmental analysis and decision-making. Without them, we could see a fragmented, less protective system.
While we expect the February 19 guidance will lead to changes to Forest Service NEPA regulations, for now, the Forest Service will continue to follow existing Forest Service NEPA procedures.
In a related (but now moot) development, a North Dakota judge ruled that CEQ lacked the authority to promulgate binding NEPA regulations, reversing the 2023 NEPA regulations developed under the Biden Administration’s CEQ.
New Leadership at the Forest Service
Forest Service Chief Randy Moore announced his retirement on February 25, followed quickly by the appointment of Tom Schultz as the next Chief. Schultz previously served as Vice President of Resources and Government Affairs at Idaho Forest Group.
Legislation to Watch: The SHRED Act
The Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development (SHRED) Act was reintroduced in Congress this month. The bill proposes that ski area permit fees stay within the Forest Service rather than being sent to the U.S. Treasury.
While we support the idea of keeping these funds within the Forest Service, we’re concerned about how the money would be spent. The bill prioritizes reinvesting funds into the ski area program rather than broader recreation needs. Check out this excellent Wyoming Public Radio piece for more context.
Winter Ambassador Program in Action
Meanwhile, our Winter Ambassador program is in full swing. Megan, our California Stewardship Manager and Stanislaus Winter Ambassador has been stepping up on the ground and supporting the Stanislaus National Forest. Recently, she’s helped the forest start to clear and reestablish a non-motorized trail that would allow users to avoid having to share a road with over-snow vehicles and supported forest staff on multiple snowshoe hikes, helping teach the public about the importance of conserving our wild snowscapes.
Megan has also been working with Kelly, our Tahoe-area Winter Ambassador (made possible with support from our friends at Snowlands Network!) and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to collaborate on how to address snowmobile trespass into a protected wildlife area.
Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to
inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.
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]]>Mass Layoffs Devastate Public Lands
Mass layoffs across federal land management agencies threaten the health and accessibility of public lands—here’s what’s at stake and how you can help.
On Valentine’s Day, the White House fired thousands of federal employees, including many of the people formerly tasked with stewarding our public lands. These layoffs targeted employees within their “probationary period,” (1-2 years on the job) and veterans hired through non-competitive processes. Agencies affected include the Forest Service, Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Who was impacted?
Across the public land agencies, most of the people who lost their jobs were those working to keep public lands accessible, sanitary, and ecologically healthy, including:
- Entire trail crews maintaining paths for hikers, skiers, and snowshoes
- Rangers welcoming visitors to National Parks
- Recreation technicians with the thankless task of cleaning outhouses
- Plow drivers clearing roads and parking lots
- Field crews maintaining SNOTEL sites and weather stations
- Weed control specialists protecting ecosystems
- Many, many other “mission-critical” positions
Many of those fired were also trained wildland firefighters, essential to staffing up “Type 2” fire crews in the heat of fire season. In many cases, now-fired employees lived in agency housing and have now lost their homes in addition to their income and other benefits. And, in many cases these were people who’d worked for the government for years, sometimes even decades, but were within their probationary period due to a change in status from a seasonal to permanent employee, a promotion, or taking a new job at a different agency.
Why were they fired?
Rather than thoughtfully considering how to achieve their goal of making the government run more efficiently, the White House chose to target probationary employees because it’s easy to fire them without justification and was an easy way to shrink the federal workforce.
Thus, rather than actually identifying, much less solving, any problems or inefficiencies within the federal workforce, these mass layoffs destabilized land management agencies, wasted millions in taxpayer dollars, and left public lands severely understaffed.
While some layoffs have been reversed due to Congressional pressure on the White House and impacts to public lands are getting a lot of news, we need to keep fighting. We need to keep the pressure on Congress to reclaim its role as a check on the Executive Branch, its role in determining how our tax dollars are spent, and get lawmakers to stand up for public lands by demanding that all of the employees who care for these lands be reinstated.
Historical Context: A Decade-Long Decline in Public Land Staffing
Even before these layoffs, land management agencies were severely underfunded and understaffed. Over the last ten years, staffing at land management agencies has steadily declined even as visitation has increased.
Since 2010, the Park Service has seen a 20% reduction in full-time staff, despite a 16% increase in visitation during the same period. More than 1,000 Park Service employees were fired on Valentines Day. The effects of this were felt immediately. For example, cars backed up for an hour and a half to enter Grand Canyon National Park over President’s Day weekend because four of the Park Rangers who work the entrance were terminated.
The Forest Service was already grappling with significant budget shortfalls for years and already faced staffing shortages this year due to the agency’s hiring freeze on seasonal employees implemented in October. The Forest Service was hit particularly hard by the February layoffs because the agency recently converted many longtime seasonal employees into permanent positions. Because most Forest Service recreation staff work seasonally and were already off the table for this year or were recently converted to permanent employees and lost their jobs on Valentines Day, the layoffs decimated Forest Service recreation program. Similar scenarios played out across the agency’s weed control, research, and restoration programs.
Where does this mean for public lands?
The full extent of the recent layoffs is still coming into focus—because the termination notices came from the White House the agencies themselves are still learning the extent of jobs lost. And, it’s widely understood that more layoffs are coming, leaving federal employees walking on eggshells, unsure of whether they will have a job from one day to the next.
People will continue to flock to and recreate on public lands, but with limited staff to maintain recreation infrastructure or manage visitor impacts we will see:
- Outhouses filled and locked
- Toilet paper “flowers” blossoming across the landscape
- Trash pile up within and beyond campfire rings
- Impassable trails
- Escaped campfires growing into wildfires
- Infrastructure fall even further into disrepair
- Long-term impacts to ecological health
- Significant setbacks in scientific research
Nonprofits and the volunteers that they recruit have long been critical partners for public land agencies, but the non-profit community cannot fill the void left by a hollowed-out federal workforce. For one, volunteers are no substitute for professional crews. Second, much of the funding to support these stewardship and partnership programs was frozen or rescinded by the Trump Administration, forcing nonprofits to lay off or not hire the staff that would normally support public land agencies.
Setting the Stage for Public Land Sell-offs
To be clear, in addition to breaking the government, the ultimate goal of these actions is to sell off our public lands. Shrinking the workforce and leaving the public land agencies unable to meet their missions provides fodder for anti-public lands voices who argue that public lands would be better managed if transferred to the states or even sold to the private sector.
As we talked about ad nauseum during the first Trump administration, state lands are managed for profit, not public use, and states lack the resources to manage the vast federal land base. Thus, transferring federal public lands to the states is a quick stop on the road to privatization.
Help Defend Public Lands
Without adequate staffing and resources, our experiences outside, wild winters, and the outdoor recreation economy will suffer. Congress and the Administration must take quick action to protect the workforce that keeps our public lands safe, accessible, and well cared for.
Using the form below, please write to your lawmakers right now. It’s quick and easy to ask them to push back against cuts to land management agencies and demand that our public land stewards be reinstated!
Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to
inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.
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]]>The post Winter Recreationists Can Help Protect Wildlife This Season appeared first on Winter Wildlands Alliance.
]]>Winter Recreationists Can Help to Protect Wildlife This Season
Give wildlife the space they need to survive the harsh winter months.
Why Winter is a Critical Time for Wildlife
Winter is a magical time to explore the backcountry, but for wildlife, it’s also the most challenging season for survival. Many big game species, including elk, mule deer, moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goats, are especially vulnerable to human disturbance in winter.
Increased stress from human encounters jeopardizes these animal’s ability to survive into the following season and reduces females’ chances of successfully raising offspring. Disturbance on public land winter ranges can also push wildlife onto private lands or into transportation corridors. Thus winter disturbance can lead to significant herd and population declines, as well as increased road kill and game damage on private lands.
How Recreationists Can Reduce Their Impact
As a founding member of the Wintering Wildlife Conservation Initiative (WWCI), Winter Wildlands Alliance encourages all winter recreationists to take simple steps to reduce their impact on wildlife:
Give wildlife space – If you encounter wildlife, change your route and observe from a distance.- Know the rules – Be aware of winter habitat closures and seasonal restrictions.
- Stay alert – Watch for signs of wildlife presence and be ready to adjust your plans.
By following these guidelines, you help ensure that wintering wildlife can survive and thrive through the season.
Spread Awareness: Download the WWCI Toolkit
Want to help spread the word? WWCI has created a social media toolkit for individuals, businesses, and organizations. This free resource includes shareable graphics and key messages to educate others about reducing wildlife disruption during winter.
Download the toolkit to help raise awareness in your community!
For more information about the WWCI and to learn more about wintering wildlife, please visit www.winteringwildlife.org
Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to
inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.
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]]>Policy Update – January 2025
This month, we welcome new grassroots groups, track federal policy shifts impacting public lands, and share how our team is collecting key winter recreation data to support conservation efforts.
Policy Director Letter
Hilary Eisen
(1/29/2025)
Welcome Our Newest Grassroots Groups!
Winter Wildlands Alliance is starting off 2025 by welcoming two new groups to our Grassroots Network:
- Boise-Payette Backcountry Alliance (Boise, ID): is working to help create, preserve, and manage areas of public land across the Boise and Payette National Forests (and surrounding regions) for quiet, non-motorized winter recreation.
- Barkeater Trails Alliance (Lake Placid, NY): builds, maintains, and advocates for a system of community and backcountry trails for ski touring and mountain biking in the greater High Peaks region of the Adirondack Park.
In other grassroots news, we’re giving a congratulatory pole tap to Wasatch Backcountry Alliance for their recent news that they’ve secured backcountry skier access to Cardiff Fork in Big Cottonwood Canyon this season. Learn more on their blog here.
One Week In…
As I write this, we’re into week two of the new Trump administration, and I know many are wondering what the changing political winds will mean for conservation and winter recreation advocacy. While there have been many political promises made, for the most part there has been little immediate on-the-ground change. Most policies will take time to play out. Here’s what we’re watching:
Public Lands In Alaska:
The Executive Order pertaining to Alaska directs the Secretaries of federal agencies to review, revise or rescind certain Biden Administration actions in Alaska, including those pertaining to the Ambler Road and roadless lands on the Tongass National Forest. However, this triggers no immediate on-the-ground action. Those fights are around the corner.
Federal Hiring Freeze:
The federal hiring freeze significantly impacts outdoor recreation management and planning in the near (and long) term as key roles go unfilled (for example, see this article about NPS jobs). Considering that many of the Forest Service projects we are engaged in are already stalled out because of a need to fill key job vacancies, this freeze will only exacerbate ongoing challenges for capacity-strapped federal agencies.
Fossil Fuel & Mineral Development:
We are also closely watching for fallout from the “national energy emergency” and “unleashing American energy” executive orders, which are intended to spur new fossil fuel and mineral development projects with little oversight or consideration of consequences.
Among other things, the President has ordered the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture to reassess any mineral withdrawals for potential revision with an eye toward whether or not the withdrawal presents an undue burden to mineral development. Among the many things affected by this would be the Boundary Waters (MN) and Thompson Divide (CO) mineral withdrawals.
Climate and Environmental Justice:
Other early executive orders that have us concerned are those targeting climate and environmental justice policies. Regardless of any executive orders saying otherwise, we’re going to keep referring to The Great One by its proper name, Denali (a position that aligns with Alaska’s state and federal lawmakers).
Meanwhile in Congress…
We’re also keeping an eye on the other branches of government. The House kicked off the new Congress by voting to classify public lands sell-offs or transfers as “revenue neutral,” making it easier to justify selling off public lands. Legislation always comes with a budgetary score and this action allows the House to pretend that getting rid of public land is “free.” At the same time, the House is also considering federal land sell-offs as a possible way to generate revenue. Go figure.
Boundary Waters
U.S. Congresswoman Betty McCollum re-introduced legislation to permanently protect Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park from the threat of copper mining, guarding against the Administrative rollbacks mentioned above. Use this form to urge your lawmakers to support McCollum’s bill.
Meanwhile, Congressman Pete Stauber recently reintroduced a Boundary Waters bill that seeks the opposite outcome. Previous versions of this bill included revocation of the historic 2023 20-year mining ban, reinstatement of Twin Metals canceled mineral leases, the barring of judicial review of these leases, and the requirement of rapid approval of a Twin Metals mine plan. Click here to oppose Stauber’s bill.
Fix Our Forests Act:
The House also recently passed the Fix Our Forests Act. While this bill has some provisions we support, on the whole it undermines conservation and outdoor recreation interests on Forest Service lands by exempting certain forestry projects from review under the National environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (why bother analyzing which trees to cut down?) and the Endangered Species Act. These and other provisions would make it nearly impossible to challenge forestry projects.
Learn more and take action on Fix Our Forests with Outdoor Alliance, here.
Notes from the Field
‘Tis the season for winter recreation data collection, and Megan Fiske, WWA’s California Stewardship Manager, and Brittany Leffel, WWA’s CO Policy Manager, are hard at work leading these efforts in Colorado and California.
In Colorado, Brittany has been busy working with regional partnership initiatives and local groups in southwest Colorado to implement winter recreation monitoring plans and utilize the RIMS app to collect accurate, on-the-ground data to support thoughtful winter travel planning and advocacy.
Alongside data collection, Brittany is working with recreation stakeholder groups in the region to elevate opportunities to balance uses and minimize conflict through community plans that the Forest Service can adapt once they tackle winter travel planning.
In California, in addition to data collection on the Stanislaus National Forest, Megan is helping Stanislaus forest staff put up new winter recreation signs and is assisting with outreach efforts to winter visitors. She has also been coordinating data collection with our Winter Ambassadors in the Tahoe area and on the Lassen National Forest.
Megan is also working with the Forest Service and other winter recreation organizations on the Lassen and Tahoe National Forests to develop new signs and other materials to help educate the public about those forests’ new winter travel plans.
Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to
inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.
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]]>Policy Update – December 2024
Explore the latest on Winter Wildlands Alliance’s policy work in California, Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico.
Photo by Alfred Boivin
Policy Director Letter
Hilary Eisen
(12/18/2024)
As the snow blankets our favorite trails and peaks, we’re wrapping up 2024 with gratitude and excitement for what lies ahead. A quick note: the Winter Wildlands Alliance offices will be closed from December 23 through the end of the year. During this time, staff will take a well-deserved break to spend time with loved ones, celebrate holiday traditions, and, of course, enjoy the snow. We’ll be ready to jump back into action in 2025!
Breaking News: Congress Passes the EXPLORE Act!
We are super excited to report that in the 11th hour, Congress passed the EXPLORE Act before heading home for the holidays. This is the most comprehensive outdoor recreation bill, now law, ever considered by Congress and it will bring a multitude of benefits, from improving access to the outdoors to providing new tools for sustainable recreation management. It’s passage sends a clear message that outdoor recreation and public lands are bipartisan priorities. The EXPLORE Act would not have happened without years of sustained outreach, support, and advocacy from the outdoor recreation community. Now, help us thank Congress and set the stage for more recreation and conservation bills to pass in 2025.
On the Ground: Updates from the Field
Also this month, WWA’s policy staff have been focused on winter travel planning (and implementation of new travel plans!) across the country. Brittany and Megan have also both been busy with Backcountry Film Festival screenings!
California:
Megan is looking forward to getting out in the field with Stanislaus National Forest staff to help them post new winter recreation signs and trailhead maps as she begins her third season as WWA’s Winter Ambassador on the Stanislaus. We’re also excited to see that the Tahoe National Forest just published its long-awaited Over-Snow Vehicle Use Map—a major step for winter access!
Colorado:
Brittany is wrangling volunteers to collect winter recreation data throughout the San Juan mountains. This data will help to inform winter travel planning on the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests, as well as on the San Juan and the Rio Grande. We’re looking forward to seeing a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Rio Grande Over Snow Vehicle plan in late 2025 and are hopeful that the GMUG will start winter travel planning next year.
Montana:
The Kootenai National Forest is working on a winter travel plan! I have been coordinating with local skiers and conservation organizations to advocate for quiet winter recreation access and wildlife habitat protections as the forest develops a draft EIS.
New Mexico:
At the other end of the Rockies, I also worked with skiers in Taos, New Mexico recently to review and object to the Carson National Forest’s preliminary approval of new development projects at Taos Ski Valley that threaten winter access to the Wheeler Peak Wilderness.
Looking Ahead to 2025
At this time, we can’t say for sure how the change in Administration will affect the projects that we work on, but I do know that the issues that drive our work—a love of winter recreation and a concern for the future of wild snowscapes—will remain constant.
We are deeply appreciative of our members and supporters. Here’s to a wonderful holiday season for all, and to working together to protect wild snowscapes in 2025!
Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to
inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.
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]]>Policy Update – November 2024
Explore the latest on post-election public lands policy, conservation funding, Teton bighorn sheep, California’s climate resilience, and Colorado’s snowsports economy.
Photo by Michael Hoyt
Policy Director Letter
Hilary Eisen
(11/27/2024)
Election Debrief: What does the crystal ball show?
I suppose I should kick this policy update off by talking about the election. In case you missed it, David shared some early thoughts following election day. Since then, it has been confirmed that the Republican party will control both the Senate and the House, and President-elect Trump has named his initial Cabinet picks (the Senate will vote to confirm the new Cabinet in January).
Most relevant to our work are his choices of Brooke Rollins for Secretary of Agriculture and Doug Burgum for Secretary of Interior.
If your neck hurts reading this, that’s just the whiplash as the political pendulum takes a sharp swing, again. The next four years will likely be a repeat of many of the same challenges we dealt with between 2016 and 2020, but with fewer legal and regulatory guardrails. Looking to Project 2025 and the America First Policy Institute agenda as our crystal balls, we expect (among other things):
- Significantly increased timber activity on U.S. Forest Service lands, with reduced emphasis on prescribed fire, potentially rolling back protections for roadless areas and old-growth forests.
- Expanded mineral and fossil fuel development with streamlined permitting processes.
- Reversal of efforts to protect federal lands and waters.
- Efforts to revise, repeal, or undermine key environmental laws including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); Clean Air Act; Clean Water Act; Energy Policy Conservation Act; Endangered Species Act; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA); and Antiquities Act.
- Commercialization of weather technologies (affecting climate research and avalanche forecasting) and downsizing the office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (targeting climate scientists).
Despite all of these challenges, however, we still see opportunities to work proactively to protect America’s wild snowscapes. Outdoor recreation is a bipartisan issue, and people aren’t going to stop skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling any time soon. Our work to steward public lands, support visitor education, and yes, protect wild snowscapes, will be more vital than ever.
Funding for Public Lands
Speaking of positive and proactive work in the coming year, we are excited that Senators Daines (R-MT) and King (I-ME), along with Senators Cramer (R-ND) and Warner (D-VA), have introduced the America the Beautiful Act. This bill reauthorizes the Legacy Restoration Fund, first established in 2020 through the Great American Outdoors Act to address the maintenance backlog that plagues public land agencies. The original Legacy Restoration Fund, which provided $1.9 billion for projects like trail maintenance, bridge reconstruction, and road repairs, is set to expire in 2025. The America the Beautiful Act would reauthorize and extend the fund for another 5 years and replenish its budget to $2 billion.
We look forward to working with legislators to get this bill through Congress next year.
Spread the Word: Protect Teton Bighorn Sheep
If you’re planning on skiing in the Tetons this winter, please be respectful of winter closures and bighorn sheep winter zones to give Teton bighorns the space they need to survive.
The Teton Range is legendary in the world of backcountry skiing and mountaineering. It’s also home to a diminishing population of bighorn sheep that have called the range home since time immemorial. Because of human development in the valley bottoms, the sheep have lost their traditional migration routes and winter ranges and now eke out a living in the heights of the Tetons all year long. Thus, our wintertime activities represent yet another challenge to Teton bighorn sheep survival.
In response, winter recreationists are asked to voluntarily avoid certain areas in the Tetons to protect bighorn sheep. We’ve worked with land managers, biologists, and local skiers (including our grassroots group Teton Backcountry Alliance) to identify and refine these sheep winter zones.
As an Alliance of people who care about winter and the wildlife that inhabits our favorite backcountry ski areas, we have a responsibility to know before we go which backcountry areas serve as critical winter habitat and migration pathways for wildlife as well as those that are closed seasonally to protect wildlife.
Want to learn more? This 7-minute film, Denizens of the Steep, explores the impact of backcountry recreation on migratory sheep, with professional ski mountaineer/guide/Winter Wildlands Alliance Ambassador Kim Havell and others discussing the importance of protecting and conserving the wild places in which we roam.
On the Ground in California
An update from our California Stewardship Manager, Megan Fiske:
Voters Approve $10 Billion for Water, Wildfire, and Climate
As the realities of the election results unfold, I’m happy to share a bit of positivity from the election here in California. Voters passed Proposition 4, a $10 million dollar bond to support water, wildfire and climate resiliency projects. While the fate of the national 30×30 movement, a global effort to conserve 30% of lands and waters by 2030, isn’t looking promising, California will continue to pursue its 30×30 goals with the added support of Prop 4.
The money will be distributed fairly evenly between drinking water improvements, wildfire and extreme heat projects, parks and wildlife projects, and drought and flood protections, including restoring rivers and lakes. Just shy of $1 billion will go towards clean energy projects and enhancing green spaces and public access to the outdoors.
Wildfire has taken center stage recently in California, but it is critical to address all aspects of climate change. Restoring rivers and lakes will help conserve biodiversity while reducing reliance on surface water storage reservoirs that can degrade watersheds. Shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy reduces emissions and helps to slow climate warming, preserving our snowy winters and improving our snowpack.
While there are many aspects of climate change, wildfire and forest health have emerged as particularly critical and urgent issues in California. There are opportunities for growth and collaboration in both the way we prepare for wildfires and the way we respond to them. The interface between recreation and the various efforts to address the wildfire crisis offers a lot of potential for collaboration and enhanced benefits for all.
Can we incorporate fire hardened trails into our fuel break networks? Where are there new opportunities for access and infrastructure in the post-fire landscape? How can the growing recreation economy be leveraged for multiple benefits, including climate resilience?
While it is a long road ahead, it’s inspiring to see that the majority of California voters support investing in climate resilience. Proposition 4 had broad support, ranging from the National Wildlife Federation to the California Professional Firefighters Association. This bond truly is for all Californians, and we look forward to seeing how far we can make the dollars go in support of climate resilience.
Call to Action: Advocate for projects that benefit your community and protect wild snowscapes! Contact your representatives or attend planning meetings to support wildfire prevention, renewable energy, and wildlife conservation. For more ways to take action, email Megan at mfiske@winterwildlands.org.
From the Field in Colorado
An update from our Colorado Policy Coordinator, Brittany Leffel:
Winter Recreation’s Economic Impact
Winter recreation is a massive economic powerhouse in Colorado, and we have the numbers to prove it! The latest Outdoor Recreation report from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) highlights just how important snow activities are in Colorado. Nationwide, snow-based recreation generated a whopping $7.7 billion in 2022, with Colorado leading the pack. Snowsports contributed $1.6 billion to the state’s economy—more than any other activity! I’m feeling pretty hopeful about the impact our favorite winter activities have on local economies.
Now that we know that snowsports are a bright spot in our state’s economy, what can we do to demonstrate to state leaders and land managers that investing in equitable and sustainable winter recreation access is good for everyone?
Here’s where you come in! We need to understand how and where people are enjoying these activities. That’s why Winter Wildlands Alliance is bolstering our data collection program in southwest Colorado this season using the RIMS app. This easy-to-use tool helps us track recreation trends, which we can use to advocate for the quiet-use areas and backcountry experiences that make winter in Colorado so special.
Call to Action: If you live in Colorado and want to get involved with this season’s data collection effort, fill out this survey, and Brittany will be in touch to work on a localized data plan that works for your community. For questions, please reach out to Brittany at: bleffel@winterwildlands.org.
Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to
inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.
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]]>The post Early Thoughts On the Challenges Ahead appeared first on Winter Wildlands Alliance.
]]>Early Thoughts On the Challenges Ahead
A letter from Winter Wildlands Alliance’s Executive Director, David Page.
Photo by Hendrik Morkel
(November 6, 2024)
Before I heed the resounding online chorus telling me I should drop everything and get outside for a hike in the woods and the early winter sunshine with my dog—thank you Connor Ryan, Mike Fiebig, Pattiegonia, et al.—I wanted to share some preliminary thoughts on what the future is likely to hold, starting as early as January 20 with a new federal administration in Washington DC.
Winter Wildlands Alliance, our national grassroots network, and the wild places and experiences we all work together to protect will no doubt face many of the same challenges we dealt with between 2016 and 2020. However this time, there will be fewer legal and regulatory guardrails, fewer people within the administration who have the courage to push back against harmful and inequitable policies, fewer people with experience and expertise in positions of agency leadership, a United States Senate even less friendly to the interests of the American public, and a more seasoned, more cynical executive branch that is even more beholden to corporate and special interests. We’ll see what happens with the lower chamber but that doesn’t look great either.
Here’s What’s at Stake:
Looking ahead, using Project 2025 and the America First Policy Institute’s agenda as not-too-hazy crystal balls, we expect:
- Significant increases in timber activity on United States Forest Service lands, including rolling back protections for roadless lands and old-growth forests
- Significant increases in mining and fossil fuels permitting and development, including approval of development projects in the Alaskan arctic.
- Restructuring or abolishment of governmental agencies and departments that work to manage our public lands, wildlife and environmental resources.
- Reversal of recent environmental wins that protected critical landscapes and watersheds across the U.S., including the Ambler, Thompson Divide, and Boundary Waters decisions.
- Elimination of the latest hard-won National Environmental Policy Act Rule.
- Attacks on/efforts to revise other environmental laws, specifically: the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Energy Policy Conservation Act and the Endangered Species Act.
- The vacating of the America the Beautiful (30×30) order and general rollback of efforts to improve climate resilience and protect federal lands and waters.
- Limitations on how Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) resources can be spent to acquire new federal lands.
- Review and likely downsizing of new national monuments with a particular focus on Camp Hale and Cascade-Siskiyou National Monuments.
- Efforts to repeal the Antiquities Act.
- Delisting of grizzly bears and gray wolves across the lower 48, which could lead to the extinction of keystone species.
- Downsizing the office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (targeting climate scientists).
- Commercialization of weather technologies, affecting climate research and avalanche forecasting.
Given all of this, our mission to protect wild and endangered snowscapes, to improve climate resilience on public lands, to get kids into the outdoors, and to ensure equitable access to quality human-powered winter recreation has never been more vital, nor your support more essential.
How You Can Help Right Now:
The health and resilience of our ecosystems and the right of every American to access quality outdoor recreation are not—or certainly should not be—partisan issues. For 25 years, through both Democratic and Republican administrations, Winter Wildlands Alliance and our nationwide community of members, ambassadors, SnowSchool sites and grassroots groups have fought to protect the wild places and experiences we all care most about.
Today, we commit to continuing that work for the next four years—and beyond. The extent to which we are successful will depend in large part on the strength and active engagement of our Alliance. And that starts with you. Please consider committing to this work with us today by:
- Becoming a member of Winter Wildlands Alliance: if we show up with full strength-in-numbers, assaults on public lands and climate resilience will not fly!
- Make a donation to Winter Wildlands Alliance: your support will help ensure that we are able to adapt and respond quickly to policy changes and new efforts to undermine public lands.
- Volunteer at a SnowSchool site – help educate and build appreciation for our wild snowscapes in the next generation.
- Volunteer as a Winter Ambassador – help collect winter recreation data to inform better management of public snowscapes.
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Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to
inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.
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]]>On Capitol Hill for Conservation: Denis Tuzinovic’s Advocacy Story
This article was orignially published on the Outdoor Alliance blog and was written in collaboration with Denis Tuzinovic, a member of Outdoor Alliance’s Grasstops Collective. Denis is the environmental coordinator for Patagonia Seattle, and a board member at Winter Wildlands Alliance.
Photo by TORCH PICTURES
Last month, I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. to advocate for outdoor recreation and conservation as a part of Outdoor Alliance’s Grasstops Collective program. Our team had more than 80 meetings with elected officials, focused on advocating for the EXPLORE Act and the importance of supporting outdoor recreation. What made this experience truly impactful was how it shifted my perspective on activism and my own role in it. For me, this trip was a major milestone in my advocacy journey.
“Seeing the Rocky Mountains for the first time and knowing that I was there thanks to the support of a community project set me on a course that would become my life’s work. I didn’t know what it looked like yet, but I knew I wanted to do something involving community activism and the outdoors.”
Growing up in Bosnia during the war and coming to the United States as a refugee made me passionate about helping others. This passion is what led me to advocacy. My time on Capitol Hill advocating for a cause I care about was both exhilarating and intimidating. I didn’t know what to expect. How would the meetings go? What surprises might come up? It was my first time on the Hill, and the nerves were real. I didn’t want to let anyone down. I thought engaging with Congress was only for lobbyists or career activists. But what I’ve learned is that advocacy is for everyone, you don’t need to have years of experience or a political science degree. You just need to care about the issues and be willing to show up.
After my first meeting, my fears melted away. I realized that talking to elected officials isn’t as daunting as I had imagined—it felt more like a conversation. The most eye-opening part of the experience was learning how accessible advocacy is. The outdoor recreation community truly has a voice, and our voice matters. We met with both lawmakers and their staff, and I learned that meeting with a staff member is just as valuable as meeting with a member of Congress. They are often the ones informing the member on the issues that matter to constituents.
During the meetings, I shared my own story about how I connect with the EXPLORE Act, legislation that would expand outdoor recreation opportunities to all across all of our public lands. As a child, I spent my time swimming in rivers, playing in forests, always being outdoors. I wanted lawmakers to hear how the outdoors shaped me and why it’s important to protect them in a way that is equitable and sustainable for future generations.
Denis outside a meeting with Rep. Jayapal (WA-07) office
Over the last six months, I have received training as part of Outdoor Alliance’s Grasstops Collective and learned about the power of relationship-building with our elected officials. I learned that members of Congress want to hear from their constituents. You can meet with them, share your story, and ask them to take action on the issues you care about. If you’re thinking of getting involved but feel overwhelmed, start local. Go to a city council meeting, or write to your mayor or governor. The most important step is to start—everything else will fall into place.
One of the most surprising aspects of this experience was the profound impact it had on my mother. After finishing my meetings, I FaceTimed her while still on the Hill. The moment she picked up, tears filled her eyes. She kept repeating how proud she was of me, and it struck me how monumental this moment was for her too. “You were a war refugee, and now you’re on Capitol Hill,” she said. Her words underscored the significance of my journey—not just for me, but for her as well.
Being in D.C. with the Outdoor Alliance and my fellow Grasstops leaders was inspiring and an experience I will never forget. Everyone is doing such important work in their communities, and the experience energized me to continue with my own advocacy journey. For me, this is just the beginning. I plan to keep advocating for my community, building relationships with my members Congress, and inspiring others to raise their voices to protect the outdoors too.
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Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to
inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.
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]]>Policy Update – October 2024
Explore the latest updates on Colorado winter travel planning, Forest Service avalanche forecasting, efforts to protect the Sierra Nevada red fox, and more!
Photo from Canva
Policy Director Letter
Hilary Eisen
(10/30/2024)
Forest Service Avalanche Forecasting and Hiring Freeze
Thanks to action from Winter Wildlands Alliance members and partners, Forest Service avalanche centers will be fully staffed this winter. In September, USFS Chief Randy Moore announced the agency was placing a freeze on all seasonal hiring and overtime work starting October 1. In response, Winter Wildlands Alliance and 41 other organizations and businesses sent a letter to USFS Chief Randy Moore requesting that avalanche forecasters be exempted from the hiring freeze and other restrictions. Hundreds of Winter Wildands Alliance members and supporters sent in letters as well.
Since then, all but one seasonal forecaster has received a hiring exemption, which is encouraging! While we are very happy to know that almost all of the forecasters normally employed by the Forest Service will be working this winter, we are still pushing for the Chief (or Regional Foresters) to exempt the avalanche program from FY25 restrictions on working overtime and spending.
Ultimately, to solve these issues we need Congress to increase funding for Forest Service. Winter Wildlands Alliance is advocating for a $70 million budget increase for the the Forest Service’s Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness program in FY25. Congress has yet to pass a FY25 budget (which is another issue…) so there is still time to advocate for this request. We have created a form to make it easy to advocate for this request.
Backcountry Film Festival Season is Here!
Last week, the Winter Wildlands Alliance team gathered in Boise, ID for the premiere of our 20th annual Backcountry Film Festival, which longtime festival-goers have called our best season yet!
For the past 20 winters, the Backcountry Film Festival has been a resource for Winter Wildlands Alliance’s Grassroots Groups to raise funds for their efforts in protecting opportunities for human-powered winter recreation. It also helps to spread the word about the pleasures of backcountry skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and any other human-powered snow activity while building excitement for the fresh season.
Check out the Backcountry Film Festival website to watch the trailer and find a screening near you!
Don’t Forget to Vote!
I am sure you are more than aware that election day is Tuesday. And, being a winter advocate, I am sure you already have a plan to vote (or voted early) but just in case, consider this your reminder to vote! This election will have huge consequences for our public lands and the future of winter. Once the dust settles post-election, I will weigh in with our crystal ball on how the outcome will affect WWA’s work. Stay tuned.
While I will not try to predict elections outcomes, Congress does have a busy end-of-year agenda. In addition to hopefully passing a budget for the current fiscal year, we also expect Congress to take up a public lands package. Learn more from our friends at Outdoor Alliance!
On the Ground in California
An update from our California Stewardship Manager, Megan Fiske:
Photo by USFS
This month, both Sonora Pass and Tioga Pass closed briefly for the first snowfall in California’s Sierra Nevada. The storm left a light dusting of snow over the habitat of the federally endangered Sierra Nevada red fox (SNRF). Unfortunately, a recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) decision declined to designate critical habitat for this unique high-elevation fox population.
The Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the Sierra Nevada red fox has a very limited range and may number fewer than 100 individuals. Although much of their habitat is within protected wilderness areas, a significant portion remains vulnerable to multiple threats. By not designating Critical Habitat, the USFWS places the burden on local land managers to assess impacts and restore habitats without the comprehensive guidance that critical habitat designation would provide.
On the Stanislaus National Forest, which includes much of the Sierra Nevada red fox habitat west of the Sierra crest, the 2019 Over Snow Vehicle (OSV) Use Management Plan included protections for the fox and its habitat. The Forest Supervisor’s decision established seasonal restrictions for motorized use, along with designated areas closed to motorized use to help prevent impacts this vulnerable fox population. While we appreciate these protections, questions remain: Are these measures enough? Could more be done? Or perhaps something different?
Critical habitat designation is indeed critical for protecting endangered species. While climate change may be the biggest threat to the Sierra Nevada red fox and other vulnerable species, certain management decisions could strengthen their habitat’s resilience to climate impacts and support reproductive success. When it comes to protecting endangered species, we should utilize all the tools in the toolbox—and critical habitat is a vital one.
Recently, Defenders of Wildlife filed a legal challenge to the Fish and Wildlife Service’s listing decision, specifically regarding the failure to designate critical habitat for the Sierra Nevada red fox. Meanwhile, we are working to ensure that the Stanislaus National Forest adheres to its OSV Plan monitoring commitments, so that the forest—and wildlife advocates—have the necessary data to determine if the plan is achieving its goal of protecting this species.
Call to Action: Stay informed and support ongoing work to monitor and advocate for species protection in the Sierra Nevada. Reach out Megan at mfiske@winterwildlands.org with your questions.
From the Field in Colorado
An update from our Colorado Policy Coordinator, Brittany Leffel:
Winter Wildlands Alliance, together with grassroots partners—Tenth Mountain Division Huts, Colorado Mountain Club, High Country Conservation Advocates, Elk Mountain Backcountry Alliance, and 16 other organizations, backcountry hut owners, and local governments—signed a letter this month urging the GMUG National Forest to initiate forest-wide winter travel planning now that the Forest Revision is complete. This broad support underscores the need for a winter travel plan that promotes equitable access and reduces conflict to enhance the experience of all winter recreationists across the forest. We look forward to collaborating with this coalition to continue advocating for a comprehensive forest-wide approach and to develop a winter data collection strategy that will inform future decisions.
This month, I also had the opportunity to attend the Colorado Outdoor Industry Leadership Summit, where outdoor industry professionals from across the state gathered here in Durango to experience firsthand what makes Southwest Colorado so unique for a thriving outdoor recreation economy. During the conference, I attended panels focused on increasing representation of human-powered winter recreation within the Outdoor Strategy and Regional Partnership Initiatives (RPI). Winter recreation continues to be one of the region’s strongest economic drivers based on outdoor recreation-related activities, so we must have voices representing the human-powered winter recreation community on these statewide initiatives. I will be serving on the newly formed RPI in Pagosa and one in Durango while we await winter travel planning on the San Juan National Forest.
Call to Action: Get involved with your local RPI. Please reach out to our Colorado Policy Coordinator at: bleffel@winterwildlands.org.
Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to
inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.
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