Keith D. Dolley

People love to dunk on public employees at the Forest Service and BLM. I love data even more. Here are the facts: • White River National Forest (WRNF) is the busiest US national forest, with ≈18 million annual visits. • After this year’s cuts, it had 105 permanent staff, 32% less than a year earlier. • That’s left 1 staffer per 171,000 visitors, and 1 staffer per 34 sq mi (equivalent to ≈26 Central Parks). • Central Park has 350 staff, which is ≈9,100x more staff per sq mi than White River National Forest. • If Central Park were scaled to the size of White River National Forest, it would require a staff of ≈1 million. Zooming out: • USFS staffing peaked at ≈50,200 in 1991. • Today, it’s around ≈34,000 after recent reductions. • The Forest Service has lost 32% of its staff in 34 years. My takeaways: 1. You can’t pump toilets, patrol campgrounds, maintain roads, or educate visitors without people. 2. Blaming “poor management” while ignoring a one-third cut in capacity isn’t serious; it’s lazy. 3. We get what we pay for. We’re now paying for far fewer USFS staff than we used to. This is not about ideology. It’s just math. Pass it Forward! #ForestService #NationalForests #PublicLands #USFS #LeaveNoTrace #RecreateResponsibly

Colorado is home to tens of thousands of furry, scaly and feathered creatures. To keep them — and you — safe, make sure to keep your (and your dog’s) distance. And if you’re ever unsure, follow the rule of thumb: If you can cover the view of an entire animal with your thumb while your arm is outstretched, you’re generally at a safe distance.  A simple but effective way to #CareforColorado and #LeaveNoTrace while exploring outdoors! @VisitColorado @LeaveNoTraceOrg