Nature Under Trump

• What Comes Next: The Administration’s announcement triggers a new rule making process. This will include a 60-day public comment period and ultimately a final decision. So far there has been no indication when the rule making process will begin.
• Rally for Public Comments: When the public comment period is announced, we need to spread the word far and wide. We need to rally the public to submit a massive number of comments in support of the keeping the Roadless Rule restrictions in place.  

• History of the Roadless Rule: The Roadless Rule was adopted in 2001 under Bill Clinton. The rule was the product of a 3-year process that included 600 public meetings and 1.6 million public comments in favor of adopting it. 
• Roads Dominate Our National Forests: An estimated 380,000 miles of roads criss-cross our National Forests. This is 8 times longer than our entire US Interstate highway system. 
•  Roadless Areas Are Wild: Roadless protection keeps forests wild. Many roadless areas under the Rule have wilderness-like qualities with little human impact. They offer some of the best opportunities in the United States for outdoor adventure including hiking, backpacking, wildlife viewing, hunting, and fishing.  
• Roadless Areas Protect Water Supplies: Roadless areas include the headwaters for 358 municipal watersheds that provide the drinking water for millions of Americans. The Roadless Rule protected these water supplies.
• Wildlife Needs Roadless Areas: Many species of wildlife need large unbroken blocks of habitat or their populations will drop. This includes wide-roaming animals such as wolves and grizzly bears. It also includes forest birds such as the wood thrush.

• Build Public Awareness: Right now, we need to build public awareness about the importance of roadless areas and the need to protect them. Start with yourself. Read more about this issue. Share posts on social media. Comment on posts to boost their reach. If you feel motivated, make it a personal project to promote this cause far and wide. 
• Follow These Organizations: As a starting point for building awareness, please follow the nonprofits that are leading the advocacy efforts: Earthjustice, Natural Resources Defense Council, and The Wilderness Society. Engage with their content to boost their reach.

• The major fight now centers on the 2026 federal budget. We are now in the middle of budget negotiations in Congress. 
• President Trump has proposed cutting funding for the NWRS to $416 million - a 22% below current levels.
• The National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) is the leading advocate for the NWRS. They are calling for $731 million in funding. They are also fighting against future staffing cuts. 

• Vast Conservation Network:  The National Wildlife Refuge System includes 570 wildlife refuges, 38 wetland management districts, and 5 marine national monuments. It plays a critical role in protecting our nations wildlife and ecosystems. 
• Stark Comparison:  Compare the Refuge System to its sibling (also understaffed) National Park Service:
  
  Refuge System = approx. 1,750 staff.   96 million acres (land).
  National Parks =  approx. 18,000 staff.  84 million acres (land). 

• Decade of Decline:   The Refuge System has been severely understaffed for over a decade. From 2011 to 2024, total staffing dropped 24%, from 3,244 to 2,348 employees. Meanwhile, visitation surged 50% from 45 million to 67 million visitors.
• Collapse Under Trump:  But Trump has thrust the Refuge System staffing into a deep crisis. With layoffs and buyouts, he has cut staff an additional 25% to 1,750. And more staffing cuts could be in the works.
• Critical Staffing Shortfall:  Today, 10% of refuges are completely unstaffed and not a single refuge has the resources it needs to meet its mission. NWRA calculates that 7,330 full time staff are needed to adequately manage the Refuge System. 

• National Wildlife Refuge Association is fighting a very urgent battle for NWRS funding. Please follow them on social media and support them anyway you can.
• Please call your representative and call your senators about the 2026 budget. Urge them to support full funding for the National Wildlife Refuge System at $731 million, as recommended by the National Wildlife Refuge Association.

Federal funding for the project is still frozen, as of May 30. There is no indication that the funding will be restored.

• This project will restore degraded stream and forest ecosystems in NH. 
• Regional benefits will include improved water quality, ecosystem health, and climate resiliency. 
• Trump froze federal funding for the project ($11.46 million) - awarded under the Inflation Reduction Action. 
• Connecticut River Conservancy protects and restores the Connecticut River watershed in CT, MA ,NH, and VT. 

• Support the Connecticut River Conservancy to help them continue their. You can follow them on Facebook, donate, or get involved with the organization.
• Share this entry to raise awareness of halted federal conservation projects.

• Update: Grant Funding for the project has been unfrozen due to a court order. 

• This project uses beetles to control the invasive Leafy Spurge which has become a major problem along the Yampa River. 
• The project was supposed to be conducted with Dinosaur National Monument. 
• Grant funding totaling $$539,174 for the project was frozen by the Trump administration.