Since the start of February, thousands of U.S. federal employees have been affected by a wave of sudden, mass layoffs incited by President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The United States Forest Service (USFS), which protects and maintains public land, is one of the most recent federal agencies to be affected by layoffs. With several USFS workers in Michigan laid off and additional layoffs anticipated, it remains uncertain whether the state’s ecosystem will be adequately maintained.

In compliance with the Trump administration’s latest orders, 37 Michigan USFS employees who protected the Huron-Manistee and Ottawa National Forests were affected by layoffs. Additionally, 12 to 15 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees, who protect native fish from invasive sea lamprey, were laid off. The Trump administration slashed USFS’s annual budget nationally, which means USFS will not only be understaffed, but also underfunded. 

Michigan is home to five national forests and the largest reserve of freshwater in the world, which makes the state pivotal to many ecosystems. USFS employees manage forests, protect wildlife and oversee national resources. The agency also conducts research to determine best practices to best maintain and sustain parks and wildlife, through advising on infrastructure and protecting accessibility to park systems. 

“Forest Service workers are so important because they manage national forests, which belong to all Americans,” said Jennifer Moore, an associate professor of biology at Grand Valley State University.  “(Forest Service workers) are essential stewards of our public lands, (and) play a crucial role in preventing environmental degradation.” 

According to Central Michigan University, an estimated 3,400 USFS employees were laid off in the first few weeks of February. In other words, 10% of the USFS workforce has been cut in less than a month. Several USFS employees were notified of their termination over the phone on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. leading some to dub the date as a “Valentine’s Day Massacre.” Although the workers were told they had been laid off due to performance issues, many had positive reviews and solid work records. 

“The U.S. Forest Service, in particular, employs some of the hardest working people in the Nation,” Moore said. “These people are doing incredibly important work managing wildlife and our public forests, while conserving wildlife and other natural and cultural resources. Most of this work is done as a labor of love, and not for the financial gain.”

While wildlife firefighters have generally been spared by layoffs, many of the workers that were let go were also certified in fighting fires and often participated in control burns. The mass layoffs have incited concerns regarding USFS’s ability to effectively fight off invasive species and fires nationwide. Environmental disasters such as oil spills, air quality issues and water contamination pose additional concerns.

“Natural ecosystems provide (resources) that people don’t typically think about, like clean air, clean water, medicine, hardwood floors, furniture, paper towels, Amazon packaging and many others,” said Alexander Locher, a professor of natural resource management and wildlife biology at GVSU. “Ultimately, we all are accountable for conserving natural ecosystems and all the beings within them because they literally are our backbone for survival.” 

The layoffs have prompted several unions to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration for wrongful termination, and have inspired many to protest across the country. The union that represents USFS workers, the National Federation of Federal Employees’ Forest Service Council (FSC), has filed a lawsuit, alongside multiple other unions. The lawsuit claims the Trump administration’s orders are unconstitutional for the following reasons:

• Using deferred resignation to pressure employees into voluntary resignation 
• Firing probationary employees
• Use of large-scale reductions in force (RIFs)
• Undermining Congress’s authority 

The Trump administration and DOGE have claimed the layoffs were necessary to cut back on government spending; however, only an estimated 5-6% of total government spending contributes to the salaries of federal workers. It is unclear how the layoffs have affected government spending, as DOGE continuously posts discrepant and inaccurate data on the issue. 

“The courts must intervene and hold this administration accountable for violating federal laws before it is too late,” said Randy Erwin, the president of the National Federation of Federal Employees. “Federal workers are your friends and neighbors who have dedicated their careers to serving our country. We cannot let the President disrupt their lives and dismantle critical services relied upon by the American people.”