After a challenging year for the outdoors, beginning with the agencies losing up to 25% of their workforce and most recently weathering the longest government shutdown in history, America’s public lands and waters are feeling the strain. Visitors have noticed it too: closed visitor centers, overflowing trailhead trash cans, delayed trail projects, and thinning ranks of the rangers and specialists who make outdoor recreation possible.

But with Congress working on long-term appropriations bills that will fund our public land management agencies, right now is a key moment for the outdoor community to speak up and advocate for public land funding. Fortunately, the Senate Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, which passed out of Committee with strong bipartisan support earlier this summer, would provide stability for public lands. It maintains or expands funding for major recreation and conservation programs, and provides clear Congressional direction on how funds for public lands and waters should be spent.

Take Action

Over the past year, staffing at the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service has dropped by up to 25%. That’s thousands of permanent employees—including many who work directly on recreation, conservation, planning, permitting, and visitor safety.

These losses hit every part of the recreation experience: fewer people to process trail proposals or climbing management plans, slower maintenance cycles, and limited capacity to partner with local nonprofits and volunteers. At the same time, participation in outdoor recreation is near record highs.

This year’s government shutdown left public lands open but understaffed. Agencies furloughed thousands of staff, putting basic maintenance on the back burner, even as visitors continued to recreate on our public lands.

Although Outdoor Alliance has written many times about the long and complex appropriations process, Congress hasn’t actually passed full-year funding bills for public lands in over a year. Instead, a series of continuing resolutions (CRs) have kept the government running.

“This year made one thing clear: a world-class public lands system needs long-term funding and adequate staffing. Public lands are the backbone of a $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy, and they deserve stable, bipartisan support. Congress has a real opportunity right now to pass a full-year funding bill that will help land managers get back on their feet and give communities the certainty they need. We hope lawmakers to finish the job,” said Adam Cramer, CEO of Outdoor Alliance.

The appropriations process is one of the most important, and overlooked, ways we protect public lands and outdoor recreation. As more people head outside and climate impacts strain our parks, trails, rivers, and forests, agencies like the Forest Service and BLM need stable funding for staff and resources to keep up. Starting with the President’s budget and stretching through hearings, committee work, and negotiations almost all year, appropriations determines whether trails get maintained, campgrounds stay open, and wildfires are managed responsibly. Outdoor Alliance and our partners engage at every step—submitting testimony, meeting with lawmakers, and mobilizing outdoor enthusiasts—because without adequate funding, even the best outdoor policies can’t be implemented. It’s how we ensure that public lands are well-managed, sustainable, and protected for everyone who loves the outdoors.

The outdoor community has played a key role this year in keeping public lands public and defending conservation policy. Our voices are vital to ensuring public lands and waters get the funding and resources they need. Outdoor Alliance will continue working with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to advance a strong, bipartisan appropriations bill. With your help, we can ensure that the places we love—and the people who care for them—get the support they need.

Public Lands and Waters Deserve Real Funding