The U.S. Forest Service fired thousands of workers in the past week, including firefighters, biologists, and disaster recovery experts. Many were directly involved in western North Carolina recovery efforts after Helene.
Early this week, U.S. Forest Service鈥檚 Jenifer Bunty received her notice via email. She read WFAE an excerpt from the message:
鈥淭he agency finds based on your performance that you have not demonstrated your further employment with the agency would be in the public interest. For this reason, the agency informs you that the agency is removing you from your position with the agency and the federal civil service effective immediately.鈥�
Many probationary workers who were fired received the same message. Bunty had never received any reprimands for her work.
Former U.S. Forest Service biologist Mike Knoerr quoted the same message in a social media post last Friday. Knoerr said he lost his 鈥渄ream job鈥� despite 鈥渟tellar performance reviews鈥� and no disciplinary action.
鈥淔or the last several months, Helene's recovery is all I鈥檝e worked on 鈥� from I-40 reconstruction to evaluating how rare critters responded to the floods and landslides,鈥� Knoerr wrote. 鈥淢uch of my work in the coming years would have been focused on making our floodplains more resilient, addressing fuel risks, and working to keep rare species on the landscape.鈥�
The layoffs come as a major blow to an agency that was already 鈥渦nderfunded and understaffed,鈥� according to National Wildlife Refuge Association CEO Desir茅e Sorenson-Groves.
鈥淲ithout them, habitats will degrade, endangered species will go unmonitored, trails will remain unmaintained, and visitors will lose access to environmental education and recreation opportunities,鈥� Sorenson-Groves said in a written statement on the nonprofit鈥檚 website.
At the time of her firing, Bunty was working on distributing disaster aid funds to projects in western North Carolina. That includes rebuilding roads and bridges that connect to homes.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the piece that sits in my gut right now,鈥� Bunty said. 鈥淭hese people have been through hell in western North Carolina, and they just keep waiting for help to come.鈥�
Not all federal workers remained unemployed for long 鈥� Some were immediately rehired. When asked about the firings and rehirings, Trump said that he was 鈥渘ot at all鈥� concerned about security issues.
鈥淚 think we have to just do what we have to do,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淭hey're paying millions of people that shouldn't be paid.鈥�
Bloomberg Law reported that the U.S. Forest Service has fired more than 3,000 workers in the past week, but the Forest Service wasn鈥檛 alone in laying off thousands of workers. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Education Department, Energy Department, and others have made deep cuts.
鈥淎 lot of us are really unclear where our benefits lie,鈥� Bunty said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 access any information about my benefits. My whole family, my children are on my medical benefits, so 鈥� just trying to figure that all out.鈥�
The agency鈥檚 union posted , including workers鈥� personnel folder.
