Former Forest Supervisor Warns Staff Cuts Threaten Colorado Public Lands

Aspen —The wind off the Gore Range cuts through the EagleVail Pavilion, carrying the scent of dry pine and the low hum of a crowd that has gathered not just for a fundraiser, but for a reckoning. It is National Public Lands Day, yet the mood is anything but celebratory. For the folks in the valley, the landscape outside looks parched, a visual echo of the record-low snow year and brutal drought that have left the land thirsty and vulnerable.

Scott Fitzwilliams, the former supervisor of the White River National Forest, took the stage to lay bare the cracks forming in the foundation of our public lands management. He didn’t mince words about the "arbitrary and capricious staff cuts" that hit federal agencies in 2025. On paper, these cuts were supposed to streamline operations. In practice, as Fitzwilliams argued, they created "instability and fear."

Let’s do the math on the human cost. Fitzwilliams pointed out that we lost five firefighters in western Colorado alone, with the toll reaching approximately 12 across the country. These weren't just statistics; they were the result of what he described as "ill-thought-out and draconian changes" over the previous 21 months. The argument is stark: at the exact moment when national forests need greater capacity and resources to handle climate stress, we are diminishing them.

Kerry Donovan, the Vail native and former state senator who introduced Fitzwilliams, added historical weight to the discussion. She referenced the "Sagebrush Rebellion," a standoff with anti-government cattlemen who resisted paying grazing fees to the taxpayers who actually own the public lands. Donovan framed public lands as "one of the most beautiful American ideas that’s ever been invented," emphasizing that they belong to everyone, from Pennsylvania to Texas.

However, the current trajectory suggests a shift toward privatization. Both Donovan and Fitzwilliams contend that the administration is targeting public lands for sale to developers, states, and private interests, all without meaningful public input. Fitzwilliams clarified his stance, noting he isn’t against logging, grazing, mining, or oil and gas development because "we all need it." But the issue is the lack of a bipartisan vision to manage these resources sustainably.

The bottom line for locals is that the stability of our water supply, wildfire protection, and recreational access depends on the staffing levels of federal agencies that are currently being gutted. If the "short-term thinking" Fitzwilliams warned about continues, the cost will be paid in the form of increased risk and reduced value of the very lands we live on.