Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Forest Service warns staffing shortfalls after 2025 losses; Pitkin County-funded position to support Maroon Bells operations
Summary
Forest Service leaders told the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners that the White River National Forest lost dozens of positions in 2025 and will rely on temporary promotions, partners and a county-funded 2026 position to sustain visitor services at Maroon Bells and other field operations.
Pitkin County commissioners heard on Jan. 6 from U.S. Forest Service leaders that acute staffing losses in 2025 have narrowed the agency’s capacity to manage frontline operations, including visitor services at Maroon Bells.
“ We lost exactly 50 positions in calendar year 2025,” White River National Forest Supervisor Brian Glassbone said, summarizing agency-wide attrition that he characterized as “a little more than a third of what we started with.” Glassbone said temporary promotion authority (up to 120 days) and stepwise internal hiring are immediate tools while the U.S. Forest Service and Department of Agriculture negotiate broader hiring flexibility.
Acting Aspen-Sopris District Ranger Jennifer Schuler told the board the district lost roughly 45% of its staff in 2025 and had to change operations at Maroon Bells,…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
