We were devastated to learn that the dedicated public servants of the Sitka Ranger District trail and cabin crews were all summarily terminated over President’s Day weekend. Sitka lost five out of five field crew. As colleagues and friends, we knew we had to do something.
Things are changing daily as the agencies address legal challenges to the terminations, but no one is confident that the crew will be fully reinstated and able to function normally this season. Our goal remains the same, to serve our community by preserving public access as best we can.
Sitka is a small island community in Southeast Alaska accessible only by plane and boat and completely encompassed by the nation’s largest national forest, the Tongass. Many residents rely on harvesting fish, plants, and wild game off trails in the National Forest to offset the high cost of groceries, which must be flown or barged in. Our tight-knit community needs this crew to maintain access to public lands.
Sitka Trail Works, a community nonprofit focused on public land stewardship, is uniquely positioned to lend a hand in this moment. The organization was founded in 1997 to re-employ displaced workers when the pulp mill and largest local employer closed. We’re ready to invest in job creation again, but we need your help.
This is about supporting federal workers
The people who work across the rugged terrain of the Tongass National Forest go to extreme ends to ensure trails and cabins remain open for locals and visitors. The near constant rain and towering forests means there’s continual erosion and blowdown to tackle. These crew members work long hours for low pay to provide immense value to our community.
Given the high cost of housing in our land-constrained island community, the Forest Service has some basic housing facilities available for workers, but losing employment means that the crew members may lose housing also.
This is about protecting public lands
The Tongass National Forest is a gem that provides carbon sequestration, wild salmon, and adventure, an asset of immense value for our country. In tangible economic terms, Southeast Alaska welcomes over a million visitors every year who come to revel in the beauty of the intact forests.
Many visitors seek immersive nature experiences, which means they need well-maintained, accessible trails. Without federal trail crews clearing downed logs, repairing frequent wash-outs, and cutting back brush, trails that see thousands of visitors a year will become overgrown, eroded, and inaccessible. Stewardship of our public lands ensures these lands are valued for their ecological integrity and remain in public hands.
The federal workers employed by the Forest Service and the National Park Service are our neighbors, and we’re a community that looks after each other. Taking care of our local trail crew allows them to take care of the infrastructure we all need to thrive.
This is about community
The federal workers employed by the Forest Service and the National Park Service are our neighbors, and we’re a community that looks after each other. Taking care of our local trail crew allows them to take care of the infrastructure we all need to thrive. structure we all need to thrive.
The Plan
> Depending on the level of funding raised, Sitka Trail Works will create 2-4 living wage trail crew jobs. Federal workers would be given the opportunity to go back to full-time work doing the thing they love, giving back to their community by keeping trails accessible.
> One seasonal trail crew position, including payroll taxes, workers compensation, and some allotment for tools and equipment, costs approximately $40,000.
> The newly formed trail crew will address maintenance priorities on the Tongass National Forest in partnership with the USFS Sitka Ranger District as well as needs on adjacent state and city trails.
> The more we fundraise, the longer we can keep them employed.
> To make the crew as successful as possible, some of the funds will be used to purchase tools, lumber, and supplies.
