Forest Service OKs chainsaws to clear trails in one of the largest wilderness areas

21. May 2026 · Write a comment · Categories: Around The Campfire, Current Events, Public Lands

https://www.aspenpublicradio.org/2026-05-14/forest-service-oks-chainsaws-to-clear-trails-in-one-of-the-largest-wilderness-areas

The U.S. Forest Service has granted a rare exemption allowing the use of chainsaws in one of the country’s largest wilderness areas.

The agency on Wednesday approved a request from the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association to temporarily use gas-powered chainsaws to clear about 542 miles of trails in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, citing “extraordinary levels” of downed trees. The Frank Church, in central Idaho, is the largest contiguous wilderness area in the lower 48 states.

“This action is necessary to restore safe public access while minimizing impacts to wilderness character and remaining fully compliant with the Wilderness Act of 1964,” Amy Baumer, a spokesperson for the Salmon-Challis National Forest, wrote in an email.

Trees blocking trails

Trail crews typically rely on hand tools such as crosscut saws in designated wilderness areas, which are among the most protected public lands. The Wilderness Act prohibits motorized vehicles and equipment to protect places “untrammeled by man” and to preserve “solitude.”

These exclusions have long been interpreted to include chainsaws, though the Forest Service grants occasional exceptions, usually after wildfires or major storms.

But the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association (IOGA) petitioned the agency last year, arguing that decades of wildfire and disease have created an unmanageable buildup of fallen trees. A Forest Service survey last year estimated between 80,000 and 110,000 trees lying along one 150-mile stretch in the Frank Church.

“Almost half the trails in this wilderness area on the Salmon-Challis are unusable,” said Erik Weiseth, the executive director of IOGA. “Over time, they will just be overgrown and disappear. That is not only hurting our outfitter members, but it’s also hurting the general public. It’s hurting their ability to access the wilderness.”

Weiseth said the blockages have meant lost business for outfitters who can’t get to the spots where they’re authorized to run hunting or guided horseback trips. Volunteers and a shrinking Forest Service workforce have struggled to keep trails open with hand tools, he said. He also pointed to language in the law specific to the Frank Church wilderness, which directs the agency to clear trails annually “to the maximum extent practicable.”

What’s allowed in wilderness?

In a letter on Wednesday, the nonprofit Wilderness Watch asked the Forest Service to delay implementation until 2027 to allow time for judicial review “before the wilderness is overrun with chainsaws.”

George Nickas, the executive director of the Missoula-based organization, called the authorization “just blatantly illegal” and said the organization is considering legal action.

“Getting in there with chainsaws to clear all these trails – it’s all about domination. It’s all about our controlling what’s going on there, our wanting to change the character of the wilderness to meet our demands,” he said. “That’s just the antithesis of what the Wilderness Act is all about.”

The group said it learned of discussions between IOGA and Forest Service officials, including Chief Tom Schultz who is from Idaho, through public records requests. It criticized the agency for not allowing public comment before the approval.

Nickas said the decision could have implications beyond Idaho. Public records reviewed by the group indicated outfitters in Wyoming asked the agency to allow battery-operated chainsaws for trail maintenance.

In 2019, the Forest Service approved chainsaw use in two wilderness areas in Colorado. Conservation groups including Wilderness Watch sued, and the agency later withdrew the proposal.

Two people use a crosscut saw to cut a fallen tree in the forest. — A trail crews uses a crosscut saw to cut a fallen tree in the Gila National Forest in New Mexico.

The authorization by the Forest Service in the Frank Church allows licensed outfitters to use chainsaws for three years from Jan. 1 through Aug. 1 each year.

Weiseth said that by Wednesday afternoon, authorized outfitters were already in the forest clearing logs.

“This is a big deal to these guys. They’ve been wanting to get some of these trails open for a decade or more,” he said. “They threw their stuff in the truck and started driving to the woods, ready to go.”

This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Northern Colorado, KANW in New Mexico, Colorado Public Radio, KJZZ in Arizona and NPR, with additional support from affiliate newsrooms across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Eric and Wendy Schmidt.

News Release: Coalition of Conservation Groups Asks Court to Halt Construction of Stibnite Gold Mine

21. May 2026 · Write a comment · Categories: Around The Campfire, Current Events

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Contacts:

John Robison, Idaho Conservation League, (208) 345-6933 x 213

Nick Kunath, Idaho Rivers United, (208) 908-9232

Fred Coriell, Save the South Fork Salmon, (208) 315-3630

Jared Naimark, Earthworks, (650) 213-8052

Marc Fink, Senior Attorney, Center for Biological Diversity, (218) 464-0539

Coalition of Conservation Groups Asks Court to Halt Construction of Stibnite Gold Mine

Boise, ID — A coalition of local and national conservation groups filed a motion preliminary injunction last Friday to halt Perpetua Resource’s pending construction of the Stibnite Gold Project: an open-pit cyanide leach gold mine in the headwaters of the South Fork of the Salmon River. The motion asks to halt construction of the mine on public lands, including constructing a new access road cutting through Idaho’s Salmon River Mountains, in order to protect the environment and “threatened” species.

In February 2025, the conservation groups filed suit in federal district court against the U. S. Forest Service for violating the National Environmental Protection Act and other bedrock environmental laws in approving the mine, which would be located mostly on National Forest lands. The lawsuit is also against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for violating the Endangered Species Act by failing to protect threatened bull trout, wolverine, and whitebark pine. The Forest Service’s own analysis shows that the project area would not be restored as Perpetua claims but would actually be worse off if the project proceeds—even if the proposed restoration work goes perfectly according to plan.

Last fall, the conservation groups and Perpetua reached an agreement allowing limited pre-construction activities to occur while the lawsuit was being briefed. Briefing concluded earlier this year (see “Case Filings” here). Perpetua now seeks to commence “full construction” at the end of May, without waiting for a final decision from the Court.

Among other initial mine construction activities, Perpetua has indicated it will start constructing the Burntlog Route: a second and new access road to the mine site, through protected roadless and riparian areas and threatened species habitat. Perpetua would reconstruct and widen 23 miles of existing road on National Forest to be approximately four times wider than standard roads in the area to accommodate industrial mine traffic. To complete the Route, Perpetua would also build 15 miles of new road through remote wildlife habitat, mostly in inventoried roadless areas.

“The South Fork Salmon River and everything and everyone who depends on it are at risk if the government allows our public lands to be monetized to benefit billionaires,” said John Robison, Public Lands and Wildlife Director for the Idaho Conservation League. “We believe the South Fork Salmon River deserves its day in court before Perpetua Resources and its financiers rush ahead and make irreversible changes to this special area.”

The Stibnite site is 45 air miles from McCall, Idaho, adjacent to the Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness Area and is within the homelands of the Nez Perce Tribe. Perpetua’s massive mine plan entails excavating three open pits. It would create 280 million tons of waste rock and include constructing a 475-foot tall, 120-million-ton tailings storage facility—more than 1.5 times taller than the Statue of Liberty. One of the open pits would extend more than 720 feet beneath the riverbed of the East Fork South Fork Salmon River. Perpetua would also build an extensive web of roads, power lines, and other industrial infrastructure across public lands to reach the remote mine site.

“We’re seeking to prevent this special part of Idaho from being irreversibly damaged before the legal process has run its course,” said Bryan Hurlbutt, staff attorney at Advocates for the West and counsel for the conservation groups. “Our preliminary injunction motion asks the Court to preserve the status quo until it issues a final ruling in the lawsuit.”

“Rushing to construct the mine is just one more instance of Perpetua putting its profits first, instead of being the ‘good neighbor’ the company pitches to the community,” said Judy Anderson of Save the South Fork Salmon.

“In light of Perpetua’s push to begin full construction, court intervention is necessary to protect critical habitat in the South Fork Salmon watershed from damages that simply cannot be undone,” said Nick Kunath, Conservation Director at Idaho Rivers United. “This watershed and all that it provides deserves much more than allowing Perpetua to plow forward with damaging activities before the case before the court has had a chance to be resolved.”

“The rush to make a profit is not more important than the law,” said Jared Naimark, Western Mining Senior Manager at Earthworks. “Legal protections exist to ensure the South Fork of the Salmon River, our National Forests, and the animals that call these lands and waters home are taken care of for generations to come. The proposed Burntlog route is an unlawfully approved second access road. It would damage protected roadless areas and streams and harm endangered wolverine and bull trout. Perpetua Resources must not construct the road before the courts have decided whether the project is allowable. That damage can’t be undone once it happens.”

###

Save the South Fork Salmon strives to protect and preserve the ecological, cultural, and economic resources of the South Fork of the Salmon River watershed and the well-being of the people that depend on them for generations to come.

www.savethesouthforksalmon.com

Idaho Conservation League’s mission is to create a conservation community and pragmatic, enduring solutions that protect and restore the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the land and wildlife you love.

www.idahoconservation.org

Advocates for the West is a non-profit, public interest environmental law firm headquartered in Boise, Idaho, that works to defend public lands, water, fish and wildlife throughout the American West.

www.advocateswest.org

Idaho Rivers United’s mission is to protect and restore the rivers and fisheries of Idaho, and is the only conservation organization in the state focused exclusively on the health and protection of river resources.

www.idahorivers.org

Earthworks mission is to protect communities and the environment against the adverse impacts of mineral and energy development while seeking sustainable solutions.

www.earthworks.org

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.

www.biologicaldiversity.org

American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote mountain streams to urban waterways.

www.americanrivers.org

Inside the Forest Service Reorganization: The Good, the Uncertain, and the Ugly

21. May 2026 · Write a comment · Categories: Around The Campfire, Current Events, Education

By now, you’ve likely seen local, regional, western, and national coverage of the Trump administration’s plan to reorganize the Forest Service.

The proposal includes moving the agency’s headquarters from Washington, D.C. to Salt Lake City, eliminating the 9 Regional Offices, establishing 15 new State Offices (including one in Boise), setting up a network of Service Centers, and consolidating 77 Research Centers into as few as 20.

Hundreds of conservation groups and outdoor companies are sounding the alarm, warning that the Forest Service is essentially being dismantled. In response, the Forest Service itself took the unusual step of releasing a “Myth vs. Facts” statement in an attempt to push back on that narrative.

Several retired Forest Service supervisors describe the proposal not as a dismantling but as a “flattening” of what they see as a top and middle management-heavy (muffin-topped) organizational structure. In their view, the changes could ultimately be beneficial—reducing costs, improving efficiency, and helping staff get more work done. The Forest Service Chief also noted that no changes would be made until after this year’s wildfire season.

Still, the massive pushback against the reorganization (“Blink twice if you are being kidnapped, Smokey”) reflects a far deeper concern: many people who value public lands see this as part of a broader pattern—one that could ultimately lead to weakening protections and selling off public lands.

liminating Regional offices and creating State offices

Currently, North Idaho forests are managed out of the Region 1 office in Missoula, Montana, while south Idaho forests are managed out of the Region 4 office in Ogden, Utah. Replacing regional offices with state offices could make sense—if done thoughtfully. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) already uses a state-based structure with reasonable success, but that model depends on adequate staffing and resources.

However, as currently envisioned, the Forest Service State Offices would be staffed by only a handful of employees and would lack the full complement of Regional staff who have special expertise in mine engineering, forest pathogens, cultural resources, and Treaty Rights, and more. While the newly proposed Service Centers could house some of these experts, that is not stated in the current plan. The result could be further loss of institutional knowledge when we can least afford it.

The importance of a Washington presence

While maintaining local District Ranger and Forest Supervisor offices makes sense for working with local communities, the Forest Service leadership also needs to engage directly with members of Congress and other federal agencies in critical matters like budgeting and coordination. Key decisions are made in D.C, not Salt Lake City. A reduced presence there could leave the Forest Service at a distinct disadvantage. As the saying goes, “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” A diminished Washington office might lead to reduced funding, staffing, and ability to keep the Forest Service intact.

Institutional knowledge

One of the biggest risks is the loss of staff with critical institutional knowledge. When the last Trump administration moved the BLM’s headquarters from Washington, D.C. to Grand Junction, Colorado, hundreds of employees retired or left their jobs rather than relocating. These people never came back. The move didn’t result in savings but instead a significant loss of expertise.

We have the same concerns here. To make matters worse, the Forest Service is already dealing with staffing gaps following last year’s senseless, chaotic and illegal DOGE-related cuts. While some staff were hired back, many were not. This reorganization could exacerbate those losses. Furthermore, Congress is not being consulted about this reorganization.

Research at risk

Forest Service research stations collect critical data on watersheds, fisheries, wildlife, forest health, and silviculture, among many other topics. Consolidating or closing these stations raises serious concerns (“It’s just madness”)—especially if long-term study sites and datasets are abandoned in the process. These Stations are essential in generating applied research which is essential for preparing for disasters and guiding restoration. Weakening them now is a step in the wrong direction.

The Ugly

While ICL has questions about the real intent behind the reorganization, the more troubling issues arise over changes in priorities, policy, and by extension, land management—particularly around public review of proposed projects.

The Forest Service argues that this reorganization will move decision-makers closer to the public so the agency can better serve them. However, at the same time, recent changes to NEPA regulations reduce or remove opportunities for the public to learn about and provide input on Forest Service activities. So while decision makers may be geographically closer to you, they are now no longer allowed to host public comment periods for the majority of the projects affecting Idahoans.

This reality is already playing out. Take the Upper Bigwood Vegetation Management Project near Galena in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area for example. This 2,500-acre proposed project—in a landscape that is highly visible, well used, and well loved—would typically be analyzed through an Environmental Assessment (EA) with scoping and comment periods. These public comments provide community members with meaningful opportunities to shape the project,helping to optimize treatment activities and minimize negative impacts. In the past, the Forest Service has made substantive project improvements as a result of public comments. However, under the new regulations and the new Emergency Authorization, this project is proceeding without an official public comment period (there is an open house on May 11). That represents a significant shift away from public participation.

The Forest Service isn’t dead…at least not yet. The Ranger Districts, Forests and Forest Supervisor offices are all still here. The agency even hired seasonal staff for trail work. And citizen-led forest restoration collaboratives like the Boise Forest Coalition continue to connect communities to the Forest Service. But the reform the agency truly needs isn’t the proposed “structural overhaul”—or preparation for disintegration—but a restoration of the funding and adequate staffing to fulfill its mission: “Caring for the Land and Serving the People.”

Sawyer – Breathing Issues

08. May 2026 · Write a comment · Categories: Education

Breathing Issues

If your chainsaw is losing power, bogging down, or struggling to rev, the issue might be simpler than you think.

A common but overlooked culprit is a clogged exhaust.

Over time, carbon buildup can restrict airflow through the muffler or spark arrestor screen. When exhaust gases can’t escape, your engine can’t breathe—and performance suffers.

What causes it?

Running rich fuel mixtures, low-quality oil, or long periods of idling can all lead to carbon buildup.

How do you know?

Look for these signs:
• Loss of power under throttle
• Bogging or poor acceleration
• Excessive smoke

To fix it, remove the muffler cover and check the spark arrestor screen. If it’s coated in carbon, clean it by:
• Brushing off buildup
• Burning it off safely
• Replacing it if needed

Also, inspect the muffler outlet for deposits and clean as necessary.

Restoring airflow can quickly bring back lost performance. Before jumping into major repairs, check the basics first.

If you need replacement parts, we’ve got you covered.

Stay safe, and keep cutting smart. Sawzilla Parts <info@sawzillaparts.com>

Chapter Yard Sale

06. May 2026 · Write a comment · Categories: BCHI /BCHA, Current Events

Yard Sale Flyer 2026

Education – Morel Muchrooms

27. April 2026 · Write a comment · Categories: Current Events, Education

LINK TO FULL STORY

Public Lands – USFS Restructure Concerns

23. April 2026 · Write a comment · Categories: Around The Campfire, Current Events, Public Lands

The recently announced major restructure of the U.S. Forest Service may disrupt a number of forestry positions in Idaho. But the details as to how those positions will be affected and what work will continue or be eliminated under the plan remain unclear.

Anna Webb, an entomologist and federal employee union representative based in Boise, received a notice about two weeks ago that her position in the agency would be affected. The letter said affected employees may have to move, find another position within the federal agency, or resign.

There was no expected timeline to the changes.

“It makes things difficult to plan,” Webb said, speaking to the Idaho Capital Sun in her capacity as a union representative. “It causes unprecedented amounts of stress.”

Leaders of the federal employee union that represents Forest Service employees for the Boise, Payette, Salmon-Challis and Sawtooth national forests are concerned about the disruption to local employees as well as the potential long-term consequences to forest health. READ MORE: 2026-04-22 USFS Restructure

Upcoming Earth Day/Idaho Gives Event

15. April 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire, Current Events

PDF: ICC April 25 Event

Education – Pasture Management Clinic

09. April 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Current Events, Education

I thought this clinic (below) may be of interest to your chapter members as we head into spring.

Sincerely,
Karen Bailey
208-849-3474
Education chairman

Education – NOLS Wilderness First Aid

07. April 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Education, Safety

https://www.nols.edu/wilderness-medicine/courses/

PDF: NOLS Wilderness First Aid

GEAR – Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter

07. April 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Education

READ MORE

Public Lands – Western Snow Pack 2026

07. April 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire, Public Lands

Snow surveys taking place across the American west this week are offering a grim prognosis, after a historically warm winter and searing March temperatures left the critical snowpack at record-low levels across the region.

Experts warned that even as the heat begins to subside, the stunning pace of melt-off over the past month has left key basins in uncharted territory for the dry seasons ahead. Though there’s still potential for more snow in the forecast, experts said it will probably be too little too late.

“This year is on a whole other level,” said Dr Russ Schumacher, a Colorado State University climatologist, speaking about the intense heat that began rapidly melting the already sparse snowpack in March. “Seeing this year so far below any of the other years we have data for is very concerning.”

Acting as a water savings account of sorts, snowpacks are essential to water supply. Measurements taken across the west during the week of 1 April are viewed as important indicators of the peak amounts of water that might melt into reservoirs, rivers and streams and across thirsty landscapes through the summer. READ MORE

Public Lands – Owyhee Canyon Lands

02. April 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire, Public Lands

For many travelers, a summer adventure means photographing or traversing some of Mother Nature’s incredible works of art. Unfortunately, many of the iconic National Parks are so crowded that they require reservations in advance. If you’re looking for challenging hikes, excellent fishing, breathtaking canyon views, and epic whitewater without the crowds, consider the spectacular Owyhee Canyonlands, locally known as “The Big Quiet.” This largely untouched area covers nearly 9 million acres of Eastern Oregon, Southwestern Idaho, and Northern Nevada, beckoning visitors with an incredibly diverse range of geologic features, desert life, and adventurous experiences.

As the Owyhee Canyonlands stretch for hundreds of miles, there are several points of entry. The closest major metropolitan area with an airport is Boise. If you’re flying in, you’ll need to rent a 4×4 with high ground clearance and drive nearly 90 minutes to get to the edge of the wilderness area. Double-check that your rental car agreement permits off-road driving, or consider a specialty company such as Ribik. READ MORE

E-bikes on Idaho Trails (Boise)

02. April 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: BCHI /BCHA, Current Events, Safety

Watch VIDEO

On a quiet foothills trail, the hum of an electric bike is becoming a more common sound.

E-bikes are growing in popularity nationwide and are increasingly showing up across the Ridge to Rivers trail system in Boise. But Trail Manager David Gordon says many riders are using them in places where they are not allowed.

Despite signage posted throughout the system, Gordon said riders continue to bring e-bikes onto nonmotorized trails.

“Even though we’ve got our trails signed everywhere, we’re finding people riding e-bikes all over the place,” Gordon said.

Under current federal guidelines, e-bikes are classified as motorized vehicles. Because of that, they are only permitted on two motorized trails within the Ridge to Rivers system: Eighth Street Motorcycle Trail No. 4 and Femrites Patrol Trail No. 6.

“They’re really still only allowed on our two motorized trails, because federally, they’re still classified as a motorized vehicle,” Gordon said.

Gordon said the technology allows riders to travel farther and access areas that may otherwise be difficult to reach, which can lead to unintended impacts.

He said a growing concern goes beyond traditional e-bikes to include electric motorcycles, which are heavier and capable of higher speeds.

“They’re heavier, they go a lot faster,” Gordon said.

He said many of the riders using electric motorcycles are younger, including junior high and high school students. Some of the bikes can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, creating safety risks on narrow, multi-use trails.

“There’s lots of people out there — little kids, dogs, older people — anyone that can be out there not expecting something coming around like a little motorcycle at a high rate of speed,” Gordon said.

In addition to safety concerns, officials say the vehicles can cause damage when riders leave designated trails.

“Thirty miles an hour is not uncommon, and they’re heavier, and those are really a safety concern, as well as the fact that they can easily travel off trail,” Gordon said.

As the busy trail season approaches, Ridge to Rivers officials say enforcement and signage will continue, but they emphasize that protecting the system ultimately depends on users.

“It takes the community to manage our trail system,” Gordon said.

Public Lands – USFS reorganization plan

01. April 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: BCHI /BCHA, Current Events, Public Lands

PDF: organizational-realignment-factsheet

On March 31, the U.S. Forest Service announced plans to move its headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City, Utah. It will also close or repurpose all nine of its regional offices, create 15 state offices, and shutter research and development facilities in more than 30 states. According to a news release, the plan is intended to make the agency more “nimble, efficient [and] effective.” Forest Service leaders told staff on a call after the announcement that no changes will be made to fire and aviation management programs or field-based operational firefighters.

Since first announcing its intent to reorganize the agency last July, the Trump administration has marketed the plan as a way to streamline Forest Service operations, with a focus on boosting timber production and communicating more closely with local communities. But during a congressional hearing and public comment period on the subject last summer, more than 80% of the 14,000 public comments submitted were negative, with many tribal representatives, conservation groups and former Forest Service staffers opposing the move. A U.S. Department of Agriculture summary of public comments included concerns that relocating Forest Service staff and further cuts to its budgets “could compromise ecological management, public access, and employee morale.” The current plan incorporates many elements of the original proposal, including the move to Salt Lake City and the closure of regional offices.

“Nobody is asking for this,” said Robert Bonnie, who oversaw the Forest Service as a Department of Agriculture undersecretary during the Obama administration. “None of the farm groups want this. No one in conservation wants this. Nobody.” To Bonnie and other former Forest Service staff, the plan, which will uproot thousands of employees, looks like it will only make the agency’s existing troubles worse, especially given the past year of deep cuts and chaos.

“This is not going to strengthen the Forest Service, it is going to weaken it,” Bonnie said. “It’s not about solving problems, it’s about blowing things up.”

MARY ERICKSON, a retired Custer Gallatin National Forest supervisor, had more questions than answers after the announcement. “I’m not going to say if it’s good or bad at this point,” she said. “It’s just such a sweeping change with no real analysis about if there would be cost savings.”

Under the new proposal, some states will have their own offices and others will be lumped together, similar to the organization of the Bureau of Land Management. This will be a new approach for the country’s 154 national forests, which have long been managed by the nine regional offices that will be shuttered or repurposed. Now, forests in Washington, Oregon, Montana, Alaska and Idaho will each be managed by their own state office. Forests in Nevada and Utah, however, will be managed together, as will forests in Colorado and Kansas.

Some Forest Service research facilities, including the Rocky Mountain Research Station in Fort Collins, Colorado, will stay open. Others, including the research station in Portland, Oregon, which is responsible for critical work on species like spotted owls, will be closed. Losing local leadership “is not going to improve the programs,” said former Forest Service wildlife biologist Eric Forsman. Forsman, who retired in 2016, studied spotted owls and red tree voles at the agency’s Forestry Sciences Laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon, which will remain in operation. “It may help budgets,” he added, “but it won’t improve the quality of the research or the amount of research that gets done.”

Erickson and others were also concerned about the plan to move high-level bureaucrats out of D.C., where the nation’s law- and policymakers reside. “I would push back on this idea that moving out of D.C. is moving closer to the people you serve. That’s not the role of the national office,” Erickson said. The national office, she added, is supposed to coordinate and create guidance based on national policy. “Forests and districts have always been the heart of local communities and local delivery.”

After talking with current and former Forest Service staffers following Tuesday’s announcement, she also worries that, at least in the short term, disarray created by the reorganization will hamstring the agency’s ability to address the complex and worsening challenges that modern forests face. Those include tree disease outbreaks, the growing wildland-urban interface and climate change-induced drought. The Forest Service is already reeling from the loss of thousands of employees during the last year, through the terminations and deferred resignations effected by the now-defunct Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

The reorganization may also lead to states playing an even bigger role in forest management, said Kevin Hood, executive director of Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, who retired in 2025 after decades working in the Forest Service throughout the West. While local coordination isn’t bad in theory, he said, he’s concerned the new structure will be a step toward ceding the management of national forests and other public lands to states.

Tribal representatives, several of whom declined to comment for this story, voiced concerns during the July public comment process that the reorganization would lead to losses of expertise and fractured relationships. Mass staff relocations, one representative wrote, would “destroy irreplaceable knowledge about Treaty rights, forest conditions, and working relationships built over decades, and new staff unfamiliar with the land will make mistakes.”

FOR MANY PEOPLE in conservation, the Forest Service reorganization feels like déjà vu, or even a recurring nightmare.

In 2019, during Trump’s first term, his administration announced a plan to move nearly all Bureau of Land Management staff out of the agency’s D.C. headquarters to Grand Junction, Colorado — then a 66,000-person city located hundreds of miles from a major airport. As with the March 31 Forest Service announcement, the administration said the change would put high-level staff closer to the mostly-Western lands they manage. Instead, many of those staff left the agency altogether, said Tracy Stone-Manning, who directed the BLM under President Joe Biden and is now president of The Wilderness Society.

In fact, by the time the Grand Junction office opened in 2020, only 41 of the 328 BLM employees expected to move West chose to do so, according to a High Country News investigation. For many, moving meant uprooting their entire family, and required a spouse to find a new job in a much smaller market.

The reorganization cost taxpayers $28 million. And the Biden administration ended up moving many high-level positions back to D.C., though it did keep some agency leaders in the Grand Junction office, which it renamed the agency’s “Western Headquarters.” John Gale, who headed the office for two years under Biden, sees merit in searching for ways to improve public-lands management. But restructuring and relocation need to be done thoughtfully and carefully to be effective, he said.

That’s because agencies lose irreplaceable institutional knowledge when people with decades of experience are forced out the door, said Stone-Manning. And while that may not have been the first Trump administration’s intention, it was indeed the outcome of the BLM reorganization. She and others expect the Forest Service to suffer the same fate, with even more dire results for the public.

“Our public lands are not being cared for the way they need to be,” she said. “And what that means is ultimately people will throw up their hands and say the federal government can’t manage them, let’s sell them off.”

BCHA – E-bike Incident Report Form

30. March 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: BCHI /BCHA, Current Events

PDF: E-Bike Incident Report Form v2

Sawyer – 2026 ASTM F1897 Chap Effectiveness Update

27. March 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Current Events, Education, Safety

PDF: 2026 Effectiveness of Chainsaw Chaps Against Battery Powered Saws

Public Lands – Stibnite Gold Project

19. March 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Current Events, Public Lands

For more than a decade, Perpetua Resources—the junior gold mining company behind the controversial Stibnite Gold Project—has peddled a shifting set of narratives to “sell” their project to Idahoans, investors, and the U.S. Government. As Perpetua moves toward a final investment decision on the project, it’s worth examining how well those narratives have really held up.

The original narrative Perpetua put forth was that their massive new mine was counterintuitively necessary to clean up historic mining issues at the site. However, the U.S. Forest Service concluded in their Final Record of Decision that taking no action at all to address the existing contamination at the site would be less harmful to the environment than proceeding with the Stibnite Gold Project, even assuming that the company’s mining and proposed cleanup work goes perfectly according to plan (which never happens). Perpetua also inaccurately claimed that restoration was only possible through the proposed mine; the Nez Perce Tribe in particular has invested millions of dollars to restore the surrounding watershed and clean up contamination from earlier mining operations at Stibnite.

Perpetua’s second narrative was that the antimony mined at Stibnite would help advance a broader transition to clean energy by supplying a key ingredient for a new type of liquid-metal battery. However, the company designing those batteries (Ambri) filed for bankruptcy in 2024, and you’d be hard pressed to hear Perpetua make any mention of clean energy since President Trump’s reelection.

More recently, Perpetua has leaned heavily on a third—and more politically potent—narrative: that the Stibnite Mine is essential to U.S. national security because it would provide antimony for military uses. At first glance, this claim is compelling. Antimony is used in a range of military applications, and reducing reliance on foreign supply chains for our national defense is a worthwhile goal. But a closer look reveals this argument for what it is: a convenient facade.

In a recent appearance on the mining investor podcast Mining Stock Daily, Perpetua CEO Jon Cherry said the quiet part out loud: “Antimony is the enabler because of the government’s support. The economics are driven all by the gold. Our mine plan is based on gold.” The message could not be more clear: Stibnite is not about antimony, it’s about the gold (and it always was).

Even on its own terms, the antimony narrative is full of holes. Perpetua has acknowledged that a mere 10% of Stibnite’s mined antimony ore will actually be routed to the military. And as it turns out, Stibnite’s antimony might not actually be high enough grade to meet the military’s standards. Recent reporting by Bloomberg highlighted that industry experts and some military officials don’t see Stibnite as the best domestic source of antimony, in part because of the high cost associated with refining their lower grade ore. Multiple projects being pursued elsewhere in the West contain notably higher grade antimony than Stibnite.

Perpetua’s evolving narratives to justify this mine have proved to be misleading at best and downright false at worst. Strip away the mining company rhetoric and what remains is an irresponsible, taxpayer-subsidized open-pit gold mine designed primarily to maximize returns for wealthy shareholders. Perpetua will essentially be using $80 million of government subsidies intended to support antimony production to take $18 billion worth of gold out of the ground. And unlike oil and gas companies that must pay a royalty back to the public for the resources they extract from public lands, Perpetua would pay no such royalties to exploit our public lands thanks to the antiquated Mining Law of 1872.

We need some mines in some places for some reasons. But a massive open-pit gold mine in the headwaters of the South Fork Salmon River—one of Idaho’s most ecologically important watersheds—simply to line investor pockets and stockpile gold bars in faraway vaults? No thanks.

Public Lands – The History & Future of America’s Public Land

19. March 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire, Education, Public Lands

WATCH VIDEO

Walt Dabney, former National Park Service Superintendent and Texas State Park Director, discusses the history and future of America’s public lands. This presentation was filmed at a guide and outfitters training in Moab, Utah. CNHA has supported the parks and public lands of southeastern Utah since 1967. Sales from our retail outlets & online store, memberships and donations support the education and research efforts of our public land partners: The National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and USDA Forest Service.

Education: Back Country Horsemen | Member Story

18. March 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire

The Camp Fire that started it all

BCHA Founders

WATCH VIDEO

BCHA, Who we Are and How to Help

Education – Light on the Land (BCHA)

18. March 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: BCHI /BCHA, Education

LINK TO WEB PAGE
Light-on-the-Land-one-pager-1

Light on the Land Video 1 March 2025

Light-on-the-Land-trifold-with-QR-code-4-15-2025-1

LOl-Curriculum-Final-02-22-24

Public Lands – Trump’s BLM

16. March 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Current Events, Public Lands

READ: BLM -All in on resource extraction

BCHI/BCHA – History

15. March 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire, BCHI /BCHA, Education

CLICK HERE TO READ

Safety – Chainsaw Chaps & Pants

09. March 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire, Education, Safety

There is a lot of confusion about the chainsaw protection standards and how they vary around the world.

Type C, Class 1, chainsaw fabric layers, chainspeed, test methods ….

Understanding the global chainsaw protection standards is becoming increasingly important as arborists explore work opportunities in different countries and as arborist retailers start shipping outside their home country.

We thought that it was time to put a comprehensive guide to chainsaw protection standards together. Grab your popcorn and read on.

The Two Main Global Chainsaw Protection Standards

Broadly speaking, all of the current global standards for chainsaw protective legwear can be classified under two headings: European and North American.

European: currently this is ISO 11393, published in 2018, which replaced EN381
North American: The USA standard,ASTM F1897, is the main document for North America so will be referred to in this paper.

The standards under either of these headings specify the general requirements for design and construction, the protective coverage areas, the performance testing needed, the certification process and the labelling and marking information required.

The Australian/New Zealand standard, AS/NZS 4453 and the Japanese standard JIS T 8125: 2022 are virtually direct copies of ISO 11393, so for the purposes of this paper these will be grouped under the European heading.

The Canadian standard, ASTM F3325, is very similar to ASTM F1897 so comes under the North American heading READ MORE

Your chainsaw safety gear is important. Really important. Continuing cases of chainsaw injuries show that there is a real need to educate chainsaw operators on the correct selection and use of chainsaw safety gear.

This guide examines the different styles and options of chainsaw PPE available to the user and how to choose the best chainsaw protection for your unique situation.

There are two main types of chainsaw safety apparel, chainsaw trousers or chainsaw chaps. Both have the special fabric permanently sewn into the garment. Within each of these styles of garment there are variations designed to meet the differing needs encountered by those who use a chainsaw.

When deciding which style and which product is best suited for your needs there are a number of factors to consider:

1. How often you use the chainsaw
2. The type of work you are doing
3. The environment you are working in
4. The quality/durability you desire
5. The standards and/or regulations governing the work you are doing
6. You/your company’s budget and safety culture

Factor 1: How often you use the chainsaw

If you are using a chainsaw frequently as part of your normal daily work, you should consider wearing chainsaw pants rather than chaps. In general, pants will be lighter overall than chaps worn over a pair of standard jeans. Chainsaw trousers will be more comfortable and there are no straps that can get snagged on branches or machinery.

Think about the time taken to put chaps on and off during a day, whereas with trousers you always have your chainsaw protection with you.

From a company’s perspective, if the staff are all wearing chainsaw trousers, you will have peace of mind knowing that good safety practices are being followed. With chaps, it is all too easy to avoid the hassle of putting them on just to perform a small cutting job.

Modern chainsaw trousers are made using technical fabrics and complex designs for a better fit and higher level of comfort. READ MORE

2026 Sportsman Show booth

09. March 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire, Public Lands, Trail Volunteer Groups

Back Country Horsemen of Idaho hosted a booth at the Idaho Sportsman Show March 5-6 that informed the public about all the various volunteer groups that do trail work on public lands as part of their charter. Members from BCHI, ITA, SBFC, TVTMA, Boise Ridge Riders, CC-ATV, Emmett Rough Riders and Idaho ATV manned the booth during the show and handed out information about both motorized and non-motorized group that might be of interest to the show attendee’s. They also told the public what their specific group does on public lands and how to get involved. The general feeling was the booth was very successful and these groups have committed to supporting a “Trails” booth in 2027/

Safety – Higher End first aid kit

06. March 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Education, Safety

WEBSITE

Public Lands – BLM vs Bison

04. March 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire, Current Events, Public Lands

High Desert Speakers Series

03. March 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire

Public Lands – In the News

03. March 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire, Current Events, Public Lands

Snow // White Water

Education – R4 Advanced Crosscut Workshop – CA

27. February 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Education

Good day everyone,

We are looking forward to hosting a crosscut workshop on the Carson City Ranger District of the Humbolt-Toiyabe National Forest.

The dates will be April 6^th-9^th. Location will be Markleeville Guard Station (55 Turtle Rock Rd, Markleeville, CA 96120). We will meet at 0900 on Monday the 6^th and go a Risk Assessment/Safety Protocol followed by a discussion about dealing with hazard trees and mitigations. The first day will comprise of review and discussion to help reduce the number of incidents and lessons learned from folks in the field. Then we will start the recertification process for lapsed C-Evaluators first.

We will then split into appropriately sized groups based on the ratio of evaluators/participants.

The purpose of this training will be to increase the capacity of qualified sawyers and evaluators within our region and extending into our partner groups so that we can support our local staff needs.

Everyone in attendance should have previous crosscut experience and gone through the Developing Thinking Sawyers curriculum. If you need a review please reach out to me for materials.

Please fill out attached nomination form and respond by March 6^th if you can attend or have folks that you would like to attend. Our capacity will be limited to 20 participants.

Additionally, we are still looking for qualified C Level Evaluators. If you have availability please reach out.

Accommodations:

There may be dispersed camping in the area surrounding the guard station, Carson City is about a 45 min drive to the cut site. There are other small towns such as Alpine Village and Fredericksburg, CA plus Gardnerville, NV that also offer lodging so please plan accordingly.

Dispersed Camping option: https://maps.app.goo.gl/SbaUqkAUGwGBZh5b8

Developed Campsite option: https://maps.app.goo.gl/vdor2EZJJ4KB9cHA8

Contact Tyler Dayberry or myself if you have any questions about the area or the training.

I will follow up with an itinerary and gear list to individuals once selections are made.

Thank you.

Nomination Region 4 Crosscut Workshop

Public Lands – WRTC 2025 Report

20. February 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Current Events, Trail Volunteer Groups

2025 Impact Report

LINK

The White House’s pick to lead America’s parks is a hospitality executive

19. February 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire, Current Events

Trump’s Pick to Lead National Parks? An Executive Who Manages Private Hotels Within National Parks

The White House announced a new director of the National Park Service (NPS) last week — and parks advocacy groups are not happy about the choice.

Hospitality executive Scott Socha is President Trump’s pick to lead the NPS, according to a list of new federal appointments announced on Feb. 11. Unlike many past directors of the NPS, Socha has no apparent experience in public service or conservation.

Moreover, Socha’s company, Delaware North, specializes in hotels and resorts, many of which are located within national parks. Delaware North has even successfully sued the NPS over the ownership of iconic names, including “Yosemite National Park.”

The Senate must still confirm the nomination of Socha, who is “totally qualified” to implement Trump’s plans for the parks, a White House spokesperson told GearJunkie on Tuesday. “Scott looks forward to implementing America First initiatives, such as increasing park access for American families, reducing permitting burdens, and raising money for conservation projects,” spokesperson Taylor Rogers said.

However, parks groups point out that Trump’s plans for the park service have also included a proposed $900 million cut, which parks organizations have said would shutter hundreds of NPS sites around the country.

READ MORE

Education – Developing Thinking Sawyers Curricula

18. February 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Education

Public Facing Website : Developing Thinking Sawyers Curricula | Powered by Box

To present this material you must hold a current USFS “C” level sawyer card and have an endorsement letter from the regional saw coordinator.

Sawyer – Justin Nash as the National Saw Program Manager

17. February 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Current Events

Good morning all,

I would like to announce Justin Nash as the National Saw Program Manager (NTE 120 detail) with a start date of February 22, 2026. Nash, Justin – FS, <justin.nash@usda.gov>

Nash grew up in a small town near Yosemite National Park, where his early experiences in the outdoors fostered a lifelong commitment to natural resource stewardship. He began his wildland fire career in California in 2007 and has extensive experience across multiple disciplines, from local operations to national-level fire management.

A graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno’s Rangeland Ecology Program, Justin combines academic expertise with practical leadership in fire operations. The Wildland Firefighter Apprenticeship Program played a pivotal role in his early career development, and he continues to contribute as an instructor each year. Justin has extensive experience in the Forest Service saw program and has served as a forest saw program manager and designated regional program instructor.

Justin’s career reflects a strong commitment to advancing operational excellence and workforce development within the fire organization. Outside of work, he enjoys exploring national forests with his wife, Jess, and their two dogs, continuing the connection to the outdoors that began in the shadow of Yosemite.

Congratulations to Justin Nash who will be detailed in as the USFS National Saw Program Manager. As many of you already know, Justin has spent a large part of his career here in Region 4 on the Humboldt Toiyabe NF and has been an integral part of our saw program. He will be an outstanding addition to our National Saw Program as we continue to move forward.

Sawyer – Annual Incident Review Summary for 2025

11. February 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Education, Safety

Tinker Bugs Prescribed Fire Tree Fatality SAI and Annual Incident Review Summary for 2025

Good afternoon all. Attached is the Annual Incident Review Summary for 2025 that the Lessons Learned Center just recently released. Within the summary for 2025, it includes 26 Hit by Tree incidents, 12 of which were during tree felling operations. Also highlighted are 11 chainsaw cut incidents, six that occurred because of kickback. The lessons and numbers affiliated with these events fill the pages with opportunities to learn. Please, take an opportunity to review these incidents and the links provided in the summary.

Also attached is the Tinker Bugs Prescribed Fire Hit by Tree Fatality Serious Accident Investigation where an Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) firefighter, Isabella Oscarson, was struck by a fire weakened tree causing fatal injuries while conducting prescribed fire operations on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest. “This report is dedicated to her memory, her service, and the spirit of leadership and kindness she embodied. — Through Learning we honor the fallen.”

There are a number of incident reviews, including saw and tree related, on the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center database that are very easily filtered. If you aren’t familiar with the website, here is the link: https://lessons.fs2c.usda.gov/ Thanks and please let me know if you have any questions.

2025 Incident Review Summary

Tinker Bugs Prescribed Fire Hit by Tree Fatality Serious Accident Investigation

Public Lands – ITA 2025 Annual Report

09. February 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire, Public Lands

2025-Annual-Report-final

Public Lands – Idaho’s Great Rift

09. February 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire, Public Lands

And within it lies something just as remarkable: the Great Rift — a chain of deep volcanic cracks and fissures stretching across the landscape.
According to the Bureau of Land Management, it’s considered one of the largest and most recently formed volcanic rift systems on land in the continental United States.
“At 635 square miles, it is considered to be the largest, deepest, and most recent volcanic rift system in the continental United States,” the agency notes. “Many of Idaho’s most fascinating geological features lie along this potential wilderness.”

Idaho’s Great Rift is one of only a few known volcanic rift systems of its kind on Earth. Another, far more expansive rift, stretches from Ethiopia to Mozambique in eastern Africa.
“The Great Rift System is a volcanic rift zone that consists of eruptive fissures, cinder cones and other volcanic vents, non-eruptive fissures, and faults confined to a narrow belt,” the National Park Service’s website notes. “Most of the recent volcanic activity on the Snake River Plain is located along volcanic rift zones, which trend roughly perpendicular to the axis of the Snake River Plain.”
The Great Rift begins at Craters of the Moon — the northernmost lava field. The rift cuts down over 50 miles southeast from the Pioneer Mountains, landing at the Wapi Lava Field.

MWNB – Fast Moving Grassfires – New Research

09. February 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire, Education

Something wicked nearly returned to the Colorado Front Range as 2025 drew to a close. Records were being set throughout December, with temperatures reaching well into the 70s.

And then the winds came.

“We have wind potential that could gust up to 100mph for some folks today,” CBS News Colorado’s Alex Lehnert told her viewers on Dec. 19.

For the first time in Colorado history, the National Weather Service declared a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” for Boulder County and other nearby communities. Standard red flag wildfire warnings were issued for a long swath that stretched north into Wyoming.

The extreme weather posed “a significant threat to life and property in the event of a wildfire start,” the Boulder County Sheriff’s Department warned residents. “New or existing fire ignitions will have a high risk for very rapid fire spread.” READ FULL STORY: MWNB – Fast Moving Grassfires

Education – Online training oppertunities

08. February 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: BCHI /BCHA, Education

March 17, 2026: ‘Light on the Land’ Packing & Riding:

MORE INFORMATION

Public Lands – Sage Grouse

07. February 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire, Public Lands

Josephine Woolington Feb 2026

As a child, Lytle Denny learned where blue grouse, ruffed grouse, sharp-tailed grouse and greater sage grouse lived. A member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, he scouted the high-desert landscape during family hunting trips on the tribes’ ancestral homelands in southeastern Idaho. His dad preferred hunting deer and elk, but Denny developed an affinity for grouse.

The family hunted together as a group. Denny moved quietly through the silver-green sagebrush, hoping to hear the sudden heavy wingbeats of a startled bird. His family watched, waiting for a flush, not just of grouse but of mammals, too. “So it worked together,” he said. “We’d get birds and big game.” READ MORE

Rare bird: Sage grouse are both unique and imperiled

Much of sage grouse physiology and behavior — from the yellow air sacs that males inflate during mating displays to the species’ preference for eating plants — is unusual for a bird.

Avian evolution has favored light weight for easier flight, leading to hollow bones and small organs. But sage grouse evolved “heavy machinery,” as Boise State University researcher Jennifer Forbey described it — large organs and specialized guts — to digest sagebrush leaves, which are toxic to most animals.

From September to February, sage grouse eat sagebrush almost exclusively, preferring the tiny, silver-green leaves of low-growing species like early and mountain big sage. Scientists have found that these species fluoresce under ultraviolet light due to chemical properties in their leaves. Sage grouse have photoreceptors in their eyes that allow them to see UV light, and researchers like Forbey think that this glow may help the birds locate the plants. Female grouse teach their chicks where to find food, passing on what Forbey called “nutritional wisdom.” Both males and females return to the same breeding, nesting and chick-rearing sites every year, generation after generation.

But the birds’ loyalty and diet are no longer well-suited for today’s landscape, transformed since settlers arrived.

Every year, 1.3 million acres of sagebrush steppe is lost, primarily to wildfires fueled by cheatgrass that has spread, in part, by way of extensive livestock grazing. Unfortunately, animals that rely heavily on one food source — like koalas, pandas and sage grouse — “tend to be the most vulnerable to extinction,” Forbey said. — Josephine Woolington

Public Lands – Unified Wildland Firefighting Agency

07. February 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Current Events, Public Lands

Interior Dept blazes ahead on unified wildland firefighting agency, without Congress endorsing plans

The Wildland Fire Service also stops short of folding in wildland fire personnel or programs from the USDA’s Forest Service.
The Interior Department is blazing ahead with a reorganization plan that will bring all of its wildland firefighting operations into a single agency.

Starting next week, the department’s wildland fire employees and programs will be moved into a new Wildland Fire Service.

Congress did not approve funds for the consolidation of federal firefighting programs into a single agency. The Wildland Fire Service also stops short of merging wildland fire personnel or programs from the USDA’s Forest Service with those same resources at the Interior Department.

An internal memo sent to staff on Monday states the Wildland Fire Service “will unify wildland fire management within DOI only.”

According to the memo, obtained by Federal News Network, the Wildland Fire Service will “align operations” with USDA through shared procurement, predictive services, research, and policy reforms.

“The success of these efforts will rely on ongoing support from Congress to secure the necessary funding and authorities needed to implement and sustain these important reforms,” the memo states.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order last summer requiring the Interior Department and USDA to consolidate their wildland fire programs “to the maximum degree practicable and consistent with applicable law.” The Trump administration’s fiscal 2026 budget request noted that wildland fire response has been split across five agencies in two departments.

A comprehensive spending deal to fund the Interior Department through the end of fiscal 2026 did not endorse the Trump administration’s plans to consolidate federal wildland firefighting operations into a single agency.

Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee wrote in a summary of the Interior spending bill last month that the spending package “specifically provides funding to continue wildland firefighting using the longstanding practice of funding both the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to allow Congress to consider legislative proposals for such a major change.”

Most of Interior’s wildland fire personnel will move over to the Wildland Fire Service starting Feb. 8. Last month, Brian Fennessy, former chief of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and former fire chief of the Orange County Fire Authority, was tapped to serve as the new chief of the Wildland Fire Service.

The Wildland Fire Service will merge the wildland fire operations of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Land Management, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the Office of Aviation Services and the Office of Wildland Fire.
By unifying wildland fire programs spread across four DOI bureaus and two offices, the Interior Department expects to “eliminate redundancies and build a more cohesive workforce.”

“This integration paves the way for streamlined training, stronger recruitment, and greater career growth for Interior wildland fire personnel,” the memo states.

Last fall, an employee group called Grassroots Wildland Firefighters applauded greater coordination between the Interior Department and the Forest Service but said these actions “do not yet go far enough.”

“We know the limits of what can be done through executive action alone. At the same time, we know the limits of what can be done through executive action alone. Lasting reform — true consolidation of our nation’s wildfire workforce under experienced fire leaders in a single, mission-driven organization — will ultimately require congressional action,” the group said in a press release.

Interior said the next steps to stand up the Wildland Fire Service will “occur in deliberative phases to ensure continuity of operations and readiness for wildfire activity in 2026.”

Interior Secretary Burgum issued a departmentwide order last month calling for the unification of the disparate wildland fire operations and activities.

An earlier order from Burgum specified that the Wildland Fire Service would function more as a “strategic alignment of resources” between Interior and the Forest Service, including early fire detection technology, planes and vehicles and modernized communication tools, to ensure “cross-team coordination when jointly fighting wildland fires.”

Wildfires cost the United States hundreds of billions of dollars, posing a risk to national security, public health, energy infrastructure and water sources.

Monday’s memo states that the Wildland Fire Service “positions DOI to harness cutting-edge technology more efficiently,” and invest in advanced wildland firefighting tools.

“By streamlining the chain of command from the firefighter on the ground straight up to the chief, the USWFS will eliminate bureaucratic hurdles and ensure decisive, timely action during wildfire incidents. This clarity in decision-making will strengthen coordination and accelerate response efforts when every second counts,” the memo states.

Tribal wildland fire programs will also be included in the new Wildland Fire Service. The memo states the Interior Department will continue to “honor and administer” current contracts and agreements with tribal wildland fire authorities, and that its Bureau of Indian Affairs will help transfer existing contracts and agreements over to the Wildland Fire Service.

Education – A life Outside (PBS)

05. February 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Current Events, Education

WATCH VIDEO
This documentary pays homage to Wyoming’s pioneering mountain guides and their crucial contributions to the advancement of safe and empowering climbing practices. By weaving together the stories of legendary figures like Glenn Exum and Paul Petzoldt with contemporary narratives, the film will serve as an enduring source of heritage, wisdom, and inspiration for the broad and interconnected community deeply invested in mountaineering and outdoor pursuits.

With Wyoming PBS content you can delve into Wyoming history, explore the breathtaking beauty of our iconic national parks, and immerse yourself in the inspiring tales of Native American leaders, ranching life, the wonders of nature, and the many things to do in Wyoming. Whether you’re seeking inspiring narratives or planning your next adventure in our beautiful state, WY PBS is your trusted guide.

Subscribe to our channel: / wyomingpbs

Idaho Sportsmen Bill Tracker

30. January 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire

Bookmark our 2026 Idaho Wildlife Bill Tracker to keep the bills that matter in your scope.

Find your local legislators https://legislature.idaho.gov/legislators/whosmylegislator/

Outdoor Cooking – Dutch Oven’s

30. January 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Education, Tips, Tricks and Tid Bits

Hi Heather, Dan and Rob,

Thank you for sharing your wilderness/trail resources! My family and I are headed out to Joshua Tree next week for our annual camping trip and we’re super excited! I’m putting together our packing checklist and meal plan now. Your backpacking/campfire recipes were fantastic – I’m glad we came across the Squaw Butte Back Country Horsemen’s Training & Documentation page. We found this on Dutch Oven cooking and wanted to share.

Dutch Oven-2026

Education – Three Public Chainsaw Sawyer Workshops available in SW Idaho

27. January 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Education

USFS Developing Thinking Sawyer Chain Saw Academic Training Opportunities

1^st Class

Where: Carl’s Cycles, 5550 W State Street, Boise, ID

When: Wednesday Feb 4th/Feb 11^th 6-9 pm

(Broken into two 2 – 3 hour sessions)

2^nd Class (Preregistration Required for access to NG Base)

Where: Gowen Field, Regional Maintenance Training Site, 4355 W. Harvard St. Bldg. 806 Boise, ID 83705

When: Saturday March 7^th 830am to 4pm

3rd Class

Where: Classroom with be held in Sweet, ID from 08:30 to 16:00 on Saturday May 3, 2026

What is a Sawyer?

In March of 2023 the USFS released “Developing Thinking Sawyer” a module-based chain saw training course developed with seasonal fire crews and volunteers in mind. This two-day course consists of 6-8 hours classroom and demonstration, followed by a day in the field working on various sawyer problems and certification evaluation. DTS covers both Chainsaw and Crosscut and is recognized by all three federal land agencies.

USFS certifications for non-fire employees and volunteers are:

Apprentice “A” bucker , “A” bucker/faller

Requires a B or C sawyer to be supervising

Journeyman “B” bucker , “B” bucker/faller

Master “C” bucker , “C” bucker/faller

Sawyers can hold multiple levels of certification on one card. Example: Chainsaw: C-bucker, B-faller; Crosscut: B-bucker/faller.

Chainsaw Sawyers must be 18 at the time of their field day and have a valid First Aid Card.

“B” sawyers require the full DTS training with an extra day if falling certification is required.

“C” sawyers require multiple years of experience and completion of DTS and an additional advanced workshop.

Sawyer Certification cards are valid for 3 years before recertification is required. Recertification can be compressed with a ½ day classroom refresher and a ½ day in the field.

First Aid/CPR cards generally are valid for 2 years.

Why is sawyer training important?

The federal public lands agencies require all people doing trail work on public lands to be under a volunteer agreement or some sort of contract. Those under volunteer agreements must posses the same training certifications as agencies summer employees, first aid/CPR and if running a saw, a sawyer certification. “Volunteers will be covered by USFS workman’s compensation and liability insurance, while working on projects approved by the land agency.”

With the crazy weather across Idaho in Dec of 2025, we are already seeing an incredible amount of trees blown down due to the high precipitation and warm weather when the crazy wind storms came through. The 2026 riding season will be impacted by the amount of trees that have fallen. Its going to be vital for safe and effective clearing of trees with chainsaws.

Cost.

DTS Workshop are free to any volunteer who is a member of a group with a Volunteer Agreement.

What to bring?

Bring an open mind to safe and effective chainsaw training. All PPE and saws will be provided at the field days.

First Aid Training (Required prior to field day)

Best: Wilderness First Aid Boise, ID WFA | Idaho Rescue Training

Minimum: Adult First Aid/CPR/AED Online

How to Sign up?

Please RSVP with Rob Adams (moosely.adams@gmail.com) and Dan Waugh (dan.p.waugh@gmail.com).

Field Day.

Field Days will be held north of the Pine Flats Campground on the Banks-Lowman Road west of Lowman, ID

Sign-up and Safety Meeting will be completed before 10:00, Field Day 10:00 to 15:00

In the past this area has been snow free by early April

Dates: Sunday April 19, Sunday April 26, Sunday May 3 & Saturday May 9

Education – Wolf / Cougar Study in Yellowstone National Park

27. January 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Education, Public Lands

Wolf-Cougar Study YNP

Public Lands – BLM Director Who Wants to Sell Public Land | Fresh Tracks Weekly

22. January 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Education, Public Lands

WATCH VIDEO

Public Lands – US House votes Wednesday to strip conservation measures that safeguard the wilderness

22. January 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire, Current Events, Public Lands

The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a resolution Wednesday that puts a copper-nickel mine on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness one step closer to reality. Taking an unprecedented approach to using the relatively novel Congressional Review Act, the House voted 214-208 in favor of overturning a 20-year mining moratorium that was established in 2023. These current protections cover 225,504 acres in the Superior National Forest and center around the Rainy River Watershed that lies upstream of the BWCA.

“The Boundary Waters is the pinnacle of wild places,” says Matthew Schultz with Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters. “The chance of polluting a place like that to me is pretty crazy. It just doesn’t shake out.” READ MORE

Public Lands – Idaho constitutional amendment proposed by state senator

22. January 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Current Events, Public Lands

Idaho Sen. Ben Adams public lands amendment

Idaho state Sen. Ben Adams, R-Nampa, introduces a proposed amendment to the Idaho Constitution that prevents the state from selling future public lands it obtains from the federal government. (Clark Corbin/Idaho Capital Sun)

An Idaho state senator on Wednesday introduced a proposal to amend the state constitution to protect public lands acquired by the state from the federal government.

Sen. Ben Adams, R-Nampa, first announced his proposal in August, well ahead of the 2026 legislative session that began this month, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. He unveiled the draft text of the amendment later that month.

Adams told the Senate State Affairs Committee on Wednesday that since unveiling his proposal, he’s had conversations with residents and industry leaders all over the state.

“I wanted feedback. I wanted a lot of feedback, because it deals with a very personal matter for every Idahoan, and that is our public land here in Idaho,” Adams said.

He said he slightly changed the text from his August proposal, but “the intent did not change.” READ MORE

ITA – Old Saw – January 2026

22. January 2026 · Comments Off · Categories: Around The Campfire, Current Events

We’re looking forward to hosting a number of webinars over the next few months to help get you ready for hiking season.

Youth Program FAQs

Come learn about our Youth Trail Program for ages 14-18!

February 10 @ 6pm PT/ 7pm MT

Backcountry Cooking Webinar

Learn how to make backcountry meals that are simple, nourishing, and actually taste good with Kristina Schmid, founder of EmpowHer Outdoors.

February 11 @ 6pm PT/ 7pm MT

2026 Season Kickoff Webinar

This is your chance to get a sneak peek at the year’s best projects and learn how you can be part of making a difference on Idaho’s incredible trails.

February 26 @ 6pm PT/ 7pm MT

Basic Wilderness Survival & First Aid Webinar

Kristina from EmpowHer Outdoors will help you build confidence in the outdoors by learning essential wilderness survival and basic first aid skills.

March 11 @ 6pm PT/ 7pm MT

READ MORE

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What’s allowed in wilderness?

Coalition of Conservation Groups Asks Court to Halt Construction of Stibnite Gold Mine

liminating Regional offices and creating State offices

The importance of a Washington presence

Institutional knowledge

Research at risk

The Ugly

The Two Main Global Chainsaw Protection Standards

Factor 1: How often you use the chainsaw

Trump’s Pick to Lead National Parks? An Executive Who Manages Private Hotels Within National Parks

Interior Dept blazes ahead on unified wildland firefighting agency, without Congress endorsing plans

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