Hundreds of U.S. Forest Service employees in Wyoming opened their inbox Wednesday to find a consoling message from their chief that offered some clarity to the resignations, layoffs and turmoil that have dogged the federal agency for weeks.
It was a welcomed note for many, albeit one conveyed while Forest Service Chief Randy Moore was announcing his resignation.
“For me, sitting in Wyoming in Region 2, this is the first email of this kind that has come out since this all started,” one Forest Service employee said on Wednesday morning. “Usually I delete these emails, but I actually saved this email. I think it says everything that I’ve been wanting to hear from his level.”
WyoFile is granting the employee anonymity due to the potential for retribution.
Amid an information lockdown, the email from Moore, the Forest Service’s chief since 2021, offered some clarity and empathy. The workforce “will continue to be unsettling for a while,” he wrote in a missive that attempts to raise downtrodden staffers’ spirits.
“We provide drinking water to over 80 million Americans. We also help provide energy independence to the nation, issuing nearly 3,000 oil and gas leases,” Moore wrote. “I say that to say this: You and the work you do is vital to the American way of life and you are a valued employee who has performed admirably.”
The precise toll that downsizing related to the Trump administration and billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has inflicted on the national and Wyoming workforce remains unclear. But some national forests and ranger districts have been walloped: The Bridger-Teton National Forest, for example, lost over 40 full-time employees, according to sources familiar with the losses. Nationally, roughly 2,000 probationary employees have been axed within the Forest Service.
The past several weeks, Moore wrote, “has been incredibly difficult.”
“As part of a broader effort to reduce the size of the federal government, we parted ways with colleagues we worked alongside, who successfully contributed to our mission, and who were valued members of our Forest Service team,” the Forest Service chief wrote in his farewell email.
Moore, a soil scientist by training, was the 20th chief of the Forest Service and the first African American to hold the position. He retires on Monday after 45 years of employment with the federal government. His goodbye email is posted below.
Unfortunately another dedicated and ethical federal civil servant, forced to resign, then destroy the agency he has devoted his life to. Shame in the Republican party for what they are allowing.
Wow, just wow. How do we come to this point in time? A convicted felon, who swayed the right to believe, the government was stealing from them. I grew up in the 1970’s and 1980’s. I was raised in a Forest Service family, on Smokey the Bear, Eagles, and National Parks. My dad was a Civil Engineer with the Forest Service and retired…life was good. I believe Fox News brain washed my dad and mom. Never in my life did I see a personality change with my parents until Trump came into office. My dad voted for Trump in 2016,, but he died in 2021. I don’t think he would have been ok that Musk would say is job was nonessential. I think he would be outraged with what is happening with are National Parks. As his daughter, I know that I am! He cared about the wolves and the eagles…I cannot believe he would be ok with this. We used to be a great country. Not so much now. Forest Service used to be family…I grew up in that family.
Tragic. We will pay the price as Trump replaces career dedicate employees with his toadies, sycophants, and incompetents.
Hopefully, no one in most of these positions will be replaced.
I am a retired U.S.F.S fisheries biologists and I have resided in southeast Wyoming for almost forty-four years. Several commentors to this article seem to clearly miss the point about what is causing the destruction of the federal government by President Trump and Elon Musk. The federal workforce is about the same size as it was fifty years ago. What has changed is the number of private companies that have substantial contracts with the federal government: companies owned by Elon Mush, Jeff Bezos and the like. President Trump is supporting and encouraging a federal budget resolution that calls for more than 4.6 trillion dollars in tax cuts for billionaires and corporations in addition to raising the debt limit by more than four trillion dollars. A blind person could see the logic at play. The potential savings from the reductions-in-force of the federal workforce will be orders of magnitude less contributive to the nation’s debt than the proposed tax cuts and the increase in the debit limit.
Let’s see how this madness plays out in the coming fire season, hurricane season, and Tornado season, which will be just a preview of the hurt in store for this country.
As a former Wyoming resident, particularly from Jackson, these firings and cutbacks are the most irresponsible actions I have ever seen and the Republicans should be ashamed of themselves. Wyoming is over 70% government land. Teton County alone has only 10 to 15% private land holdings meaning a Federal Workforce is responsible for the upkeep of the National Parks, National Forest, BLM, Elk Refuge, and the John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway. So when 2.5 million tourists pass through next summer who is going to take care of the services? Who is going to handle increased crime rates? Who is going to handle the infrastructure? Who is going to handle the camping in the National Forests? Who is going to handle the mountain trails and paths? I swear, grade school students could make better decisions than these clowns. When will Wyoming stop being a yes hind-end kisser and stand up for yourselves and what is right for the State? It seems not one single soul has any critical thinking skills left in that state that I have been following. Money talks and BS walks, right? a
Who, you ask? My guess is private companies where the same billionaires will make more profit. They will either privatize the work of the Forest Service or sell off the government land. Greed and power is always their motivation.
I can not believe some of the comments provided on this article. The vitriol, the hostility and maliciousness is hard for me to wrap my head around. Have we become a society of people that can so callously pounce on another’s plight with no compassion for the person/persons affected. Certainly you are entitled to your opinion, and yes the 1st amendment grants you the right to free speech. But just because you have the right to do so, doesn’t always make it the right thing to do.
While the situation is tough and Government is not used to reductions in force, we can either let the current administration “inflict” these changes or one of the countries that are holding a majority of the $37 trillion in US debt can impose the changes when the time comes we can no longer service it our national debt. Your choice, reduce now or be reduced by an unfriendly county – and that will be a true infliction.
The Federal government cannot continue to spend more than it takes in. It has to stop somewhere.
We sure seem to be able to produce a new billionare every 4 or 5 days in America. It’s also interesting that the Forest services budget is about 1 percent of the military budget, that include fire fighting. Amazing for a country thats so broke.
They are attempting to cut 2 trillion in order to get congressmen to sign on to INCREASING the debt limit by 4 trillion. Even in the best case scenario, it still puts us further in debt. This was never about decreasing the deficit. At this point, all roads lead to inflation.
Chief Rangy Moore. I am so proud of the man you are. I wish all bosses would show the concern and kindness to their employ’s you have expressed here. Go forward and enjoy you retirement. Go share your precious time with those you love. I am so proud in my lifetime to have enjoyed you friendship and watching you be a mentor for our family. So happy to say the Moore family will always be in my thoughts and prayers. Love you all.
Naturally, job cuts and trimming of Gov services to this magnitude are going to upset folks! Particularly those who worked 24 hrs & got paid for 40!!
I spent my career in Law Enforcement & DNR Resources
Warden services ! The waste & laziness in government services is unbelievable! Keep in mind I m referring to 30-35% of the employees!! All agencies have their honest, hard working, dedicated folks who carry the load for the “slugs”!! State & Federal deposit being the worst for excess workers, ( 2 people performing the production of a single person’s job)! I loved my job and thus donated hundreds of hours to the mission without
Pay ! I have seen DNR services lock the front office door with a dozen staffers then relaxing in front of their computers, feet up on the desk, waiting for 4:00 !!
I can only imagine how deep the “swamp” really is in D.C.!!!
KUDOS to President Trump & all with the courage to finally chop off some government “fat” !! So much more to do , Welfare & the free handouts !! There are plenty of jobs, forget setting around listening to James Carville , Whoppie, & all the rich celebrity elites!! Look no further than Calif to see how, in a couple decades, a beautiful state can fall into ruins!! “Those who do not learn from history, are doomed to repeat it”!! And now..
Here they come with the re intro of WOLVES !! We eradicated most of them for good reason !!!
But it’s not difficult to figure, wolves will kill everything so hunting won’t be needed, no hunting= no need for guns !!!!!!
If we ever lose our 2nd Amend, America is finished!!!!
NW Wisconsin
DNR is state. This is fed. Also save some exclamation points for the rest of us. Why does every cheesehead have to be so loud and obnoxious? Is it genetic?
I am so very sorry to hear this just happened to you, with Elon Musk’s Destruction Of Government Efficiency. I thank you and appreciate the work you put into helping others, in the Forest Service!! Just let the false accusations about your performance or anything about YOU, go on one ear and straight out the other. They are just really, horrible excuses for getting rid of as many people as they feel, so long as Elon Musk feels good about what he’s accomplishing. And, he is not accomplishing anything other Destruction of this Country and its Federal services and employees and Americans lives being thrown into a living Hell! But, he loves that. He’s the richest man in the entire world, and he is playing with Countries, especially the United States, like it’s his own personal game of “Battleship or Risk”!! It’s sickening. Once again, I’m sorry that happened to you. But, don’t let it take away any of your
self-confidence!! I hope you find a better, more secure job out there! Good Luck 🤞🏻👍🏻
I had to restrain myself from replying to Randy, telling him how disappointed I was in him. He came from my region but quickly turned into a “system man”. I’ll never forget how he threw us under the bus in 2021.
How did he “throw you’ under the bus? I’m just curious, because I’ve never heard of this man. I do live on the East Coast, though. So, it kind of makes sense that I wouldn’t know who he is. LoL
I worked in for the Forest Service in North fork, Idaho as a fisheries biotech from 5/2001-9/2001. Never had I seen such a waste of government moneys as in the Upper Management who were required to show up for work twice a month and paid over $72,000. per year! When they were there they busy doing make work, blocking Forest roads, harassing ranchers and aerial spraying pristine areas of the forest with poisonous herbicides along the area of the Middle fork of the Salmon river because of what they deemed to invasive plants! It was a joke. So glad they are thinning these parasites out . It’s about time!
Never came to work you mean you never saw field officers doing field work. I’m sure your five months of service prepped you for all of the problems, but I recall my service there was full of hard working folks who did more with less. But I guess my 12 years must’ve hidden all that. Never saw more waste than I did in the private sector! These rats hate us all and we’re suckers for believing in their agenda.
Wow… four months of experience from 23+ years ago. Amazing insight!
Rich. I can personally tell you how government works. We used to have to “buy” materials from ships store. Roll of electrical tape that cost $22.50 a roll. Same roll you could buy at hardware stores for $1.50. This was 1973 I carry the burns from reusing electrical tape on high voltage line because the E-8 Cheif wouldn’t use new.
Your anecdotal story from 50 years ago means nothing Larry.
We citizens of USA can handle it.
He provides drinking water to 80 million people? I doubt that.
See ya.
I just cried while reading this article/email. I was a 5th year Rec Tec on the Nez Perce/Clearwater Forest but was made permanent about 9 months ago.
Mostly I cleaned bathrooms but sawed open roads, fell hazard trees and helped people any way that I could. I worked hard but I loved my job.
When I got my layoff email about a week ago I felt like I got gut punched hard. Especially when I read the part that ” I haven’t demonstrated ….that it would be in the best interest of the public”, despite the fact that 100% of my performance reviews are exceptional!
The most difficult thing about all this craziness for me has been the complete lack of empathy from seemingly everyone.
There is no such thing as a “permanent” employee.was told that about 45 years ago right out of college. Anybody ever telling you you’re a permanent employee should’ve been fired
I am empathize with you. What happened to you is NOT OK! I am sorry, Brian
This happened back in 1994 buy outs early outs temps & probationary let go. No hiring for 3 years. So those left did the work of those let go & Those who took early out & buyout. We did it with no temporary promotions for performance of higher grade work duties. No news media came to report the dismay. I also recall making sure to go home & change out of our uniform to avoid nasty glares & nasty comments from the public.
Call it a controlled bankruptcy.
Any individual in the kind of debt the USA is in, would have EVERYTHING taken away.
36.5 trillion….
We won’t see 40 trillion, might not even see 37
And yet the Republicans want to give further tax breaks to the uber-rich. These cuts to our cherished institutions are NOT about saving money. They’re about consolidating control of our Federal government.
The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something that you don’t know anything about.
Bill, why don’t you explain it to us, if you know so much about the situation? I know I’m not the only one who would love to hear what we are so ignorant about.
“Cherished Institutions” have been WASTING TRILLIONS for generations.
The only thing keeping this nation from defaulting is the Military threat we hold over the rest of the world and being able to PRINT the World’s reserve currency with reckless abandon to cover our loses..
You can call it whatever you like. Truth is, it’s a dumpster fire and this is totally unnecessary. There are ways to reduce the workforce, we’ve seen it several times. This administration is the most corrupt ever, firing all the IGs and other government watchdogs who would otherwise be investigating them. If you prefer tax cuts for billionaire bed-wetters over health insurance for the needy and food for those who need it, that’s your right. Just keep praying for your family and friends, they’re going to need it.