As we head into the end of the fiscal year and look ahead to fiscal year 2025, this is where the Forest Service stands: Two weeks ago and this week, I met with our Executive Leadership Team, station directors and regional foresters to work on a strategy to plan the FY 2025 allocations in a potentially budget-limited future. We are approaching this challenge with great care and with a stewarding the whole approach, which means prioritizing the collective financial health of the agency and ensuring we can pay our employees—above all else.  

The current budget environment is complex, but as responsible stewards of both funding and public lands, we are in the midst of planning initial allocations for FY 2025. When we plan, we look at our current funding level and both the House and Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee funding proposals. Prudent planning entails using the lowest of all those numbers so we neither over-plan nor negate Congress’ decision space. Therefore, our planning focuses on the House Interior Subcommittee funding levels proposed for FY 2025. In addition to focusing on that proposed funding level, we are also navigating the exhaustion of the supplemental funding we received through both the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Additionally, over the last two years, we have absorbed two cost of living increases totaling close to 10%.  

To be clear, our planning levels pose enormous challenges and may make us feel uneasy, but as always, we will get through this challenge and emerge stronger. The current situation calls for us to make hard decisions. In the short term, we are leaning into workforce planning, as well as relying on our partners who we’ve substantially invested in, to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us to continue to deliver our priority work. This is leadership’s work for the foreseeable future. As this work progresses, we will share information as quickly as we can.  

Our strategy includes the following:  

• Immediate term—Ensure fiscal solvency, or stability, by using all available funding sources to pay for our employees. That means we will be asking employees to be taking on the highest priority work that matches our funding sources.    

• Mid- and long-term—Identify a sustainable budget and organizational strategy, including workforce planning, to remain balanced into the future. While doing so, we must remain focused on our priorities around the Wildfire Crisis Strategy.  

There are no easy answers in a time where we see increased costs throughout the country—among them, housing, groceries and gas—that affect not just individuals but our agency as well. We must make hard decisions, but we will be guided by our agency core values and share leadership as we navigate this challenge.  

I know that this uncertainty can be stressful, and that stress presents differently for everyone. The Forest Service has always been great at adapting and finding solutions to complex problems. Although I know this lack of resolution is difficult, I ask you for your patience as we evaluate potential solutions. As this work progresses, I will continue to update you as often as I can. The work we do now lays the foundation for a thriving agency beyond FY 2025.  

I know you have questions. We are planning an all-employee call for September 16 to answer your questions on this and other subjects. Outlook calendar invitations will be sent soon. 

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