After the government shutdown began on October 1, 2025, the Office of Management and Budget threatened to fire federal workers who have been furloughed and may not be paid. Layoffs began on Saturday, October 11, with about 4,200 workers across at least seven agencies losing their jobs. Blocking the Trump administration from firing more federal workers during a shutdown will require Congress to reach a bipartisan agreement to end the shutdown and provide the budgets necessary to staff federal agencies.
Data on office locations and public land recreation facilities—combined with shutdown contingency plans developed for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), National Park Service (NPS), and U.S. Forest Service—offer a snapshot of how many furloughed workers could be fired if the administration continues to follow through on its promises. These data also show which U.S. counties will experience economic impacts from lost jobs and from diminished access to and opportunity on public lands that drive recreation economies.
Where will furloughs and layoffs hurt local economies?
The map above shows where U.S. public land agencies have offices and manage recreational lands and facilities. These are all counties where employees of the BLM, FWS, NPS, and Forest Service live and work. Offices include Forest Service regional and district offices, BLM field offices, NPS and FWS Refuge headquarters and visitor centers, and public land research stations. These counties will be directly affected if furloughed workers are fired, budgets are cut, and contracts are paused or canceled as a consequence of the government shutdown. They will also see direct impacts if access to public land recreation sites and services—including wildlife refuges, recreation areas, and trails—is curtailed.
Only 2 percent of the public land agency workforce works in Washington D.C. Most employees live in communities next to public lands across the United States. Their kids go to local schools. Their families own local businesses, farms, and ranches. They have good careers and benefits that enable them to spend money to support their local communities while they take care of public lands that drive local ranching, timber, recreation, and tourism economies.
How many public land employees are being furloughed?
In March 2024, the public land agencies had 79,070 employees. According to contingency plans developed by the agencies in September 2025, the number of employees has dropped to 63,141—a 20 percent reduction from the 2024 workforce due to previous layoffs, buyouts, and hiring freezes. As of October 1, 2025, nearly half the current workforce—more than 29,000 people—is furloughed during the shutdown.
Conclusion
Communities across the United States will experience economic impacts related to layoffs, budget cuts, decreased recreation and tourism, and limited access to and services on public lands if Congress cannot agree to give the people who steward public lands the resources that they need to do their important work.