Polling Highlights

• When asked how much they have seen, read, or heard about the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service recently laying off workers, a majority of respondents say they’ve heard either “a lot” (19%) or “a little” (44%), while 37% say they’ve heard “nothing at all.”
• Next, respondents were informed that the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service recently laid off more than 3,000 workers in an effort to cut federal spending, and that layoffs included park rangers, staff at park visitor centers, and staff who clean and maintain trails. After learning this, two-thirds of likely voters (66%) report that they are “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” about these staffing cuts. This includes a majority of Democrats (83%) and Independents (69%), as well as about half of Republicans (49%).
• Voters say their top concerns about the recent staff layoffs at the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service are potential economic impacts (16%), increased risk of wildfires (14%), and harm to wildlife (12%).

Survey Methodology

From February 21 to 22, 2025, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 1,206 U.S. likely voters nationally using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, geography, and recalled presidential vote. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error associated with the sample size is ±3 percentage points. Results for subgroups of the sample are subject to increased margins of error. Partisanship reflected in tabulations is based on self-identified party affiliation, not partisan registration.