Government Shutdown - Outdoors related please

[peakbagger]

Looks like another government shutdown coming up. Sticking with outdoors aspect, the National Park Service appears to be talking tough compared to the prior Covid shutdowns. The claim is the parks suffered a lot of damage during Covid from folks entering the parks anyhow. The claim is this time they will be more aggressive in keeping people out. With such long unprotected borders I dont see how they will go about limiting access except closing the gates. The AT and PCT are NPS properties but I dont think there was an attempt to close either. As a volunteer on the AT I was informed to stop all work on my section.

 

[Ken MacGray]

PSA for volunteer trail adopters here ... If the shutdown happens we are to suspend work until it's resolved. I got an email from the Saco Ranger District this morning with a heads up.

(I will withhold rants about this whole "shutdown" nonsense.)

 

[maineguy]

PSA for volunteer trail adopters here ... If the shutdown happens we are to suspend work until it's resolved. I got an email from the Saco Ranger District this morning with a heads up.

(I will withhold rants about this whole "shutdown" nonsense.)

Why would you suspend work? You are a volunteer, correct? I had adopted a trail during the 90s (Pine Bend Brook) and I never had any interaction with the Saco District. Things may have changed, but you should be able to keep on working. I am not recommending not following the HQ edicts, but it really makes little sense.

 

[Ken MacGray]

Why would you suspend work?

Because I don't have an issue abiding by their request while this gets sorted.

 

[maineguy]

I am asking why they would ask you to suspend work, not why you would obey them.

 

[peakbagger]

Not sure on USFS, but for NPS (Appalachian Trail) I had to sign a contract with the NPS that I am effectively an unpaid employee of the NPS which means I am covered by various federal government insurances while I am acting as volunteer. The trade off is I have to work under their direction. MATC is usually a bit slow and the trail season ends Sept 30th but expect I will get direction to stop working on the boundary one of these days.

 

[JoshandBaron]

I am asking why they would ask you to suspend work, not why you would obey them.

Liability.

 

[rocket21]

Hopefully folks will still be "Good Samaritans" and do their fall waterbar work regardless of what's going on in Washington.

 

[Darby Field]

PSA for volunteer trail adopters here ... If the shutdown happens we are to suspend work until it's resolved. I got an email from the Saco Ranger District this morning with a heads up.

I am a trail adopter for a 1.5 mile section of the AT as it runs through Franconia Notch on the Cascade Brook trail. Since I volunteered years ago via the AMC, I do wonder if I will receive similar instructions to the National Forest Service.

 

[maineguy]

Secretary of the Interior has the authority under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to keep the National Parks open in the event of a shutdown should she decide to do so. She has been asked by a member of the Senate. Additionally, several states are going to use state funds to keep the parks open.

 

[Ken MacGray]

Well it looks like this will happen all over again in 45 days.

https://www.axios.com/2023/09/30/house-government-shutdown-45-days