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Ozarks Notebook: Reading Between the Lines of Silence [1]
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Date: 2025-03-20
The trees need us and a good reminder of this reality is “The Lorax,” a children’s book by Dr. Seuss.
Its colorful pages tell of a whimsical world filled with truffula trees, and the namesake main character’s confrontations with the Once-ler, a business magnate who causes environmental destruction by cutting all the trees down for profit.
Dr. Seuss takes readers through the total destruction of the truffula forest and the departure of the creatures who lived among the trees – including the Lorax.
The book was written in the 1970s but feels pretty relevant today as we are faced with cuts at our national parks and forests in the Ozarks and across the country. It also reminds us that it takes someone to stand up and protect these special places.
When I began writing the column, these cuts were more related to personnel; now, that question has also expanded to the trees themselves. President Trump issued an executive order on March 1 to streamline the process for timber production, a decision that would seem to involve our federal lands.
I can say that I’m concerned about what this means for the Ozarks and other rural spaces across the country. But in recent weeks, I learned that many others cannot speak up.
The dozen or so park-tied folks I reached out to for comments on the cuts resulted in few responses, not much on the record, and little concrete information. People were afraid to talk.
The fear is understandable, as terrible as it is to say. It’s a scary thing if your livelihood is at stake. And things are undeniably uncertain; in some cases, were the firings of probationary employees even legal?
But this lack of information leads to gaps in understanding of where things actually stand.
And it doesn’t change the question: Who will speak for the trees?
Importance of Protected Lands
The Ozarks is home to a roster of protected sites within the National Park Service. Two examples are Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR) and the Buffalo National River (BNR), in Missouri and Arkansas respectively, which represent the first federally recognized waterways of their kind when they became parks decades ago.
Other local places protect our collective history, such as George Washington Carver National Monument – in memory of the famed Black scientist, who hailed from the Ozarks – and Pea Ridge National Military Park, where an outnumbered group of Union troops brought victory in 1862.
We’re also home to the Mark Twain National Forest, which represents 1.5 million acres of wooded, remote land mostly located in southern Missouri and northern Arkansas. Part of that is the Eleven Point River, which was designated as a Wild and Scenic River in 1968.
The peace found in these protected places is in contrast to the tension they have also churned up at times in their histories. The creation of ONSR in 1964 and the BNR in 1972 brought unrest as local families were compelled to leave land that, in some cases, had been in their hands for generations. Even today, some still hold anger about the perceived overreach of government.
I get it. In rural spaces, we want to feel we control our place. If I had been one of the landowners back then, there is no doubt that I would have been heartbroken that my land was being “taken” from me for something I didn’t choose.
Yet as I walk trails and explore these beautiful natural jewels, I am thankful that we have them to collectively enjoy – and that they are protected. And I’m not the only one.
In 2023, ONSR reported having 1.3 million visitors and had a cumulative economic impact of $76.8 million. Numbers for the Buffalo were similar: “The 1.3 million visitors to Buffalo National River in 2022 contributed over $64.9 million in spending to local gateway regions,” noted a news release. “This supported 864 jobs and had a total economic output of $78.4 million.”
The Buffalo National River flows through Arkansas. It was officially founded in 1972, becoming the nation’s first national river. (Photo by Kaitlyn McConnell)
I know I’m preaching to the rural choir here, but these figures are a big deal in areas with limited industry and job opportunities.
That is one reason why it concerned me – as I know it did many others – when I learned that there would be potential cuts to personnel at these places.
I can’t tell you just how many people have been cut from local rosters because my questions have largely gone unanswered or information is vague. (And while numbers are unclear, it would also appear that cuts may be growing from initial numbers because of buyouts and early retirements. The Los Angeles Times reported that more than 700 people had taken the deal as of late February, bringing the NPS’s workforce down about nine percent in just one month.)
When I inquired about OSNR’s cuts, the NPS regional spokesperson wrote that she couldn’t comment because it was a personnel matter. Volunteers didn’t want to be identified. Emails sent to the Buffalo PIO email address went unanswered. A representative from USDA, the entity under which the forest service falls, did respond and noted that they were cutting 2,000 probationary, non-firefighting employees.
“Secretary Rollins fully supports the President’s directive to improve government, eliminate inefficiencies and strengthen USDA’s many services to the American people. We have a solemn responsibility to be good stewards of the American people’s hard-earned taxpayer dollars and to ensure that every dollar spent goes to serve the people, not the bureaucracy,” the response read.
“As part of this effort, USDA has made the difficult decision to release about 2,000 probationary, non-firefighting employees from the Forest Service. To be clear, none of these individuals were operational firefighters. Released employees were probationary in status, many of whom were compensated by temporary IRA funding. It’s unfortunate that the Biden administration hired thousands of people with no plan in place to pay them long term. Secretary Rollins is committed to preserving essential safety positions and will ensure that critical services remain uninterrupted.”
Through silence, I can read between the lines – and know that, for some folks, a key reason for this silence is fear for their job. And that silence is scary, too.
Even though seasonal positions are being filled, will the visitor experience be different with a reduction in staff? Will fewer employees mean there’s more trash in a park, or programs don’t happen, or it’s less scenic when trees are removed, will it make visitors slightly less supportive of these places over the long term?
Over time, does it make visitors feel like the land isn’t as relevant or important? For example, one of the Buffalo River’s visitor centers has closed. According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, that was because of the firings. Could the designations go away because people won’t see their value in the same way any longer?
And what assurance do we have that the trees themselves will be OK?
“USDA is reviewing all executive orders signed by President Trump and expects to share guidance on implementing them to agencies and mission areas as soon as possible,” the Forest Service spokesperson also wrote. “We do not have additional information to share at this time.”
Demonstrators gathered on March 1 at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield to show support for national parks. It was one of many events planned across more than 430 national park sites to show support for the protected lands. (Photo by Kaitlyn McConnell)
Demonstrations Put Passion to Action
Which brings us back to the beginning: With staff and volunteers unable to share, who will speak for the trees?
I found a few of them on Saturday at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, a park near the Ozarks largest city of Springfield and where the first major Civil War battle west of the Mississippi River occurred in 1861. On that sunny afternoon, a few dozen people gathered to show support for our national parks. It was one of many similar efforts taking place across the country.
Folks carrying homemade signs walked up to the “FIrst Amendment” grassy space that’s allocated for events such as this. Those often colorful signs spoke of a shared mission: “We Heart NPS,” “STOP Budget Cuts, Staffing Cuts and Drilling and Privatization.” A colorful one decorated with hearts, trees, stars, and leaves held in young hands proclaimed “Save Our Parks: We Need Nature.”
Kids ran and played. Baby Juniper, just a few months old, stayed close to her mom, Andrea Stephenson.
“One day she’s going to grow up and be a big girl,” said Stephenson, who said that personal concern for the environment’s future had grown even during pregnancy. “I hope people are motivated to help protect a little more of the natural world so it’s still here in the future.”
The chatter was upbeat and friendly – and motivated.
“My main goal is to spread awareness,” said Julia Casella, one of the event’s organizers. “Because I think a lot of our people in this area do care about nature and protecting federal lands and enjoying it, but they may not really know that it’s under threat. We just want people to know that they really are in danger.
“I’m just concerned that if parks are not staffed, they’re not safe; maybe won’t even be open for us. I mean, it is a political issue but it’s also not because who doesn’t enjoy nature?”
The local parks bring value to her family’s life, Casella tells me, as they live nearby and often visit the Wilson’s Creek park. Her 11-year-old son Alexander also had his own opinions on why it – and other parks they frequent – are important.
“In general, this is important to me to know where we came from,” he said. “But also I like the nature around it. It’s just such a beautiful place and I think we should keep it that way.
“I really enjoy these places and I think future generations would, too.”
He can speak for the trees.
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