Access to areas throughout the Los Padres National Forest, including designated wilderness areas, has been largely unaffected by the partial government shutdown.
Since December 22, 2018, the federal government has been shut down due to the president’s failure to sign a bipartisan funding bill passed by both houses of Congress. The shutdown has continued for weeks with no indication that it will end soon, and is on course to become the second-longest in the country’s history.
Eight federal departments have been affected by the shutdown. The closure of the Agriculture and Interior departments — which house the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey — is having wide-ranging impacts on public lands and the environment across the country, with many reporting vandalism, trash, and human waste buildups at popular national parks. Three of California’s most popular national parks — Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Joshua Tree — have closed completely.
The Los Padres National Forest isn’t experiencing the same trash and waste problems, but our region’s public lands are being impacted in other ways.
Furloughed Forest Service Employees
According to the Forest Supervisor, most of the Los Padres National Forest’s employees are on furlough. This means they are not able to work and are not receiving pay. The first federal employee payday is on Friday, January 11. If the shutdown continues, it will be the first missed paycheck for Forest Service and other federal agency employees.
As Forest Service personnel are furloughed, the agency isn’t able to perform basic functions such as wildlife surveys, environmental studies, inspections of oil facilities, monitoring of grazing allotments, and approval of important habitat restoration projects.For example, Santa Lucia Ranger District staff were working on finalizing the environmental assessment of the beneficial La Brea Restoration project when the shutdown began. That project is now on hold until funding is restored. Other projects that have been suspended during the shutdown include:
- Trail maintenance on the Ojai Ranger District
- Permit renewal for a youth camp’s water system near Lake Cachuma
- Fish passage restoration on Davy Brown and Munch Creeks
- Study examining grazing impacts in the Sisquoc watershed and Happy Canyon
While many recreation sites are still open across the forest, ranger stations and other facilities are closed until funding is restored.
Closed Facilities
Ranger stations and district offices are closed during the shutdown. National forest visitors seeking information about particular trails, recreation sites, and general areas would normally be able to go to one of these facilities to pick up maps and other informational materials or call the stations with specific questions. Visitors now have limited options for finding out important information about the forest, such as campfire restrictions, trail conditions, and which access roads are opened or closed for the winter.
Trash cleanups like this one on West Cuesta Ridge in the Los Padres are on hold as we’re unable to coordinate with Forest Service personnel.
Volunteer Projects on Hold
Organizations like ForestWatch that have Volunteer Service Agreements set up with the Forest Service are unable to coordinate with the agency to get projects approved. Normally at this time of year, we’re working to line up winter and spring trash removal projects around the forest.
What’s Not Impacted
Certain Forest Service personnel and activities are exempted during the shutdown. The agency’s law enforcement division is still operating normally, meaning that officers are patrolling the national forest, responding to incidents, issuing citations, and carrying out investigations. While fire danger is decreased this time of year, fire suppression personnel are still working as well.
Popular trails like the Tunnel Trail near Santa Barbara are still accessible during the shutdown.
ForestWatch has been visiting sites throughout the forest since the shutdown began. While public access may be generally unaffected by the lapse in federal funding, forest regulations (and personal responsibility) still apply and that it is as important as ever to leave no trace. It should also be noted that some fire restrictions are still in effect, including the prohibition of campfires in the backcountry and target shooting throughout the forest.
Additionally, Parks Management Company — the private company managing over half of the Los Padres’ recreation sites under a special use permit — is still operating campgrounds, day use areas, and trailheads that were open before the shutdown began.
Other Federal Lands in the Region
The Los Padres National Forest’s nearest national park, Channel Islands, is still open during the shutdown but with stipulations. According to the park’s website, park islands will remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as usual, island campgrounds and restrooms will be accessible to visitors, and park concessionaires will still operate, while all park visitor centers will be closed. In contrast, Pinnacles National Park to the north is mostly closed due to the shutdown. The park’s website states that the west entrance is closed and the east entrance is open to campers only. There are no visitor services and “hazardous or dangerous conditions may exist.”
Also near the Los Padres is the primarily Bureau of Land Management-operated Carrizo Plain National Monument in San Luis Obispo County, which is still accessible to the public despite the shutdown. While Carrizo Plain roads, trails, and campgrounds are still open, the Goodwin Education Center is closed due to the lapse in federal funding.
The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area — managed by the National Park Service — is also experiencing partial closure due to the shutdown. Only a handful of recreation sites are open, and the visitor center is closed. Much of the recreation area was closed before the shutdown began due to damage from the Woolsey Fire, however.
ForestWatch will continue to monitor the situation and provide information on our website.
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