Retired foresters, community members, and supporters of the environment showed their appreciation to the U.S. Forest Service. On Friday May 9th, close to hundred residents throughout the Northland rallied together thanking Forest Service employees. The goal of the event is to show how public spaces like the Superior National Forest should remain accessible for everyone.

Jim Sanders, worked with the U.S. Forest Service for over three decades. He says this organized rally is sending a message about why public lands shouldn’t be interfered with.

“It’s that service we’re here to provide for the public to utilize a place like the Superior National Forest. But also our care for the land as well,” Sanders said. “What you see here with all the people out here, it demonstrates kind of the sacred mission we all took as employees for caring for the land and serving the people.”

Some of the community members criticized the recent federal cuts to the National Parks Service made by President Trump’s Administration. Sanders added that there were people at the rally who recently resigned or terminated from the federal employee layoffs.

“This is indiscriminate. They don’t care about what the mission of the Forest Service is or the IRS. They just have it come in and say, ‘We’re gonna cut these people,'” Sanders said. “Those employees that they’ve laid off, they’re the future. They’re the future backbone for land management agencies in the United States.”

WDIO News also reached out to hear from U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber’s office to comment on the changes made at the federal level. We have not heard back at this time.