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Kate Groetzinger, who works with the Center for Western Priorities, has been tracking the Trump administration’s public lands policy from day one.
She created a timeline of executive orders and agency shifts to help journalists and nonprofit partners make sense of the scale and pace of change. Trump’s first 100 days of his second administration have been hard to track, even as a full-time job.
“It was hard for me to even remember what had happened and the order in which it had occurred,” she said.
That, she said, is the goal, to speed up the burn out of any resistance.
“And I think a lot of my colleagues are overwhelmed and tired and would like this to end,” she said.
Teton County, with its extensive public lands—including Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, the Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF), and several wildlife refuges—is deeply affected by federal land policy. Groetzinger said the effects are already visible.
“They’ve really just caused a lot of chaos within the agencies that manage public lands,” she said. “And I think we have yet to really see the full impact on our lands of that chaos.”
Layoffs rock federal agencies
One of the most disruptive orders led to mass layoffs across federal land agencies. In February, about 40 employees in the Bridger-Teton National Forest were terminated. Among them was Sophia Draznin-Nagy, a former trail crew worker.
“Not only did I lose my career through this termination, but I also lost my housing, my health insurance, and my community,” she told KHOL back in March. She has since gained her job back, along with others, but is braced for a further “reduction in force.”
The layoffs sparked fierce backlash in gateway communities, including Jackson, where the town square has seen three major protests in three months. Local residents spoke out at a town hall hosted by Rep. Harriet Hageman, criticizing the terminations and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is led by billionaire Elon Musk. Musk is expected to step back from the role later this month.
“There was a lot of public ire, a lot of protest,” Groetzinger said. “That led to the administration voluntarily rolling some of those layoffs back.”
Grand Teton National Park is now fully staffed, according to a park spokesperson. But the Bridger-Teton National Forest remains understaffed. In recent weeks, Teton County commissioners sent their third letter in as many months to Wyoming’s congressional delegation, urging them to help the BTNF fund full staffing.
Scott Kosiba, executive director of Friends of Bridger-Teton National Forest, says the churn continues.
“Every day feels like a crisis,” he said. “I’m exhausted, my staff is exhausted, and our federal partners are exhausted.”
His organization is stepping in where it can—forming a five-member “forest corps” to support the BTNF and funding additional workers for the Snake River this summer.
Immigration policy changes loom
The policy blitz isn’t limited to public lands. Residents are also feeling the pressure from stepped-up immigration enforcement.
That has looked like a tighter relationship between Teton County law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
After Rep. Hageman publicly criticized Teton County Sheriff Matt Carr for not cooperating with ICE, Carr changed his policy. Since March, at least 24 individuals have been removed from the county jail by federal immigration agents, according to initial numbers reported by the sheriff’s office.
Natalia Benitez, a Jackson resident of 17 years, voiced her fear during a rally in February.
“Please, no deportations,” she said. “Immigrants have made this country great.”
Institutions, businesses on edge
Jackson Hole Roasters is anticipating a new round of tariffs amid already soaring coffee prices.
“If you add 10% to the all-time highs, then you really have an out-of-control price,” said owner Gray Powell.
Institutions are also feeling the squeeze. Two Jackson museums recently withdrew grant applications after learning federal funding was no longer available. The county’s Head Start program has voiced uncertainty for the future early childhood education, though the Trump administration has since reversed course in its initial budget proposal. First time since 2009, volunteers at Teton Science School won’t be hosted by AmeriCorps, though the school is looking for ways to retain the workers who make up about 40% of its staff in other ways.
Even the county health department was forced to lay off five workers prematurely.
Jodie Pond, now county commissioner’s administrator and former public health department leader, said she’s seen program cuts before. But the Trump administration is going about this round more swiftly and broadly than she’s ever seen.
“This is really, as they say, unprecedented,” said Pond. “At least we were given notice in previous downturns.”
Bracing for what’s next
While the administration has walked back some actions—like rehiring park employees—advocates say the next wave may be worse.
Groetzinger said that the executive orders already in place are laying the foundation for expanded oil and gas drilling, logging in national forests, and development on public lands.
“The past 100 days is really just laying the groundwork for future pain and hurt for our public lands,” she said.
This story has been updated to correct Gray Powell’s name and the name of his company, Jackson Hole Roasters. — Eds.
