The Government is Paying Her to Hike the CDT
By Caroline Brammer
*The views expressed by Christine Martens are her own and do not represent those of the U.S. Forest Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Forester and Ecologist, Christine Martens, embarks on a SOBO hike of the roughly 3,000-mile Continental Divide Trail (CDT) in just a few weeks, winding through Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. Thru-hiking some of America’s most rugged terrain usually takes an incredible amount of preparation—but just a few months ago, Martens hadn’t even considered it.
The U.S. Forest Service relies on professionals to translate research for stakeholders, partner organizations, and the public. “I loved my job, and definitely would have preferred to keep it” she says. “Many people don’t know the Forest Service even has a research branch, and I was responsible for understanding and communicating the latest forestry research.” In just a short conversation, she opened my eyes to the hundreds of tree species that thrive in the Appalachian Mountains—adding new depth to the “green tunnel” stereotype. “There’s so much to see if you know where to look.”
This dream job slipped into lucid dream territory when the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sent over 2 million federal employees the infamous “The Fork in the Road” email, similar to Elon Musk’s infamous Twitter acquisition with the same subject line. The email detailed the Trump administration’s plans for “significant” changes, including the restructuring of most agencies, giving no guarantee to anyone’s position or agency.
There were a slew of “nudge” tactics like:
- A return-to-office mandate
- Updated performance standards, planning to “address in a fair and open way” employees who do not comply, and require “enhanced standards of suitability and conduct.”
- An explanation of how agencies “will be downsized through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force,” resulting in furloughs and reclassification of employees to at-will status.
Martens made the difficult decision to accept a deferred resignation offer, anticipating deep cuts to her agency—particularly in research—mainly based on first-in, first-out traditions. This program offers federal employees pay and benefits through the end of September in return for their resignation. With an abruptly empty schedule, she and her partner decided to start preparing to thru-hike. You can follow their impromptu adventure here.
The long-term effects of these rash adjustments are yet to be seen, but Martens suspects decades long studies will be lost in the shuffle. “The federal government is uniquely positioned for long-term research. The Bent Creek Experimental Forest, an area of Pisgah National Forest, was put aside for research 100 years ago.” Institutional knowledge is irreplaceable, leaving incoming employees without trainers or mentors. Stakeholders may also miss new developments in research, and have fewer educational opportunities without communications experts like Martens.
Remaining stewards of public lands are working overtime to maintain the status quo. In the short-term, expect poor trail maintenance, potentially longer days climbing over, under, and around blow-downs, and neglected facilities and campgrounds. Brush up on Leave No Trace principles to help maintain these outdoor spaces.
Looking for the next steps on your own hike? Check out some of our other articles on the Light Feet blog: