Mount St. Helens Institute asks for community help after federal staffing and funding cuts

The Mount St. Helens Institute has issued a call for help from the community to help maintain its programs and public safety at the Mount St. Helens National Monument after federal cuts to U.S. Forest Service staffing and funding. 

“Recent executive actions have resulted in sweeping staffing cuts across the U.S. Forest Service, including over 3,400 employees fired nationwide. The Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument has been hit particularly hard, with a significant number of permanent staff dismissed. Additionally, last fall, the agency announced that no seasonal staff aside from fire personnel will be hired in 2025 or 2026,” Mount St. Helens Institute Co-Executive Directors Abigail Groskopf and Alyssa Hoyt wrote in an update posted to its website this week. 

With roughly 10% of Mount St. Helens Institute’s funding coming from the U.S. Forest Service, the institute is “preparing for potential gaps” in funding for volunteer programs, science education and public safety. 

While Groskopf and Hot said “it’s too early to know the full impacts of these cuts,” they anticipate “challenges in key areas,” including: 

• Visitor experience and safety — With fewer rangers available, visitors may find it harder to get information, access facilities or receive assistance in case of an emergency, the institute stated. Additional demand will likely be put on the institute’s volunteer programs to fill in the gaps, “requiring additional resources and community engagement,” the institute said. 

The Mount St. Helens Institute asks visitors to “please be patient and kind” to remaining staff, who Groskopf and Hoyt said “ continue working hard to protect and maintain Mount St. Helens. This situation is not their fault, and they need our support.” 

• Facility and trail maintenance — Fewer staff means restrooms may not be cleaned as frequently, trash collection may be delayed and roads and trails may take longer to repair, making some areas harder to access, the institute stated. 
• Scientific research and monitoring — Cuts to research staff at both the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Geological Survey mean fewer resources for studying Mount St. Helens' unique ecosystem and volcanic activity, the institute stated. 
• Wildfire prevention and response — Fire personnel depend on a network of agency staff for logistics and coordination. With fewer team members available, response efforts could be slower, increasing risks to infrastructure and surrounding communities, the institute said.

The Mount St. Helens Institute is in the process of “examining our priorities for 2025 and beyond to ensure we sustain our core programs and address immediate needs at Mount St. Helens,” Groskopf and Hoyt stated. “As part of this commitment, we reaffirm our dedication ensuring that our programs, opportunities, and Mount St. Helens itself remain accessible and welcoming to all.” 

To help maintain those programs, community members are asked to support the Mount St. Helens Institute and the Mount St. Helens Volcanic Monument by donating, volunteering for the summer season and contacting their legislators to “let them know that public lands and the organizations that support them need stable funding and staffing.” 

“This situation is still unfolding, and we are committed to keeping you updated with new developments and their impacts. We also welcome your questions — your engagement and curiosity are invaluable to us,” Groskopf and Hoyt said in the community update. “Mount St. Helens has always been a symbol of resilience — and with your support, we can continue to inspire exploration, curiosity and stewardship for years to come.” 

The Mount St. Helens Institute is a nonprofit founded in 1996 with the goal of stewarding the Mount St. Helens wildlife area, which includes the Mount St. Helens National Monument, and connecting people of all ages to Mount St. Helens and the surrounding natural area through educational programming. 

“We are proud of the many ways we connect people to the volcano they love, from outdoor youth education programs hosted at the Mount St. Helens Science & Learning Center, to expert-led field seminars and guided exploration programs, to meaningful volunteer opportunities across Mount St. Helens and the surrounding Gifford Pinchot National Forest,” the Mount St. Helens Institute states on its website. 

For more information on the Mount St. Helens Institute, including how to donate and volunteer, visit https://www.mshinstitute.org/.