Dear Editor,
We are researchers and graduate students in the Wildland Resources Department at Utah State University and are writing to advocate for our work at a time of drastic cuts to science funding. We study the natural landscapes on which the Cache Valley community depends, but our efforts would grind to halt if the current federal budget proposal goes into effect.
Nature is what makes Cache Valley special. Ranchers depend on productive pastures for cattle, farmers rely on pollinators, anglers need healthy streams, hikers love trees and wildflowers, and hunters track wildlife. Our economy benefits from these abundant natural resources, and families bond over time shared in beautiful places. The prosperity of our children and grandchildren depends on our stewardship of these natural resources. To make responsible decisions for the future, we need to understand how ecosystems work.
Our research is driven by the needs of our local Cache Valley community and Utah as a whole. We study how invasive species, wildfires, and climate change affect wildlife and habitat. We look for ways to help nature thrive and meet the needs of society. We teach USU students to conserve natural resources for the benefit of future generations.
Despite its value, current proposed cuts to federal science budgets would eliminate much of our research, and even our jobs. Because our work focuses on the long-term conservation of resources that are hard to measure in dollars, it will never be funded by the private sector. Support from agencies like the National Science Foundation, US Department of Agriculture, and US Geological Survey is crucial. The White House has proposed slashing the National Science Foundation budget by more than 50% and the budget for research in ecology and conservation by nearly 90%. Fortunately, there is still time to act. We urge readers to call their US representative Mr. Moore (202-225-0453) and senators Mr. Lee (202-224-5444) and Mr. Curtis (202-224-5251) in support of science funding.
The future of Utah’s landscapes and livelihoods is in your hands.
Sincerely,
Michael Stemkovski, Peter Adler, Becca Nelson, Matt Peña, and Annie Schiffer
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