Dear Editor: I write to make Sitkans aware that the current administration is making serious changes that will have long-lasting impacts on science in this country. While war and petty lawsuits make national headlines, quieter decisions are underway that directly affect those of us who live closely tied to the natural world.
In rural Alaska, we know that science plays a critical role in how we understand and live within our environment. It informs how we manage fisheries and forests, how we prepare for hazards like landslides and flooding, and how we sustain subsistence, recreation, and local economies. When partnered with Indigenous knowledge, science becomes even more powerful—helping communities make decisions that are both informed and grounded in place.
The current administration has announced plans to close 57 of 77 U.S. Forest Service research stations—more than 70% of the network—threatening critical science on wildfires, drought, invasive species, and climate impacts to forests and ending a century and half of environmental monitoring. For those of us living in and around the Tongass National Forest—the largest national forest in the country—this should be deeply concerning.
At the same time, the National Science Foundation (NSF), long one of the nation’s most respected scientific institutions, is being destabilized. Although Congress rejected the administration’s proposed cuts, NSF has issued roughly 78% fewer awards this year due to changes in how the agency operates. The administration has also proposed a 54% cut to NSF’s budget—an unprecedented reduction that would fundamentally alter how science is conducted in the United States.
These changes have real local consequences. Field stations like the Sitka Sound Science Center rely on federal investment to support research, student internships, educational programs, and visiting scientists. These opportunities connect young people in our region to careers in science and bring new knowledge directly into our schools and decision-making.
For decades, bipartisan support for science has helped make the United States a global leader in innovation, natural resource management, and public safety. In Alaska, where we face increasing climate-driven risks—from landslides to changing fisheries—access to strong science is not abstract. It is essential. If you fish, hunt, gather or simply care about the land and waters that sustain us, this matters. Science funding is not a distant federal issue—it is a local one, with direct consequences for our communities, our economy, and our future. But science is not just for the outdoors. It is also important in developing cures for disease, developing health guidelines, controlling pollution, and spurring innovation in technology and engineering. Teaching our young people about science means teaching them about validating, creativity and critical thinking.
Senator Murkowski has long been a proponent of federal science funding. Through appropriations she has assisted many scientific institutions ,including our own local Sitka Sound Science Center , advance both scientific workforce and our science understandings. While we have heard from Senator Sullivan the value of the executive order that calls on Alaska to be the nation’s treasure chest of resource extraction, he has not spoken out about cuts to science funding. Both he and Representative Begich have been quiet on these issues. Perhaps they might not fully understand the importance of science funding for our Alaskan communities. What can you do? Write or call your Congressman, and Senators and let them know why funding to the USFS field stations and the National Science Foundation is important to you. Also you can support your local field station Sitka Sound Science Center.
Lisa Busch, Sitka
