The first few months of President Donald Trump’s second term have come a flurry of government workforce layoffs, agency downsizing and federal grant slashings. One of the most hard hit areas of the government has been recreation and conservation, with agencies such as the National Park Service and Forest Service experiencing layoffs and budget cuts.
While Miami University is not very close to federal lands, the local state park Hueston Woods is a popular recreation spot, and it has so far avoided the pressure on similar land across the country.
Although it is a state park, Hueston Woods uses federal grants to aid its operation costs. Grants have become a target of government spending decreases, particularly for environmental organizations. Kathryn Conner, the manager of Hueston Woods, said that the changes hitting other public lands has led to unease at the park.
“There has definitely been some concerns with everything going on,” Conner said. “. . .There’s a lot of uncertainty.”However, Hueston Woods has so far avoided any federal grants being cancelled. In fact, so have all state parks in Ohio. Karina Cheung, a media and outreach specialist for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), indicated in an email to The Miami Student that no Ohio state parks have had federal grants impacted since the new administration.
While Ohio public lands have so far avoided pressures from the federal level, they face potential disruptions from new state laws. Under Ohio House Bill 308, state lands are now open to companies who wish to frack on them for up to five years of contract. Fracking can disrupt natural environments by clearing vegetation for infrastructure, destabilizing the ground from drilling and polluting surrounding areas with waste water. Companies are allowed to bid on land, which goes up for approval from the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission.
According to the Save Ohio Parks website, which reproduces data on fracking from the ODNR website, of the 43 parcels of land owned by ODNR or the Ohio Department of Transportation that have been opened to bidding from private companies, 26 have been approved for leasing. Among the rest, 11 bids have been denied, two have been withdrawn and five are still pending.
Save Ohio Parks tracks these nominations and publishes them for public view alongside ODNR. Once bids are approved, the process becomes private between ODNR and the company, and public records requests are needed to view them.
Cathy Becker, who works for Save Ohio Parks, indicated in an email to The Student that fracking has begun in Valley Run Wildlife Area, which was the first wildlife area that went up for bidding. Also, notably, hundreds of acres were opened up in the Salt Fork State Park in late 2024.
However, Hueston Woods has also not seen any changes in regards to fracking. Conner said that no companies have reached out to them to inquire about leasing land, meaning that Miami’s local state park has remained relatively unscathed in a time where many public lands, both on the state and national level, are facing change.
She said she believes this is likely because eastern Ohio is not rich in oil, and she hopes that some of the unique aspects of Hueston Woods help keep it natural and enjoyable for guests. It has a nature preserve within the park, containing one of the few remaining beech maple stands in the state, and is also one of only seven state parks that are free to enter. Conner wants to use their positive situation to teach people the importance of conservation and draw in even more visitors.
“We’re trying to lead by being stewards of the land,” Conner said.
Hueston Woods is used by Miami students, such as the rowing club and those participating in trips with the Outdoor Pursuit Center. Conner said she hopes the park will continue to offer that service. Despite all the changes and uncertainty surrounding public land across the state and country, Miami’s closest park remains a place for recreation and spending time in nature.
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“We hope the community knows we are a resource for them,” Conner said.
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