Fired federal workers share the crucial jobs no longer being done

Thousands of employees, including many scientists, across government agencies have recently been fired in a push by the Trump administration to reduce the federal workforce.

The terminations, as well as other moves to cut science-related spending, have led to confusion and concern about public health and safety and the environment both within and outside of the government.

Science News spoke to employees across the federal government whose jobs have been terminated.

FDA reviews medical devices for safety and performance, but many of the people responsible for those reviews were fired.

Harlan Gough worries that with his firing, there may not be people to continue the work he was doing at the refuge.

Gough: "My worry is that this is not the end, but only the beginning for the trouble for these federal agencies that manage our natural areas and conduct science".

National Park Service cartographer says his firing was a waste of time.

He was tasked with restoring vegetation affected by upgrades to a pipeline that shuttles water across the canyon.

Efforts to restore vegetation at a campground at the bottom of the canyon are now on hold with the firings.