Because the Trump administration continues to slash the federal workforce, the Nationwide Park Service — which has misplaced almost 10% of its employees to the sweeping cuts — simply reported that 2024 set a document excessive for visits to its parks.
Almost 332 million folks confirmed as much as hike, camp or just get a breath of recent air in America’s nationwide parks final 12 months. That’s 6 million extra visits than the 12 months earlier than, and 1,000,000 extra visits than the earlier document, set in 2016.
On the different finish of the spectrum, greater than 700 park service employees are participating within the Trump administration’s buyout program, which permits federal workers to resign now however proceed receiving their salaries and advantages by way of September. Such packages typically appeal to older workers nearing retirement.
“It’s a slap in the face to the hundreds of millions of people who explored our parks last year and want to keep going back,” stated Kristen Brengel, senior vice chairman of presidency affairs for the nonprofit Nationwide Parks Conservation Assn. “Americans love their national parks; these cuts do not have public support.”
The Nationwide Park Service is, arguably, probably the most beloved department of a giant and sprawling federal paperwork. Even Individuals who would possibly get slightly misplaced within the alphabet soup of different businesses — there are greater than 400 of them — will most likely always remember standing in Yosemite Valley and gawking in silent marvel at a towering waterfall.
The primary cuts to the company the Trump administration introduced in January — eliminating the positions of hundreds of seasonal employees who accumulate entrance charges, clear bathrooms and assist with search and rescue operations — sparked a swift and livid backlash.
However that was a noteworthy exception to the administration’s overarching technique of seemingly indiscriminate cuts.
In all, the Nationwide Park Service has misplaced some 1,700 everlasting workers from a year-round employees of slightly below 20,000.
The losses come on the heels of almost 15 years with out vital funding will increase within the park service working finances, Brengel stated. “That means many employees do more than one job already, and have been doing so for years,” she stated.
California has 9 nationwide parks, greater than some other state, together with famend websites reminiscent of Yosemite, Joshua Tree and Loss of life Valley. Their hovering cliffs and star-studded night time skies are the backdrop of hundreds of thousands of household holidays yearly. There have been greater than 4 million visits to Yosemite final 12 months, almost 3 million to Joshua Tree, and about 1.4 million to Loss of life Valley, based on the park service web site.
“You hear so many rumors, especially here in D.C., about people getting fired for doing any little thing that seems contrary to the Trump administration’s agenda,” Brengel stated. “Everybody’s just scared.”
Nationwide Park Service officers didn’t reply to a request for remark.
