Because the Trump administration continues to slash the federal workforce, the Nationwide Park Service — which has misplaced practically 10% of its employees to the sweeping cuts — simply reported that 2024 set a report excessive for visits to its parks.
Almost 332 million individuals confirmed as much as hike, camp or just get a breath of recent air in America’s nationwide parks final yr. That’s 6 million extra visits than the yr earlier than, and 1,000,000 extra visits than the earlier report, set in 2016.
The information comes as park supervisors scramble to determine how they’ll hold the parks clear and hold guests protected this summer time given the lack of lots of of everlasting staff. About 1,000 probationary Nationwide Park Service staff — usually individuals of their first two years of service — have been fired Feb. 14, together with tens of hundreds of different probationary federal staff, a part of a multiagency purge orchestrated by Elon Musk’s White Home advisory group, which he calls the Division of Authorities Effectivity, or DOGE.
On the different finish of the spectrum, greater than 700 park service staff are collaborating within the Trump administration’s buyout program, which permits federal staff to resign now however proceed receiving their salaries and advantages by way of September. Such packages usually entice older staff nearing retirement.
“It’s a slap within the face to the lots of of hundreds of thousands of people that explored our parks final yr and need to hold going again,” stated Kristen Brengel, senior vice chairman of presidency affairs for the nonprofit Nationwide Parks Conservation Assn. “People love their nationwide parks; these cuts do not need public help.”
The Nationwide Park Service is, arguably, probably the most beloved department of a big and sprawling federal paperwork. Even People who would possibly get slightly misplaced within the alphabet soup of different companies — 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 staff who gather entrance charges, clear bathrooms and assist with search and rescue operations — sparked a swift and livid backlash.
Following a coordinated social media marketing campaign from parks staff and open air fans throughout the nation, the Trump administration restored the seasonal positions and vowed to rent lots of extra non permanent staff this yr.
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 staff from a year-round employees of slightly below 20,000.
The losses come on the heels of practically 15 years with out important funding will increase within the park service working funds, Brengel stated. “Meaning many staff do multiple job already, and have been doing so for years,” she stated.
California has 9 nationwide parks, greater than another state, together with famend websites similar to Yosemite, Joshua Tree and Dying 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 yr, practically 3 million to Joshua Tree, and about 1.4 million to Dying Valley, in line with the park service web site.
Information of final yr’s report visits was posted on the company’s web site, however with not one of the regular celebratory fanfare. As an alternative, it was extra of a cautious whisper, indicative of the final temper within the federal workforce today.
“You hear so many rumors, particularly right here in D.C., about individuals getting fired for doing any little factor that appears opposite to the Trump administration’s agenda,” Brengel stated. “Everyone’s simply scared.”
Nationwide Park Service officers didn’t reply to a request for remark.