Because the Trump administration continues to slash the federal workforce, the National Park Service — which has misplaced practically 10% of its workers to the sweeping cuts — simply reported that 2024 set a record high for visits to its parks.
Almost 332 million folks confirmed as much as hike, camp or just get a breath of contemporary air in America’s nationwide parks last yr. That’s 6 million extra visits than the yr earlier than, and one million extra visits than the earlier record, set in 2016.
The information comes as park supervisors scramble to determine how they’ll maintain the parks clear and maintain guests protected this summer season given the lack of a whole bunch of everlasting employees. About 1,000 probationary National Park Service workers — typically folks of their first two years of service — have been fired Feb. 14, together with tens of hundreds of different probationary federal workers, a part of a multiagency purge orchestrated by Elon Musk’s White Home advisory workforce, which he calls the Division of Authorities Effectivity, or DOGE.
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 within the face to the a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of people that explored our parks last yr and need to maintain going again,” mentioned Kristen Brengel, senior vp of presidency affairs for the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Assn. “Individuals love their nationwide parks; these cuts shouldn’t have public help.”
The National Park Service is, arguably, essentially the most beloved department of a big and sprawling federal forms. Even Individuals who would possibly get a little bit misplaced within the alphabet soup of different companies — there are greater than 400 of them — will in all probability always remember standing in Yosemite Valley and gawking in silent surprise at a towering waterfall.
The primary cuts to the agency the Trump administration introduced in January — eliminating the positions of hundreds of seasonal employees 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 workers and open air fans throughout the nation, the Trump administration restored the seasonal positions and vowed to rent a whole bunch extra momentary workers this yr.
However that was a noteworthy exception to the administration’s overarching technique of seemingly indiscriminate cuts.
In all, the National Park Service has misplaced some 1,700 everlasting workers from a year-round workers of just below 20,000.
The losses come on the heels of practically 15 years with out important funding will increase within the park service working finances, Brengel mentioned. “Meaning many workers do multiple job already, and have been doing so for years,” she mentioned.
California has 9 nationwide parks, greater than every other state, together with famend websites such as Yosemite, Joshua Tree and Demise Valley. Their hovering cliffs and star-studded evening skies are the backdrop of thousands and thousands of household holidays yearly. There have been greater than 4 million visits to Yosemite last yr, practically 3 million to Joshua Tree, and about 1.4 million to Demise Valley, in response to the park service web site.
Information of last yr’s record visits was posted on the agency’s web site, however with not one of the standard celebratory fanfare. As an alternative, it was extra of a cautious whisper, indicative of the final temper within the federal workforce lately.
“You hear so many rumors, particularly right here in D.C., about folks getting fired for doing any little factor that appears opposite to the Trump administration’s agenda,” Brengel mentioned. “All people’s simply scared.”
National Park Service officers didn’t reply to a request for remark.
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