1. United States
2. Minn.
3. Letter

As a constituent and outdoor enthusiast, I urge you to demand that our federal parks and public lands workforce is reinstated. National parks and public lands receive more than 100 million visitors across nearly half a billion visits per year and help drive the $1.2 trillion U.S. outdoor recreation industry. The reckless termination of more than 1,000 National Park Service employees, thousands of U.S. Forest Service employees, and hundreds of other land management employees will diminish the quality and safety of our national parks and public lands, as well as our readiness for natural disasters and ongoing maintenance challenges. Visitors are already seeing reservations cancelled indefinitely and longer wait times to enter National Parks. A loss of institutional knowledge will have ripple effects for years to come, while lower visitation will economically harm the gateway communities to our public lands. National Parks and public lands have always brought people together. While the envy of nations across the globe, over the last decade our national park infrastructure has seen demand outpace the needed investments and staffing levels. Yet the people who staff our land management agencies have continued to serve the public under growing pressure. These layoffs will make matters worse. Please push the White House and Administration to reinstate these vital members of the public lands workforce and ensure Americans can continue to safely explore our national public lands and waters.