Fully Staff Federal Lands to Preserve & Protect our Natural Heritage

Congress must intervene and compel the administration to adequately, staff our cherished national parks and public lands. The Trump administration‘s refusal to hire the promised, seasonal workers and permanent staff has created a dire staffing crisis. With peak visitation season upon us, our parks are woefully, understaffed, jeopardizing, visitor, safety, conservation efforts, and the long-term integrity of our federal lands. The park service alone has lost an alarming 20% of its workforce since 2010. Compounding the staffing shortage is the current hiring freeze that has prevented the filling of crucial permanent roles, like maintenance workers, search and rescue personnel, and wildlife biologists. All of these staff members become fire support personnel during a wildfire in the area. What will happen if a wildfire ignites? Who will be there to fight the fires and protect visitors and communities? The administration’s pledge to hire 7700 seasonal employees has fallen dismally short with only 3000 hired so far. As visitation surges, the remaining workforce will become increasingly overwhelmed, potentially leading to further resignations and compromised visitor experiences. Congress appropriated the necessary funds to properly staff our parks and federal lands, yet the administration has failed to utilize these resources effectively. This dereliction of duty threatens the integrity of our public lands and the businesses and communities that rely on park tourism. Urgent action is required to hold the administration accountable and ensure the National Park Service and other federal lands agencies can fulfill its mandate to protect and preserve these chair spaces for present and future generations.