“Drill, baby, drill,” a common phrase that President Donald Trump repeated throughout his 2024 presidential campaign. Referring to drilling for oil and fossil fuels, this slogan easily illustrates Trump’s attitude towards environmental issues. As his federal layoff spree coincides with his dismissiveness towards the environment, Trump has fired thousands of National Park Service employees from 63 national parks in the country, according to AP news.
Trump, along with Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency, aims to shrink the size of the federal workforce in order to “slash wasteful spending,” according to CBS News. Implementing these layoffs has wreaked havoc on many departments — the National Park Service being no exception. Already understaffed before the firings, the shortage of workers will impair the available services within these national parks. Many parks have already stated that they will be resorting to shorter open hours, closing on certain days and cancelling guided tours. These restrictions are bound to decrease tourism and diminish the visitor experience.
Each park’s vast resources become difficult to maintain and manage with fewer workers. The safety of visitors and ecosystems within the park are both at risk when there are not enough employees to help ensure the well-being of both the tourists and wildlife. According to AP News, Kristen Brengel, senior vice president of government affairs at the National Parks Conservation Association, says that “Trash will pile up, restrooms won’t be cleaned and maintenance problems will grow.”
Some argue that, since there are so many national parks throughout the United States, only a few employees are laid off from each location, thus softening the impact for each individual park. However, since these parks were short staffed before the layoffs, each member plays a crucial role in park operations. On top of the decrease in quality of tourist experience and potential environmental degradation of the parks, the lack of staff may lead to inadequate training for new employees. These national parks are in no position to give up any of their workers, but some have lost up to 15 employees, according to Outside Magazine.
However, the condition of the national parks does not seem to concern Trump, as his political agenda generally neglects conserving nature. Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, an international treaty for climate change, plans to intensify fossil fuel extraction while pulling back on renewable energy sources. As Trump steers the U.S. down a trajectory devoid of climate conservation, the entire nation is bound to shift towards his views. This further devalues national parks, leaving them at risk of abandonment and destruction.
As resistance against federal layoffs and public backlash have accumulated, “at least 50 [National Park Service] jobs are being restored to help maintain and clean parks, educate visitors and collect admission fees,” according to AP News. Federal judges and advocates have been working to rehire many of the employees. This follows the trend of many of Trump’s policies: big, dramatic changes often followed by claims that his actions are unlawful or unconstitutional, such as trying to end birthright citizenship and freeze federal funding, according to the New York Times. To many, it seems like a way for him to show his power — to prove that he can move fast and reap results like he promised. The lasting impacts of Trump’s efforts are still unclear, and will take time to truly settle.
Peering into the future of these national parks, many feel heartbroken. Places like Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park and the Grand Canyon National Park represent, promote and protect the U.S.’s beautiful natural landscapes. These parks serve not only to protect natural resources, but to educate the public about environmental preservation, wildlife and geography. For children, national parks are places of endless outdoor fun. For tourists, the parks are a way to connect with nature in its purest and most marvelous form. For environmentalists, the parks are a reminder of what they are fighting for. And for park workers, they are home. Ultimately, firing National Park Service employees not only shows a lack of empathy towards the workers but also the start of many new government policies stepping away from climate protection. As the chaos of these layoffs ensues, the U.S. needs to learn to treasure its national parks, protect its environment and show appreciation for the NPS staff who work tirelessly to serve this country.
