Who really likes national parks anyway? Who really likes visiting forests? Good thing you don’t, because thanks to Trump’s administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, national parks, forests and wildlife habitats are experiencing major staffing layoffs.
On Feb. 14, nearly 3,400 forest employees and 1,000 National Park Service employees were laid off. This dramatic decision has sparked controversy over what the future of these natural wonders looks like.
A wave of protests have erupted across California national parks. In Yosemite, a group of rock climbers hung an American flag upside down on El Capitan in protest of these layoffs.
The effects of these staffing cuts are already impacting visitors with long parker entrance wait times, trail closures, dirty public bathrooms, reduced hours in visitor centres and more.
National parks and forest employees do so much more besides just keeping our parks clean — they keep people safe. A scary question we may need to start thinking about as we go into the busy season, how will the death count rise now that there aren’t qualified staff to guide ill-prepared visitors to safety?
But no, instead the Trump Administration has deemed our national parks and forests as wasted space. In an official statement, the General Services Administration stated, “Selling ensures that taxpayer dollars are no longer spent on vacant or underutilized federal spaces. Disposing of these assets helps eliminate costly maintenance and allows us to reinvest in high-quality work environments that support agency missions.”
Oh yeah, nobody really uses or appreciates Yosemite—such wasted space! Not like they had over 3.9 million visitors last year…Do you know what would be so useful and really help Trump out? If we cut down all those pesky redwoods and bring back domestic timber.
Luis Calito, a fourth-year kinesiology major, said, “I think that the staffing cuts will do a lot of damage to the parks. Less staff means more people getting into the park without reservations, less knowledge of park rules, and less safety for visitors. I love going to Yosemite National Park to do rock climbing, and I’ve met a lot of great staff there. They take their time to teach every visitor about camping etiquette, respecting wildlife, and give you tips to be safe out there.”
Calito added, “National Parks and Forest Services are important because the [parks and forests] are home to thousands of different species and we are very lucky to be able to share these places with them. Without them, we would be jeopardizing endangered wildlife.”
We need to protect our national parks. They’re not just empty spaces for our government to pick apart for industrialization, they are breathtaking landmarks that we must treasure for generations to come.
