Now is a concerning time for fans of U.S. national parks and public lands.
The ongoing mass layoffs of staff within the National Park Service, the Forest Service, and other land management agencies, will have major ramifications for outdoor recreation and management in the months to come.
Growing concerns include:
- long entrance lines at your favorite parks
- damaged or closed trails and campgrounds
- decreased availability of timed-entry/backcountry permits or ranger-led tours
- overflowing trash cans and dirty or closed bathrooms
- reduced ability to prevent or fight wildfires or respond to emergencies
- loss of tourism revenue and seasonal jobs, especially in outdoor regions damaged by natural disasters, like Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene
- and increased bad behavior supplying content for accounts like @touronsofyellowstone
Actions you can take include:
- call or write and express any concerns to your local congressional representative
- you can find your rep’s contact info by using the Find Your Representative feature on the HOR website: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
- feel free to use the list of concerns above or create your own list of concerns to share with the rep.
About the photo, I took this shot during summer in Doughton Park, a popular NPS hiking area on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. It’s an area that was already under construction before being hit by Hurricane Helene. Staff disruptions seem likely to further delay the recovery of this already challenged region.
