New plan to fire more national parks staff and rangers undercuts already short-staffed parks
The Trump administration detailed their plans to fire at least 2,050 staff who work for the Department of the Interior, including eliminating at least 272 additional positions at the National Park Service. The planned firing come on top of massive reductions in staffing for national public lands agencies since February. The cuts leave hikers less safe, reduce everyone’s access to public lands and must be overturned.
by Jessi Loerch
In the midst of a partial shutdown of the federal government, the Trump administration detailed their plans to fire at least 2,050 staff who work for the Department of the Interior, including eliminating at least 272 additional positions at the National Park Service.
These firings would come on top of massive reductions in staffing for land management agencies since February. It is short-sighted and indefensible to fire these employees when they are needed more than ever.
The staff at Washington's national parks do everything from educate visitors at popular locations to maintain trails, camps and bridges in deep backcountry. They are essential to protecting the places and the people who visit. Here, a Mount Rainier National Park Service trail crew member assesses damage near the Lower Crossing of the Carbon River. Credit NPS/J. Montgomery
The latest plans were revealed in court filings after a federal court temporarily blocked the administration's attempts to lay off thousands of workers. The number of workers at risk of losing their jobs at the parks service and Department of the Interior is likely higher because the court filings only included union members. Earlier this year 1,600 National Park Service employees were moved to the office of the secretary in the Department of the Interior, and some of those workers are also at risk of losing their jobs.
“By repeatedly cutting workers, the administration is making it nearly impossible for the National Park Service and other land managers to do their jobs, leaving hikers less safe and reducing everyone’s access to public lands,” said Jaime Loucky, WTA’s chief executive officer. “These workers care for some of our nation’s most precious landscapes and, without them, it’s harder for WTA to do our work to care for trails.”
Before these latest plans to cut workers, the National Park Service was already stretched incredibly thin. The Trump Administration has eliminated about 24 percent of the permanent staff positions at the Park Service. Seasonal hiring is also way down. Mount Rainier National Park would typically have around 200 summer employees. This year they were down to about 130 staff members to manage the approximately 2.5 million visitors the park receives.
While the U.S. Forest Service hasn’t been targeted in this most recent round of cuts, it’s also struggling. This year, 5,800 Forest Service workers lost their jobs across the nation. In Washington state, about 25 percent of Forest Service employees have lost their jobs since February. Land managers across the federal government are being stripped of the people they need to care for national public lands.
Many of the people who lost their jobs this year, both at the National Park Service and Forest Service, worked on trails or in outdoor recreation more broadly.
The employees who remain are dedicated public servants who have already faced so many challenges this year. They are trying to do their jobs — plus the jobs of those who lost their positions — in the face of immense challenges.
National parks employees maintain forest roads, trails, bridges and signage. They help ensure human waste is dealt with appropriately. They fight fires and respond to emergencies. They patrol popular recreation areas and remind visitors how to visit responsibly. They staff visitor centers and give out expert information. They are talented, knowledgeable people who have devoted their careers to serving the public and maintaining the landscape we know and love.
At WTA, we have heard from our federal partners that the staffing cuts have meant that employees are overworked, that less essential work is getting done and that morale is low.
“These public workers are devoted and hard working people who are vital to our public lands and trails — and to anyone who loves to get outside,” said Michael DeCramer, WTA’s policy and planning manager. “It’s insulting and short-sighted to treat the careers of public servants as disposable, especially when their work is so desperately needed to care for some of our nation’s most precious places.”
We’ve seen and heard from our partners and members of our community that national public lands have faced challenges this year as a result of reduced staffing. Fewer crews have been out on trails and visitors centers have reduced the days and hours they’re open. Trash has started to pile up, without anyone to clean it up, both in the backcountry and at dispersed camping sites.
The most recent layoffs at the National Parks Service will cut workers who have years of experience and expertise to help parks address existing challenges and plan for the future. Cutting these positions is short sighted and will hurt parks’ efforts to care for natural and cultural resources, as well as hinder important construction and maintenance projects.
While WTA and others are stepping up where we can, we can not replace the federal employees who have been lost. National public lands will suffer even more if staffing is not restored. National parks are public spaces; their stewardship and management are the role of the government. The agencies are mandated to care for these places, and they can’t do that without adequate staffing. At WTA we need our federal partners to do our work. We need their expertise and coordination to help us most effectively care for trails in national forest and national parks.
Take action
These firings must be overturned, for the sake of the future of public lands and trails, and for all of the people who rely on them.
National park staff work hard to protect some of our most treasured public lands and everyone who visits them. Photo: U.S. Department of the Interior Valor Awards presented at Mount Rainier National Park in August, 2025 to NPS rangers for their actions during a 2022 high-altitude rescue. Photo credit NPS/Kevin Bacher
Comments