The Trump administration has recently terminated thousands of national parks and forests employees, leaving federal workers worried about the future of public lands. The terminations have been labeled the “Valentine’s Day massacre” by some, with around 2,000 employees fired at the U.S. Forest Service and an additional 1,000 positions slashed at the National Park Service.
Among those who lost their jobs are experienced employees like a sled dog musher at Denali National Park and the only locksmith at Yosemite National Park. Former employees describe working on public lands as a dream job, and with the decrease in staff, park rangers fear long entry lines, dirty bathrooms, and potentially unsafe conditions for visitors during the peak tourist season.
The terminations have caused uproar among Democratic lawmakers, who warn of “staffing chaos” in the national parks, potentially leading to entire parks closing. The economic impact of these cuts is also significant, as national parks generated 415,000 jobs and $55.6 billion in economic activity in 2023.
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