Amid the federal layoffs, national park crews nationwide struggle with transparency with their visitors since allegedly being instructed to share false news.
As Blavity reported, many government employees across different departments received pink slips amid the Trump administration’s widespread cost-cutting strategy. According to ProPublica, a minimum of 1,000 park services workers across North America were let go on Feb. 14. Since then, there have been numerous changes in park operations, including long lines, reduced hours, canceled tours, and a lack of habitat restoration processes to help reestablish a self-sustaining ecosystem.
What was the National Park Service agency’s staff told to tell patrons?
Multiple emails with specific verbiage and expectations set the tone for how the National Park Service expects communications with guests amid workforce changes. Supervisors directed team members not to blame park modifications on February’s sweeping cuts or use the word “fired” when communicating why updates were implemented. Instead, the talking points suggested that reduced operations result from “prioritizing fiscal responsibility,” which helps “staffing to meet the evolving needs of our visitors.”
Additionally, a park ranger shared with ProPublica that another response to any questions was, “We are not able to address park or program-level impacts at this time.”
“We have a duty to tell the public what’s going on,” a ranger who chose to remain anonymous told ProPublica. “If that’s saying, ‘We just don’t have the staff to stay open and that’s what these firings are doing,’ I think the people have a right to know. Every person we lose hurts.”
Emily Douce, deputy vice president of government affairs at the National Parks Conservation Association, highlighted that the recent directives place park rangers in a challenging position.
“They shouldn’t be muzzled to not talk about the impacts of what these cuts mean,” Douce said. “If they are asked, they should be truthful on how federal dollars are being used or taken away.”
A spokesperson for the NPS denies the narrative that the government is forcing park staff to be dishonest to visitors. They told ProPublica in an exclusive statement that key messaging is a “basic tool” companies use to “ensure consistent communication with the public.”
“The National Park Service is fully committed to responsible stewardship of our public lands and enhancing visitor experiences — we will not be distracted by sensationalized attacks designed to undermine that mission,” the statement noted.
There was also a mention of disapproval of the public comments NPS employees disclosed to ProPublica.
“Millions of hardworking Americans deal with workplace challenges every day without resorting to politically motivated leaks,” the spokesperson added.
What’s being done to rectify issues at National Parks?
The administration recently brought back approximately 50 former NPS aides and confirmed plans to hire seasonal workers to keep parks running smoothly during peak summer months. Unfortunately, delays in the hiring process might cause disruptions to park operations with even more job cuts expected. According to The Hill, a proposed 30% payroll deduction for the NPS is under review.
These potential sackings come when national parks are experiencing a surge in visitors, setting a new record in 2024, the highest since 2016. The NPS quietly published this milestone on its website unlike in previous years when the administration chose not to highlight it with an official announcement.
