National parks advocates are planning a nationwide day of action against President Donald Trump’s parks agenda, calling on his administration to provide greater protection and investment for the federal workforce that maintains the country’s parks.
The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) said supporters will gather online and at events across the country on August 25 to “speak out for America’s national parks.” The group is asking the public to sign a petition urging Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to protect parks and their employees.
NPCA says the National Park Service has lost a quarter of its permanent workforce over the past year, including thousands of rangers, maintenance workers and educators. Its petition warns that staffing shortages have forced parks to reduce educational programs, weakened scientific and conservation work and could affect emergency responses and visitor safety. It asks Trump and Burgum to make a “real investment” in park staff and protect the people responsible for caring for the sites.
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