Mass resignations further hobble National Park Service 'in crisis'

Recent mass firings and resignations at the National Park Service have many wondering how staffing shortages might affect their visits during the upcoming busy season.

The NPS, now struggling to cope with more than 700 resignations on top of the 1,000 terminations mandated by the Trump administration earlier this month, has not yet issued a public statement addressing the many concerns.

Nor has the NPS responded to a staffing-related inquiry by FTW Outdoors.

But Kristen Brengel, senior vice president of government affairs for the National Parks Conservation Assn., was far from optimistic about anything going smoothly, at least early on during the peak visitation period.

Brengel told National Parks Traveler: “The National Park Service is in crisis and things are only getting worse. In a matter of weeks, 9 percent of Park Service staff have been lost to mass firings and resignations.

“And this is on top of hundreds of vacant positions that can’t be filled due to the ongoing hiring freeze. These indiscriminate cuts are neither strategic nor efficient; they are devastating.”

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Brengel added: “Spring break is only days away, and staffing cuts could leave parks unable to handle emergencies, serve visitors or safeguard precious historic and natural treasures. If seasonal staff can’t be hired in time, smaller parks could be forced to close visitor centers and campgrounds or reduce park hours because there simply aren’t enough people to staff them.

“Larger parks have already lost key staff including wastewater treatment operators, maintenance workers, dispatchers and fee collectors. And across the National Park System we anticipate a spike in maintenance needs, trash collection issues and so much more.”

As National Parks Traveler noted, the 700-plus resignations were from NPS employees that accepted a Trump administration offer to quit immediately while still being paid possibly through September.

The NPS was told earlier this month it could hire as many as 7,500 seasonal employees, but that apparently is being held up.