National Park Service is already feeling the effects of federal layoffs. Several workers are sharing their fears for their own jobs as well as the upcoming busy season with summer.
Layoffs and shortages may impact national parks across the country, effecting millions as they make their summer plans. As part of budget cuts by the federal government, the National Park Service laid off 1,000 employees on February 14. But NPS claims that they were already understaffed prior to the layoffs. The federal government did grant permission to fill temporary seasonal positions up to 7,700. So there's hope of some relief.
"Now that's really good news," said Bill Wade, the executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers and a retired superintendent of Shenandoah National Park. "However, it's not without problems, because at this sort of late date and the hiring timetable, I think there's going to be some difficulty getting some of those positions on board in the parks before the summer season hits."
However, the National Park Service will have to work overtime to fill these positions and trained people up in time.
National Park Service Feels Effects
Meanwhile, park ranger Angela Moxley spoke to WTop News about being laid off. She said that she broke down when she saw the email.
"It's hard to put into words the feeling of just dread. I think most of us didn't get very much sleep that night, just knowing what was going to be awaiting us in the morning," Moxley said.
"For me it's a mission, it's a life's calling," she continued. "Most of us in my field, in natural resources in NPS, we could be making a lot more in the private sector. And that's not why we went into this field. We work for NPS because we believe in the mission of protecting public lands."
Meanwhile, Ryan McClure, the executive director of the Gateway Arch Park Foundation, opens up about how vital the National Park Service is to the nation's park system.
"We serve a very important purpose, but if you left it completely up to privatization, there is no guarantee that those places remain protected. It's in the National Park Service's mission to preserve and protect America's special places for the American people, they are in the 'forever' business," McClure said. "[National Parks] are some of the most important public spaces in our country, and you need to have an organization that is running them, that is accountable to the American people."
