Defunding of National Parks and Scientific Research

Yichen Liu ’28

Ellen Chen ’25

National parks are not only great destinations for family trips and fun, but also critical sites for scientific research and development. These parks protect biodiversity by providing a safe sanctuary for many species, and help scientists study them in their natural habitat. Since 1919, conservation efforts have been made to preserve these lands. The establishment of the National Park Service, the founding of the National Park Conservation Association, and government subsidies are only a corner of the work put in to preserve nature’s greatest wonders. However, with the second Trump administration, cuts are being made to both the people and the funds that run the parks. 

According to the BBC News, “Mass terminations, first announced on 14 February, have led to 5% of the National Park Service staff – around 1,000 workers - being forced out. (BBC, 2025)” Cuts in staffing create a variety of problems for the parks. As tourism increases with each passing year, a decrease in personnel means that visitors may now have to wait up to hours just to enter the park. Additionally, the quality of the visitor experience has significantly degraded. With less staff to run the parks, many facilities, visitor centers, and trails have deteriorated and have closed down. The terminations of rangers also raises the concern of an increased danger in the understaffed parks. It’s the ranger’s duty to repair broken trails and maintain safe conditions in the backcountry, and even rescue hikers who fall into dangerous situations, and without them, risky situations could quickly spiral into something more dangerous. 

On the other hand, there remains hope for the future of national parks– and the environment. Park lovers, wilderness rangers, and scientists are speaking out against the cuts in funding and worker’s terminations. Protest groups like the Resistance Rangers have been formed. As reported by CBS news, the Resistance Rangers have “been tracking the cuts speaking out on behalf of their fired coworkers. (CBS, 2025)” Federal judges have also ruled that the terminations of the probationary national park workers– or employees who are undergoing a trial period to assess their suitability for the position– were “unlawful” and that they need to be rehired (CBS, 2025). 

In conclusion, the fight for the conservation of nature and our national parks are far from over. It is crucial that we stay hopeful and keep advocating for the environment.

References

Pierno, T. (2025, March 6). Parks are being dismantled before our very eyes. National Parks Conservation Association.

https://www.npca.org/articles/7044-parks-are-being-dismantled-before-our-very-eyes   

Knigthon, C. (2025, March 16). How DOGE cuts are jeopardizing our national parks, “America's best idea.” CBS News.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-doge-cuts-are-jeopardizing-our-national-parks/ 

Matza, M. (2025, March 1). Cuts to US national parks and forests spark outrage. BBC News.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czx7kez4vx2o