The Trump administration issued an order requiring all national parks to remain open in a case of severe staff shortages, a move called “reck and count” that provides park personnel seats for millions of visitors this summer.
“this Order The aim is to ensure that all national parks and national historic sites managed by the Department of the Interior are kept open and accessible for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people, and to ensure that the National Park Services Corporation (NPS) will provide the best customer service experience for all visitors,” Doug Burgum Interior Secretary wrote in a Memo on Thursday.
The mission requires approval first by the Director of the National Park Service and the Assistant Secretary of Fish, Wildlife and Parks for review of any closure or reduction of time at the park site.
The order raised immediate concerns from Kristen Brengel, senior vice president of government affairs at the National Park Conservancy Association. exist statementBrenger said the order “another government attempt to keep the expertise of dedicated park workers far apart.”
The association said any decision to close a park site is determined by staffing level, weather and maintenance needs. Asking officials to get approval before shutting down services will create unnecessary bureaucratic networks for those who know the park best.
“This is the worst micromanagement, and when park staff have been dangerously extended and dealt with peak visiting seasons, more traditional tapes are generated,” Brenger said. “This order is reckless and lost contact.”
National Park Service records higher than 331 million tourists The directive noted last year that there were 433 separate park units and 63 national parks. But the order was made after President Trump About 1,000 National Park Service staff have been cut This year, there are many Hundreds of acquisitions.
These reductions make Popular federal agencies – Responsible for managing beloved California locations from the Golden Gate National Recreation Area to the Joshua Tree and Yosemite National Park – In very low staffing numbers, this will make it more difficult to be both welcome visitors and maintain the park. Cuts may mean Fewer workers available Charge admission fees, clean the toilet or help with search and rescue operations.
Assn. National Park Rangers warned that more cuts were possible and would further hinder the service’s ability to protect land and ensure that all people still have access to them.
“Although national parks provide value and benefits to Americans, [workers] Rick Mossman, president of the association March Statement.
