The following week, about 50 NPS jobs were restored, and Trump promised 7,700 new seasonal positions.
So far, fewer than150 temporary NPS jobshave been posted, andanother big wave of reductions may be coming.
Both agencies heavily rely on temporary seasonal roles to fill the on-the-ground workforce.
In Yosemite National Park in California, a wildfire burns on July 7, 2022.National Park Service/AP
They loved monitoring endangered species and snowpacks.
They enjoyed clearing fallen trees, preserving and repairing structures, and maintaining wildlife health.
Camping out in the wild, living out of backpacks and tents, they thrived.
Sams says the agencies train a large number of both permanent and seasonal staff to be wildland firefighters.
National parks and forests lost essential personnel with many crews cut down to half, leaving critical tasks unmanageable.
The certification must be renewed every year.
I went on multiple fire assignments.
She was terminated along with nine others in her office.
We had this opportunity to be the next generation of public land stewards, she says.
And then to have that ripped away, its so heartbreaking.
The federal government is undergoing a significant transformation.
She was three months shy of finishing her two-year probationary period as supervisor.
She had been on multiple fires as well, including initial attacks and prescribed burnings.
These trained field staff also do fire mitigation projects.
Thats what those seasonal [employees] are doing.
Before being laid off, Andria Townsend had been a carnivore specialist at Yosemite National Park since May 2024.
Other interviewed workers had received similar positive evaluations.
There were people who were doing preventative work on wildfires who were fired, she says.
These are the people who come and rescue you, and many of them were fired on Feb. 14.
The NPCA is a nonprofit advocating for national parks with Congress, the White House, and the courts.
On March 1, thousands gathered at national parks across the country to protest the firings.
On Chans last day, the supervisors held a meeting to explain what was happening.
The entire meeting, I was fighting back tears tears of frustration and tears of anger, Chan says.
He says the team was minimally staffed to begin with and the system is now left with huge gaps.
Were starting to see these attacks on our public lands …
Telling Americas story shouldnt all be about revenue, says retired park superintendent Russell Galipeau.
They provide a chance for you to connect with nature.
Galipeau retired in 2018 after a 40-year career with NPS.
He currently works with the Coalition to Protect Americas National Parks.
Galipeau recalls the last government shutdown, which occurred during President Trumps first term.
We saw poaching [of animals], we saw plants taken out of parks, Galipeau says.
We start to see trails where theyre not maintained.
People care deeply about their national parks and public lands.
It is Americas best idea, Leslie says.
According to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey,76 percent of Americans view the National Park Service favorably.
Over331 million people visitednational parks in 2024, according to NPS visitation statistics.
She was fired via phone call during a furlough period, unable to access her government email.
Everyone is hoping that the National Parks continue to exist, Walsh says.
Everybody is really worried that parks are not going to be as beautiful, he says.
Were going to see species go extinct.
