‘Save our national parks' billboards pop up across country to protest job cuts
Billboards have popped up across the country protesting job and budget cuts at national parks.
The advertisements are part of a campaign by pro-labor nonprofit advocacy group More Perfect Union to slam the Trump administration's staff and service cuts at national parks.
'National parks are one of our nation's most treasured assets. … They provide a public space where anyone, rich or poor, can share equally,' the group said on its website. 'Yet, Donald Trump has empowered Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to make drastic cuts to the federal workforce across all agencies.'
Ripple effects of the cuts include scientists and other staff being reassigned to clean toilets, facility closures and fewer emergency responders available to help visitors in distress, McClatchy News previously reported.
The administration also fired roughly 1,000 newly hired employees 'as part of its broad-based effort to downsize government,' The Associated Press reported.
The group installed 300 billboards in more than 40 cities across the U.S., National Parks Traveler reported.
The billboards are designed to look like a postcard showing iconic scenery from the parks — but instead of a slogan reading something you'd expect from a postcard like 'wish you were here,' the billboards highlight the negative effects of staff cuts on the parks.
For example, billboards in Miami and Fort Lauderdale in Florida read: 'Greetings from Biscayne National Park: Now with increased levels of trash*,' the outlet reported.
Signs in Denver read 'Greetings from Rocky Mountain National Park: Now with reduced staff*'; signs in Nevada read 'Greetings from Death Valley National Park: Heat deaths rise, safety staff cut*' and signs in Arizona read 'Greetings from Saguaro National Park: Reduced visiting hours*.'
The asterisks on all the billboards point to an emblem reading 'Made possible by DOGE.'
'National Parks are some of our nation's most cherished resources,' Faiz Shakir, executive director of More Perfect Union, said in a statement, according to KDVR. 'They provide a space that all people — old, young, rich, poor — can enjoy equally and find their lives are enriched by amazing experiences. But that's not something oligarchs care much about. Some elected officials and unelected billionaires would rather privatize or eliminate our public services, we believe strongly in the need for great public parks and outdoor spaces that all Americans can enjoy.'
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