Latest news with #AssociationofNationalParkRangers
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Volunteers prep for Fort Union Rendezvous amid National Park Service ‘whiplash'
Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site hosts its Rendezvous event every June. This year, volunteers are prepping for an event with fewer National Park Service staff amid federal funding cuts. (Photo provided by National Park Service) The third full weekend in June is always the busiest part of the summer at Fort Union Trading Post near Williston, North Dakota. This is when the National Park Service historic site hosts its Rendezvous, which draws about 3,000 visitors. This year, however, the event has been in flux as organizers adapt to ever-changing federal funding streams and staffing models. Within the span of a few days, Rendezvous 2025 was canceled and then added back to the summer schedule. 'It's whiplash for all of us involved,' said Megan Halvorson, executive director of the Fort Union Association, a nonprofit that promotes and supports the historic site. 'There are a lot of unknowns.' Rendezvous is Fort Union's biggest event. Over five days, more than 100 living historians recreate what life was like in the 1800s when trappers and traders gathered at the post to exchange furs and goods. Rendezvous was canceled in early April because of a shortage of summer staff at the historic site, Halvorson said. But once the cancellation was announced, the regional National Park Service office said the event needed to go on, she said. The event relies heavily on volunteers but needs National Park Service staff to oversee those volunteers, she said. Historically, Fort Union has hired six rangers to cover the busy season. In addition, rangers from other national park sites have been assigned to help with the Rendezvous weekend. Because of federal hiring freezes earlier in the year, the park service fell behind in its seasonal hiring and Fort Union was able to secure only one long-term ranger plus three short-term rangers for this summer, Halvorson said. That's not enough staff to make sure the event runs smoothly and safely, she said. The park's superintendent referred all questions to the National Park Service regional office. Calls to the regional office were not returned. Fort Union's experience is not uncommon, said Bill Wade, executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers. A cycle of firings and reinstatements and buyouts has led to a loss of permanent employees. The total number is unclear, Wade said, because National Park Service employees have been told not to speak about personnel issues. Still, his association estimates up to 2,500 employees have left the park system. And while the service was eventually authorized to hire more seasonal employees than usual, that permission came late. 'It takes a while to get those people trained and on board,' Wade said. 'What we're seeing is some positions may not be filled early in the season.' In addition, he said the recent chaos and confusion has led to low morale among those who have stayed. 'There's anger and fear among employees who are just trying to do their job,' he said. 'We're expecting there will be more disruption and significant impacts on park resources in the future.' Halvorson says more than 10,000 visitors come through Fort Union each year. She and other members of the Fort Union Association provide as much support to the historic site as they can. The association runs a park store and members are organizing a fundraiser to help hire additional staff. Still, Halvorson said people who value National Park Service sites need to contact their local congressional representatives. That's the best way to support them, she said. In the meantime, the association will recruit even more volunteers to make sure Rendezvous goes smoothly. 'We'll find people to fill gopher holes and set up awnings. We'll ask our local civic organizations for help in setting up picnic tables and garbage cans,' she said. 'We'll do what we can to make sure it goes on.' Those who visit Fort Union for the big June event will see blacksmiths crafting nails and horseshoes. They'll watch demonstrators spin wool into yarn and learn how traders used Plains Indian Hand Talk to speak with each other. They'll see a keel boat, which was the primary way of transporting goods up and down the river. 'It will feel alive out there,' Halvorson said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Interior secretary orders national parks to be open and accessible as workforce is cut
Under criticism for staff cuts across the country, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is directing national parks to 'remain open and accessible' and says officials will ensure proper staffing to do so. The order, issued late Thursday, also calls for a detailed review of each park's operating hours, trail closures and other limits on visitor services. Burgum said in the order that his department and the National Park Service 'are committed to ensuring that all Americans have the opportunity to visit and enjoy our Nation's most treasured places.' But park advocates and others criticized the move and questioned how park employees could comply, given the Trump administration's workforce reductions through voluntary separation offers, layoffs and an earlier hiring freeze. Fewer workers can mean shorter hours, delays, closed campgrounds, overflowing trash bins, unkept bathrooms, and risks to public safety, they say. The park service has lost somewhere near 1,500 permanent employees since the beginning of this year, Rick Mossman, president of the Arizona-based Association of National Park Rangers, said Friday in a statement. And it's "bracing for another reduction in force expected in the very near future.' The administration initially restored about 50 national park positions and hired some seasonal workers following an uproar over an aggressive plan to downsize the agency. More workers were offered their jobs back last month after a judge's order, but some decided to leave federal employment or were immediately placed on administrative leave. Republican Rep. Bruce Westerman of Arkansas, chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, praised the order and said it will ensure parks fulfill their mission. 'As we head into the summer months, millions of Americans and visitors from around the world will be enjoying our beautiful national parks,' he said in a statement. But Jennifer Rokala, executive director of the Denver-based Center for Western Priorities, said mandating parks to remain operational without needed personnel and resources is an impossible task. 'This secretarial order is a hollow and cynical attempt to save face amid the outrage from the public about the harm the Trump administration is inflicting to not only national parks, but the communities across the country that depend on them for economic survival,' Rokala said in a statement. Burgum's order says assistant secretaries will review the operating hours for each park and a full report must be sent to him within 15 days. Rokala said that plan would remove park superintendents and the public from any future decisions regarding park management. 'If past is prologue, the public will be left completely in the dark about all the decisions," Rokala said. The order noted that national parks welcomed more than 331 million visitors last year. The sites were run by more than 20,000 employees and 300,000 volunteers, he said. ___ Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report from Washington.
The Independent
04-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Interior secretary orders national parks to be open and accessible as workforce is cut
Under criticism for staff cuts across the country, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is directing national parks to 'remain open and accessible' and says officials will ensure proper staffing to do so. The order, issued late Thursday, also calls for a detailed review of each park's operating hours, trail closures and other limits on visitor services. Burgum said in the order that his department and the National Park Service 'are committed to ensuring that all Americans have the opportunity to visit and enjoy our Nation's most treasured places.' But park advocates and others criticized the move and questioned how park employees could comply, given the Trump administration's workforce reductions through voluntary separation offers, layoffs and an earlier hiring freeze. Fewer workers can mean shorter hours, delays, closed campgrounds, overflowing trash bins, unkept bathrooms, and risks to public safety, they say. The park service has lost somewhere near 1,500 permanent employees since the beginning of this year, Rick Mossman, president of the Arizona-based Association of National Park Rangers, said Friday in a statement. And it's "bracing for another reduction in force expected in the very near future.' The administration initially restored about 50 national park positions and hired some seasonal workers following an uproar over an aggressive plan to downsize the agency. More workers were offered their jobs back last month after a judge's order, but some decided to leave federal employment or were immediately placed on administrative leave. Republican Rep. Bruce Westerman of Arkansas, chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, praised the order and said it will ensure parks fulfill their mission. 'As we head into the summer months, millions of Americans and visitors from around the world will be enjoying our beautiful national parks,' he said in a statement. But Jennifer Rokala, executive director of the Denver-based Center for Western Priorities, said mandating parks to remain operational without needed personnel and resources is an impossible task. 'This secretarial order is a hollow and cynical attempt to save face amid the outrage from the public about the harm the Trump administration is inflicting to not only national parks, but the communities across the country that depend on them for economic survival,' Rokala said in a statement. Burgum's order says assistant secretaries will review the operating hours for each park and a full report must be sent to him within 15 days. Rokala said that plan would remove park superintendents and the public from any future decisions regarding park management. 'If past is prologue, the public will be left completely in the dark about all the decisions," Rokala said. The order noted that national parks welcomed more than 331 million visitors last year. The sites were run by more than 20,000 employees and 300,000 volunteers, he said. ___
Associated Press
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Interior secretary orders national parks to be open and accessible as workforce is cut
Under criticism for staff cuts across the country, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is directing national parks to 'remain open and accessible' and says officials will ensure proper staffing to do so. The order, issued late Thursday, also calls for a detailed review of each park's operating hours, trail closures and other limits on visitor services. Burgum said in the order that his department and the National Park Service 'are committed to ensuring that all Americans have the opportunity to visit and enjoy our Nation's most treasured places.' But park advocates and others criticized the move and questioned how park employees could comply, given the Trump administration's workforce reductions through voluntary separation offers, layoffs and an earlier hiring freeze. Fewer workers can mean shorter hours, delays, closed campgrounds, overflowing trash bins, unkept bathrooms, and risks to public safety, they say. The park service has lost somewhere near 1,500 permanent employees since the beginning of this year, Rick Mossman, president of the Arizona-based Association of National Park Rangers, said Friday in a statement. And it's 'bracing for another reduction in force expected in the very near future.' The administration initially restored about 50 national park positions and hired some seasonal workers following an uproar over an aggressive plan to downsize the agency. More workers were offered their jobs back last month after a judge's order, but some decided to leave federal employment or were immediately placed on administrative leave. Republican Rep. Bruce Westerman of Arkansas, chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, praised the order and said it will ensure parks fulfill their mission. 'As we head into the summer months, millions of Americans and visitors from around the world will be enjoying our beautiful national parks,' he said in a statement. But Jennifer Rokala, executive director of the Denver-based Center for Western Priorities, said mandating parks to remain operational without needed personnel and resources is an impossible task. 'This secretarial order is a hollow and cynical attempt to save face amid the outrage from the public about the harm the Trump administration is inflicting to not only national parks, but the communities across the country that depend on them for economic survival,' Rokala said in a statement. Burgum's order says assistant secretaries will review the operating hours for each park and a full report must be sent to him within 15 days. Rokala said that plan would remove park superintendents and the public from any future decisions regarding park management. 'If past is prologue, the public will be left completely in the dark about all the decisions,' Rokala said. The order noted that national parks welcomed more than 331 million visitors last year. The sites were run by more than 20,000 employees and 300,000 volunteers, he said. ___
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
Great Smoky Mountains National Park closes campgrounds, trims offerings amid federal cuts
Six out of 10 campgrounds at Great Smoky Mountains National Park are closed as the spring season approaches. And that's not the only change coming to the Smokies as national parks across the country adjust to abrupt staffing and organizational shifts because of Trump administration orders and court rulings. At least 12 staffers had been let go from the Smokies after the administration directed the National Park Service to fire 1,000 employees. Although federal judges ruled the firings were illegal and the employees should be reinstated, and seasonal employees could be hired, typical Smokies programming has already been affected. In addition to campgrounds, popular picnic areas are closed, and vehicle-free days in Cades Cove have been postponed. National parks are also under a $1 spending limit when using government credit cards, which could affect routine purchases of maintenance supplies and utility payments. 'It's anything that would normally be paid using the credit card. They can still use purchase orders and contracting authorities – things that would be paid by government check rather than (credit card),' Bill Wade, executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers, explained to Knox News. 'So, it all depends on what the product or service is.' Here are the Great Smoky Mountains National operational changes that will affect your visitor experience this spring, according to the park's website. Abrams Creek, Balsam Mountain, Big Creek, Cataloochee, Cosby and Look Rock campgrounds are closed. Visitors who booked campsites at those campgrounds will receive refunds. The park's largest campgrounds are open, including Cades Cove, Elkmont and Smokemont. Deep Creek will open as planned on April 18. It should be noted Balsam Mountain, Big Creek and Cataloochee have been closed since September due to damage from Hurricane Helene. Cosby is closed because of scheduled construction. Big Creek, Chimneys, Collins Creek, Cosby, Heintooga, Look Rock and Twin Creeks picnic areas are closed. Visitors who booked reservations at those picnic pavilions will receive refunds. The picnic areas at Cades Cove, Deep Creek, Greenbrier and Metcalf Bottoms are open. Cade Cove vehicle-free days won't begin until June this year. 'The park plans to announce the first date soon,' the park's website states. Vehicle free days typically run May-September, providing opportunities for bicyclists and pedestrians to traverse the popular 11-mile, one-way loop road. Cades Cove has had designated vehicle-free days for over 40 years. The Smokies will offer the 2025 firefly lottery and viewing opportunity as it has in past years, officials confirmed. A lottery for park admission on peak viewing dates will be announced in April. The Smokies is the country's most-visited national park. According to official park service data, 12,191,834 people visited the park in 2024. Zion National Park in Utah was a distant second with 4.9 million visits. Because of limited areas, people heading to the Smokies should plan accordingly to avoid overcrowding. Visit early in the morning or in the evening, suggests. Or explore 'hidden gems' of the park such as the Troll Bridge at Elkmont and White Oak Sinks and Blowhole Cave near Cades Cove. Visitors also are encouraged to be mindful of their trash and park resources, volunteer to help staffers and express their concerns to government leaders. 'I think the only way that I know of that all of this is going to get turned around is if the public gets concerned enough and gets maybe angry enough that they exercise their abilities to influence things, perhaps through their elected officials and that sort of thing,' Wade told Knox News in February. More than 1,600 people volunteered their time help Smokies staffers between October 2023 and September 2024. Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email On X, formerly known as Twitter @dturner1208. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Great Smoky Mountains National Park makes changes amid federal cuts
