The United States federal government has shut down yet again, an indication of ongoing political instability fueled by money in politics and ideological polarization.
This time around, the US national park system has been left open for now. Some areas are closed, but visitors generally have access as volunteers fill gaps left by furloughed park rangers.
The longer the shutdown continues, the worse it will be. National Park advocates are warning—correctly—that allowing visitors in but keeping rangers and maintenance staff at home without pay will lead to more garbage, graffiti, and ecological damage that won’t be cleaned up and repaired easily.
There are also risks to park visitors. With limited or no staff, it may take a while for skilled personnel to respond to injured hikers or other emergencies.
The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) is calling for the parks to be closed completely and made off-limits so long as the federal government shutdown continues.
“It’s not just irresponsible, it’s dangerous,” said NPCA president Theresa Pierno, referring to the current situation at the national parks.
NPCA noted that Death Valley National Park and Big Bend National Park both saw serious damage and vandalism during the last shutdown episode when Congress forced the National Park Service to keep parks open even as staff were sent home.
“The damage that occurred in our national parks during the latest federal government shutdown in 2018 and 2019 took months to recover from,” NPCA warns. “And in some cases, the damage was irreparable. Americans should brace themselves for more of the same if parks remain open and unprotected as this shutdown drags on.”
Some functions remain.
NPS operations during the shutdown are laid out in a contingency plan published by the US Department of the Interior in September
On Wednesday, the National Park Service put out an alert on a wildfire spreading at the West Rim of Zion National Park in Utah. The trail that covers that part of the park is now closed until further notice.
Ocean swells caused by offshore hurricanes exacerbated beach erosion and sent several houses tumbling into the ocean at Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina. The National Park Service has been monitoring the storms and their impact on the National Seashore. The houses were unoccupied.
However, aside from occasional press releases, it’s clear that National Park Service (NPS) work is being kept to a minimum as the service’s employees are furloughed.
NPS says the national parks “remain accessible as possible during the federal government shutdown,” but warns that “some services may be limited or unavailable.”
Photo: Mirror Lake, Yosemite National Park, California, USA. US National Park Service (public domain).
As of this writing, there is no end in sight to the shutdown. Donald Trump and Republicans want to continue funding the government while ending a program that aims to keep medical insurance costs lower for millions of Americans.
Democrats in Congress are worried that spiking the health care costs of millions will exacerbate economic woes. Conditions in the US economy are rapidly deteriorating in the wake of Trump’s mass layoffs, his on-again, off-again tariff regimes, and Trump’s erratic bluster that’s keeping millions of tourists away, including would-be visitors to America’s national parks.
The government shutdown has now been dragging on for more than a week.
Some state governments have stepped in with funds and personnel to help keep parks within their state borders open.
Where this is not occurring, experts are urging officials to close the national parks until the rangers who keep them clean, safe, and smoothly operating can return to work.
“Keeping our national parks open after Trump and Republicans forced a government shutdown is stupid, short-sighted, and incredibly dangerous,” said Stephanie Kurose, deputy director of government affairs at the Center for Biological Diversity, in a release. “Vandalism, trash, and human waste will tarnish natural treasures that are the envy of the world.
”Apparently, nothing says ‘Make America Great Again’ like turning Yosemite into one giant toilet,” she added.
