National park cuts leave WA employees in limbo

Name: Layoffs leaving national parks in limbo
Uploaded: 2025-02-21T19:31:09-08:00
Description: The abrupt termination of 1,000 national park jobs has left trails closed and communities reeling. Executive Director Bill Wade reveals the chaos behind the cuts and warns of the long-term impacts on our beloved parks.

Layoffs leaving national parks in limbo

The abrupt termination of 1,000 national park jobs has left trails closed and communities reeling. Executive Director Bill Wade reveals the chaos behind the cuts and warns of the long-term impacts on our beloved parks.

SEATTLE, Wash. - The Trump administration has reversed its decision to cut staffing levels at national parks, a move that has already led to closures of popular trails in Washington State. While the latest directive allows for the hiring of thousands of seasonal workers, park officials warn that the turnaround may come too late to mitigate the damage.

The Association of National Park Rangers says the effects of the cuts have already been felt. According to their data, at least 13 employees have been fired in Washington alone. With spring break approaching, rehiring and processing new employees will take time.

The abrupt termination of nearly 800 national park employees last week—now referred to as the "Valentine’s Day Massacre"—has left many reeling.

"The administration just went into it with a meat cleaver, rather than, you know, a scalpel," said Bill Wade, Executive Director of the Association of National Park Rangers. "I'm feeling very angry and very hurt."

Wade described the terminations as sudden and indiscriminate.

"They were given about an hour to go to their office and turn in their government equipment and get their own personal equipment and leave the premises," he said.

FOX 13 previously reported on the immediate effects of the cuts, which led to the closure of the Franklin Falls and Denny Creek Trails due to lack of staff.

"There may be more in the mill, we're hearing rumors," Wade said. "There's just an awful lot of uncertainty right now, and that, of course, has people on edge to know, ‘am I next?’"

The cuts will have immediate effects on park operations nationwide, with reports of reduced visitor center hours, fewer ranger-led programs, and potential sanitation issues. Visitors may also experience longer wait times at entrance stations and reduced maintenance services.

"Keeping restrooms clean and ensuring trash removal could become a challenge," Wade said. "We are also concerned that fewer rangers on-site will impact visitor safety."

Local perspective:

While official figures have not been released, Wade said approximately 775 employees were terminated last Friday, though the total number of affected positions is closer to 1,000.

Among those impacted in Washington state:

6 terminations at Mount Rainier National Park
5 at Olympic National Park
2 at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area

"It isn't just the loss of salary and benefits," Wade said. "They had other expenses that were attributed, you know, to moving or to being there."

What's next:

In a new memo, the Department of the Interior announced plans to hire 7,700 seasonal employees this year—up from the usual 6,300.

"That's good news for sure," Wade said. "It just sounds like there wasn’t very good planning. As a result of the public reaction, they're having to walk back some of the decisions."

However, Wade warns that the reversal will not be enough to fix the issue before the busy summer season. The hiring process is lengthy, and many employees may not be on duty until well after the season has begun.

"In many cases, they're not going to be on duty in parks until sometime after the summer season starts," Wade cautioned. "Visitors are still going to see some impacts."

Depending on the park, officials may close certain areas to protect visitors and resources. The layoffs could also have economic repercussions for communities that rely on national park tourism.

"For every dollar appropriated to the NPS, about $15 is generated in local economies," Wade said. "Gateway communities that depend on park visitors could feel the impact if services decline."

The Source: Information in this story is from the Association of National Park Rangers, the Department of the Interior and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.