{"id":2411978,"date":"2025-03-10T12:08:02","date_gmt":"2025-03-10T16:08:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doge-cuts-national-park-staff-as-visitation-rate-peaks\/"},"modified":"2025-03-10T12:11:47","modified_gmt":"2025-03-10T16:11:47","slug":"doge-cuts-national-park-staff-as-visitation-rate-peaks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doge-cuts-national-park-staff-as-visitation-rate-peaks\/","title":{"rendered":"DOGE cuts National Park staff as visitation rate peaks"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdoge-cuts-national-park-staff-as-visitation-rate-peaks%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2411978&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Teh article discusses\u2063 the recent cuts to the National Park Service (NPS) workforce implemented\u200b by the Department \u2062of Government Efficiency (DOGE), despite record-high \u200bvisitation rates to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-releases-list-of-president-trumps-accomplishments-and-it-is-historic\/\" title=\"White House Releases List of President Trump\u2019s Accomplishments \u2013  And It Is Historic!\">national parks<\/a>. In 2024, the NPS recorded approximately \u200c331.9 million recreational visits, surpassing the previous record \u2062of \u200b330.97 million \u200din 2016.However, these cuts have\u2064 resulted in the termination of at least 755 employees, including 1,000 probationary staff, along with hiring freezes and\u200c threats to some facilities&#8217; \u200bleases. the National\u2063 Parks Conservation Association criticized these cuts as detrimental, especially as the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">parks experience unprecedented public interest<\/a>, with \u2064many parks breaking visitation records. The article also notes that \u200bthe Golden Gate National Recreation Area was the most visited park,indicating\u200c a strong demand for access to these public spaces.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">DOGE cuts National Park staff as visitation rate peaks<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2033956\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-government-efficiency\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Department of Government Efficiency\">Department of Government Efficiency<\/a> cuts have affected most parts of the federal government, and cuts to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/national-park-service\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"National Parks Service\">National Park Service<\/a>&lsquo;s workforce come as visitation at the parks reaches new highs.<\/p>\n<p>The NPS announced last week it had 331.9 million recreational visits to its various sites across the country in 2024, surpassing the record of 330.97 million visits in 2016. DOGE cuts have been responsible for at least 755 firings at the NPS, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/local\/washington-dc\/2025\/03\/10\/national-park-service-layoffs-firings-doge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"report\">report<\/a> from <em>Axios<\/em> citing a tally conducted by park rangers. The NPS said it has a workforce of roughly 20,000 people and had more than 138,000 volunteers in fiscal 2024.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/3342138\/meghan-mccain-white-lotus-boycott-x-spat-carrie-coon\/\">Meghan McCain teases White Lotus boycott over X spat with actress<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3342191\/andy-harris-al-green-broke-decorum-congressional-outbursts\/\">Andy Harris contends Al Green broke &#8216;all decorum&#8217; with congressional outbursts<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3342094\/jason-miyares-broad-search-underway-caribbean-missing-resident-sudiksha-konanki\/\">Virginia AG says &#8216;broad search&#8217; underway in Caribbean for missing resident Sudiksha Konanki<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The National Parks Conservation Association, an independent NPS advocacy group, said 1,000 probationary staff members have been fired as part of the cuts, along with pauses in hiring for some positions and some NPS buildings being under threat of having their leases canceled.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The National Park Service just reported the highest visitation in its history, as the administration conducts massive firings and threatens to close visitor centers and public safety facilities. It&rsquo;s a slap in the face to the hundreds of millions of people who explored our parks last year and want to keep going back. Americans love their national parks; these cuts do not have public support,&rdquo; the group&rsquo;s senior vice president of government affairs, Kristen Brengel, said in a statement last week.<\/p>\n<p>The data released on visitation by the NPS for 2024 showed that 28 parks of the 404 NPS units that reported data set new records for visits in a year, while 38 parks showed visitation above the 10-year average for each month of 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Historical trends show visitation progressively increases at the beginning of each year, peaking in July and decreasing through the end of the year. In the Washington, D.C., area, visitation to NPS sites will likely see an uptick due to the cherry blossoms blooming at the end of March and beginning of April.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/foreign-policy\/3342047\/rubio-cancels-83-percent-usaid-contracts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"RUBIO CANCELS 83% OF USAID CONTRACTS AFTER SIX-WEEK REVIEW\">RUBIO CANCELS 83% OF USAID CONTRACTS AFTER SIX-WEEK REVIEW<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/melania-trump-supports-womens-suffrage-monument-bill\/\" title=\"Melania Trump supports women\u2019s suffrage monument bill\">visited national park<\/a> in 2024 was the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in the San Francisco Bay Area with 17.18 million visits, followed by the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina with 16.73 million visits, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee with 12.19 million visits.<\/p>\n<p>The most visited sites in the Washington area were the Lincoln Memorial with 8.47 million visits, the George Washington Memorial Parkway along the Potomac River in Virginia with 6.78 million visits, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial with 5.29 million visits.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2033956\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2033956\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DOGE cuts National Park staff as visitation hits record highs<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2638,"featured_media":2411979,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/national-park-service-zion-national-park-sign.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[23466,32148,51870,51871],"class_list":["post-2411978","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-doge","tag-national-park","tag-staff-cuts","tag-visitation-rate"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/national-park-service-zion-national-park-sign.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2411978","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2638"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2411978"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2411978\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2411982,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2411978\/revisions\/2411982"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2411979"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2411978"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2411978"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2411978"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}