Federal Layoffs Spark Nationwide Protests Over National Parks, Conservation, and Access

As spring visitors return to U.S. national parks, many are discovering something missing — the workers who protect, research, and preserve these iconic spaces. From wildlife biologists to historical interpreters, a wave of federal job cuts has sparked nationwide protests, widespread concern, and legal challenges over the future of America's public lands and the people entrusted with their care.

Thousands gathered at national parks across the country on March 1 to protest mass layoffs of federal employees under the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The demonstrations took place in well-known locations such as Zion, Mount Rainier, the Grand Canyon, and Indiana Dunes.

“We are really, really lucky to have the privilege to live here and see these places, and that privilege can be taken away. It's up to us to keep it,” said activist Alex Haraus, who joined the protest at Rocky Mountain National Park.

Despite national parks reporting record visitation last year, an internal memo allegedly instructed staff not to publicly discuss those numbers. Activists fear the ongoing cuts could reduce basic services like restroom maintenance and emergency response just as peak season approaches. But for many, the concern runs deeper than visitor convenience.

Wildlife biologist Andria Townsend, who worked at Yosemite National Park, lost her job under DOGE directives. Townsend supervised a team researching endangered species such as the Sierra Nevada red fox and fishers. “We were in the middle of our capture season… Losing myself and one of my staff hindered our capture efforts. That means we collect less data. That means we know less about our fisher population,” she said.

Townsend noted her salary wasn’t even funded by the federal government, but through a nonprofit. Her job included research coordination, grant writing, and interagency collaboration—roles she said are essential to conservation efforts and even wildfire response.

Helen Dhue, a historical interpreter at Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park in Texas, was also terminated. Her role involved maintaining visitor access, preserving archives, and educating the public about the U.S.-Mexico War. “It hurts me because it's like this is not leadership,” she said, referencing the broader cuts and their impact on underrepresented histories and bilingual education at the park.

Her layoff came just as she was training for wildfire certification and amid growing environmental concerns near the SpaceX launch site at Boca Chica. Dhue said local access has declined and environmental damage has increased. “These green spaces — there’s not a lot of them left,” she said.

On March 27, the administration added a new flashpoint by signing an executive order titled Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History. The order targets the Smithsonian and urges the review of historical monuments and exhibits altered since 2020. Critics, including historians and park staff, say this amounts to a whitewashing of history and undermines long-standing efforts to present inclusive narratives in federal parks and museums.

Yet despite the sweeping firings, a federal judge in California issued a ruling in March ordering the government to rehire many affected employees. Judge William Alsup condemned the justification for the layoffs, calling it a “sham in order to try to avoid statutory requirements.”

“The order, and it counts,” he wrote. For now, both Townsend and Dhue have been reinstated — but the legal battle continues as the Trump administration asks the Supreme Court to intervene.