National parks are powered by people, and without enough staff, some of our country's most iconic landscapes and its invaluable history are at risk.
WASHINGTON – This week, the Department of the Interior stated in a new memo that it would lift a federal hiring freeze that has deprived national parks of critically-needed staff and threatened the National Park Service’s ability to protect park resources since January 2025.
However, this so-called “lift,” of the hiring freeze comes with significant restrictions and limitations that will continue to prevent parks from rehiring more than 4,000 (24%) Park Service permanent staff who have left the agency this year through mass firings and resignations.
The memo does not supersede strict policies set by President Trump’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on federal government employment for all departments. Under those policies, the Department of the Interior will hire, “no more than one employee for every four employees that depart,” the agency. The policy grants exceptions for roles that involve public safety.
Joint OPM and OMB policy also requires each agency, including the National Park Service, to submit annual staffing plans and establish Strategic Hiring Committees that align with the President’s political priorities, a bureaucratic hurdle that will likely stymie hiring for crucial national park positions.
Polling conducted by YouGov and the National Parks Conservation Association in fall 2025 found that a strong majority of Americans (62%) oppose the Trump administration’s plan to cut more National Park Service staff, which would break an already overwhelmed Park Service that has been struggling for months.
Statement by Emily Douce, Deputy Vice President for Government Affairs for the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA):
“The math does not add up here. One national park ranger is not a substitute for four national park rangers. National parks are powered by people, and without enough staff, some of our country’s most iconic landscapes and its invaluable history are at risk.
“While we welcome efforts to move forward in rehiring desperately needed staff to protect our parks, more red tape is not the answer. If this administration truly wants to protect these wild, awe-inspiring places for the betterment of our country, it’s time for our leaders to stop setting up roadblocks to hiring the best and brightest people to positions within the National Park Service.
Americans know that the Park Service is an example of government success, not government excess or waste. No more mass firings. It’s time for mass rehirings.”
About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.9 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.
