“Secretary Burgum’s narrative doesn’t match the reality unfolding in our parks. The Park Service is in a full-blown staffing crisis." - Theresa Pierno, NPCA's President and CEO
Washington, DC – The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) is deeply concerned by multiple misleading claims made by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum during his testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee. In his remarks, Secretary Burgum presented an inaccurate and outdated picture of the National Park Service’s staffing levels, one that does not reflect the reality on the ground. Data from the Department of the Interior’s own Financial and Business Management System (FBMS) directly contradicts key figures cited by the Secretary.
During last week’s Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Secretary Burgum claimed that “about 26,000 people work in the park system.” But according to the Department of the Interior’s own workforce database, as of May 13, 2025, the National Park Service had just 18,066 employees — a nearly 16.5% drop since FY2023. That sharp decline includes staff lost to pressured buyouts, early retirements, deferred resignations, and hundreds of unfilled vacancies.
Secretary Burgum’s testimony also raises serious concerns about the agency’s seasonal hiring process. While the administration eventually exempted seasonal roles from the ongoing hiring freeze, the damage was already done. As of May 13, 2025, DOI’s own data shows only about 3,300 seasonal and temporary staff have been hired — 39% fewer than in FY23 and less than half of the administration’s stated goal of 7,700.
Additionally, Secretary Burgum claimed that fewer than half of Park Service employees work in parks, repeatedly suggesting the majority are office-based. He also emphasized the number of staff in administrative roles such as HR and IT, misrepresenting the reality of where and how most park employees serve. Secretary Burgum stated, “We got several thousand people working in IT and I don’t know what they do.” Yet, based on the Interior’s workforce database, as of May 13, 2025, the Park Service employed just over 2,060 “office staff” nationwide, including staff in DC, regional and program-related offices, and fewer than 450 IT and HR positions across the entire agency (only 2% of the Park Service’s workforce).
While not stationed inside park boundaries, regional staff play a vital role. From maintaining roads and trails to supporting educational programs and safeguarding natural and cultural resources, their behind-the-scenes expertise keeps parks safe, accessible and running smoothly. Without them, parks across the country would lack the critical support and coordination needed to function.
With parks in a full-blown staffing crisis, NPCA demands agency leaders be honest about the challenges. Misleading Congress and the public doesn’t fix the problem, it only worsens the strain on our parks and the dedicated staff trying to keep them running. As Congress weighs FY26 funding for the National Park Service, lawmakers need a clear and honest picture of the staffing crisis in our parks.
Statement by Theresa Pierno, President and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA):
“For months, Secretary Burgum has misrepresented the true state of the National Park Service, time and again justifying the administration’s damaging cuts to our parks and the staff who care for them. His latest Congressional testimony was just another attempt to deflect and distract. But the data is clear: national park staffing is at its lowest point in decades.
“Secretary Burgum’s narrative doesn’t match the reality unfolding in our parks. The Park Service is in a full-blown staffing crisis. Even national parks like Yosemite are struggling to provide basic visitor services with overwhelmed park staff. Thousands of essential positions remain vacant across the system, including roughly 100 superintendent roles. The agency is being stretched to the limit without the leadership or resources it needs to function. Any further reduction in force, as the administration is reportedly planning, would be devastating to the future of our national parks.
“National parks, big and small, belong to the American people. The public deserves the truth about an Interior Secretary who’s dismantling our most treasured places by slashing staffing and funding. The Secretary isn’t being efficient. He’s only making it harder to protect our parks.”
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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 1.6 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.
