Fund our Parks. Fix our Parks. Fight for Our Parks.

Increase Park Funding and Staffing

Ranger talk at Canyonlands

A ranger talk at Canyonlands National Park.

Erika Pollard, NPCA

Since January 2025, the National Park Service has lost nearly 25% of its permanent workforce – more than 4,000 staff – due to pressured buyouts, early retirements, deferred resignations and vacancies. The people being pushed out maintain trails, clean restrooms, manage wildlife, guide visitors, and help protect America’s natural and cultural treasures. They are the lifeblood of our parks. Even with thousands of critical positions unfilled, the administration continues to impose barriers that hinder hiring and make it harder for remaining staff to do their jobs.

These staffing challenges come on top of a 13% reduction in park staff since 2011, even as visitation has increased 19%, with more than 323 million visits in 2025 alone. Budget and staffing cuts have already reduced ranger-led programs, weakened resource protection, delayed maintenance and diminished visitor experiences. That’s why NPCA is urging Congress to prioritize the hiring of park staff and increase the Park Service’s funding to provide critical resources to protect our most treasured places.

Fix Our Parks

The backlog of repair needs at our national parks has exceeded $23 billion, which includes hundreds of critical projects to fix issues such as crumbling roads, worn-out trails, failing water and sewer systems, and other maintenance issues. Congress made huge strides in 2020 with the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, which funded hundreds of maintenance and repair projects in every state throughout the country. But it’s clear that our parks need more help. That’s why NPCA is urging Congress to continue this commitment to fix our parks by passing the America the Beautiful Act to extend maintenance funding for parks for another eight years.  

Stop the Erasure of History and Science

President’s House 1

In January 2026, the Philadelphia Inquirer published video footage showing National Park Service staff using crowbars to remove this sign from the President’s House Exhibit at Independence National Historical Park. 

NPCA/Rachel DeLadesmo

This year marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a pivotal moment for national reflection and for envisioning the country’s future. Our national parks are places that reflect our shared history and values. They tell the complex story of our nation: our triumphs and innovations as well as our shortcomings. However, in early 2025, the administration issued an alarming executive order to rewrite and sanitize American history and science in national parks, undermining the park system’s responsibility to preserve and educate the public. The American people do not want history erased or science dismissed – more than 78% oppose removing factual materials from parks. That’s why NPCA is urging Congress to support legislative efforts to halt these actions and prevent the removal, censorship or alteration of factual history and science in national parks.

Improve National Park Transportation and Strengthen Wildlife Connectivity

Pronghorn grazing in Yellowstone

Pronghorn grazing in Yellowstone National Park.

© Cherylramalho | Dreamstime.com

The National Park System manages one of the largest federal infrastructure networks, including 10,000 miles of roads and 1,440 bridges. Yet nearly 40% of park roads are in poor condition, even as parks see record visitation. Parks also provide critical habitat for wildlife that must move beyond park boundaries to survive. But wildlife-vehicle collisions remain a serious issue, with 1–2 million crashes each year causing tens of thousands of human injuries and hundreds of fatalities. It’s essential we address the backlog of transportation projects in our parks while ensuring safe road infrastructure. That’s why NPCA is urging Congress to increase funding for federal lands transportation programs and expand support for the Wildlife Crossings Program.