America's National Parks are due to remain open this summer despite mass staffing shortages and major funding cuts.
The Trump administration has ordered the National Park Service to keep all 63 parks open "for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people" and placed added restrictions on reductions in open hours.
"The NPS mission is to preserve the natural and cultural resources of America’s national parks for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of current and future generations," reads a memo from Trump's Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum.
"The Department and NPS are committed to ensuring that all Americans have the opportunity to visit and enjoy our Nation’s most treasured places."
The order requires the NPS director and assistant secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks to review and approve any reductions in park open hours. These measures previously fell under the authority of individual parks, which could make real-time adjustments for staff shortages and other issues that required closures.
In a statement to Advnture, the National Park Service said: "This order spells out a process that will allow us to coordinate closely with leadership in the Department to meet the evolving needs of our visitors, adapting as needed, to ensure visitor satisfaction."
The order has been widely condemned by conservation groups, with one describing it as "reckless and out of touch."
"This ill-conceived policy flies in the face of responsible management of national parks, risking both visitor safety and the very resources the Park Service was created and is mandated to protect," reads a statement from Kristen Brengel of the National Parks Conservation Association, which advocates for America's national parks and NPS workers.
"This is yet another attempt by the administration to sideline the expertise of dedicated park staff. It’s micromanagement at its worst, creating more red tape when park staff are already stretched dangerously thin and dealing with peak visitation season."
The NPS has been grappling with drastic job cuts since the President's inauguration in January. Thousands of temporary and full-time park employees have lost work while some permanent employees have been offered a buyout to leave their jobs in return for up to $25,000.
Without ample workers, more than 300 million annual visitors to America's National Parks could face "overflowing trash, uncleaned bathrooms, and fewer rangers to provide guidance," Brengel claimed in an earlier statement.
These measures have been heavily protested. Thousands have taken to the streets in recent weeks to demand an end to the cuts and the restoration of a full and functioning National Park Service.
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