Il Parco Nazionale di Yosemite ha a che fare con la mancanza di personale durante la stagione estiva
In the heart of California, Yosemite National Park has been facing a series of challenges under the Trump administration. The park has witnessed a significant drop in staff numbers, leading to increased workloads for remaining employees and potential impacts on park operations.
Recent reports indicate that Yosemite National Park is down at least 40 staff members compared to last summer, with about 400 permanent staff and 330 seasonal employees working this summer. This decline in staffing is primarily due to the Trump administration's downsizing plan, which has seen approximately 1,600 employees from the National Park Service's 16,000-strong ranks accept buyouts.
The personnel decisions in Yosemite have been overseen by the National Park Service leadership appointed by the Department of the Interior. One of the most controversial decisions was the firing of a park ranger involved in the transgender pride flag incident. The park also referred the incident to federal prosecutors.
The staffing shortage has led to a rise in responsibilities for the remaining employees. For instance, some park scientists have been ordered to help clean bathrooms due to a lack of maintenance crews. This redistribution of duties has been a point of contention among staff.
Moreover, the park's acting superintendent, Ray McPadden, has been criticized for his approach to fire management. McPadden ordered fires in Yosemite's backcountry to be swiftly extinguished, disregarding the advice of fire experts. Some park staff criticized McPadden, stating that he seems to believe that a national park is akin to Disneyland, and his objective should be to increase visitation.
The staffing shortage has also affected search and rescue operations. Between January and July, search and rescues in Yosemite increased by 40 percent compared to the same period last year. Despite this, the park opened all of its campgrounds, although some staffers argued that the park lacked the rangers to patrol in those areas and, therefore, shouldn't have reopened the camps.
Some employees at Yosemite have reported feeling the strain of the staffing shortage. Three employees said park leaders have encouraged staff to hide signs of strain from the public. This has led to a situation where many rangers, who lead backcountry hikes, swear in junior rangers, and operate the entrance booths, are working long hours and trying to maintain a cheerful demeanor for visitors, despite feeling burdened by the Trump administration's cutbacks.
Historically, the National Park Service's staffing struggles have been a bipartisan concern. Lawmakers from both parties have expressed worry in recent years about how skyrocketing housing costs around parks - like Yosemite - hinder recruitment and retention efforts. The Inflation Reduction Act enacted during the Biden administration approved $500 million for a hiring effort, but Republicans eliminated what remained of that money with the passage of President Donald Trump's tax and spending law.
In response to the staffing shortage, a group of rangers at Yosemite National Park hung an upside-down American flag on El Capitan to protest the firing of hundreds of newly hired park staff. Another group of rangers hung a transgender pride flag on the cliff face in response to NPS moves to scrub official websites of mentions of transgender people.
The Trump administration's push to significantly reduce the size of the federal government has had a significant impact on the National Park Service. Parks are now seeing their staff ranks shrink, initially from buyouts and early retirement offers, and perhaps again from layoffs that the White House ordered but has not yet carried out at the Interior.
The lack of transparency from the Trump administration has made it difficult to track the exact impact of these staffing cuts on Yosemite National Park. The administration has not disclosed its tally for national park staffing levels after its effort to slash the government workforce hit arguably the nation's most popular federal agency earlier this year.
As Yosemite National Park continues to navigate these challenges, it remains to be seen how the staffing shortages and controversies will impact the park's operations and visitor experience.
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