Over 700 National Park Service employees resigned following an internal memo related to Elon Musk’s “fork in the road” plan, leading to concerns about staffing ahead of the summer tourism season. This follows the Department of Interior’s decision to fire over 1,000 full-time park staff. Critics warn that staffing cuts threaten to leave national parks understaffed, forcing some to reduce hours and close visitor centers. While the Parks Service aims to hire seasonal workers, advocates argue that these positions cannot replace experienced staff. The plan has triggered significant public backlash amidst broader job reductions initiated by the Trump administration.
Over 700 employees from the National Park Service have resigned following Elon Musk’s “fork in the road” proposal, as highlighted in an internal memo. Critics of the initiative argue that this will lead to staffing shortages ahead of the upcoming busy summer tourism period.
This wave of resignations follows a recent decision by the Department of Interior to terminate over 1,000 full-time national park workers. A new memo released on Tuesday, which was reviewed by The New York Times, indicates that the additional 700 employees who opted for the resignation plan will be unavailable for work after March 7.
The staffing reductions have incited significant public backlash. Conservationists, outdoor enthusiasts, and park rangers have raised concerns that these cuts may leave numerous national parks short-staffed during the peak summer season, leading some parks to cut operating hours, cancel tours, and shut down visitor centers.
These job losses within the national parks are part of a tumultuous initiative by President Trump aimed at eliminating thousands of federal positions. Compounding the uncertainty, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced that the National Park Service also intends to rehire thousands of employees — though only for temporary summer roles.
“The National Park Service is in the process of hiring seasonal staff to enhance visitor experiences while exploring new avenues for optimization and innovation in workforce management,” stated Elizabeth Peace, spokesperson for the Interior Department.
“Our priority is to ensure that every visitor has the opportunity to explore and connect with the remarkable and iconic landscapes present in our national parks,” she added.
Kristen Brengel, senior vice president of government affairs at the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association, pointed out that these temporary roles cannot replace the extensive experience of the full-time employees now missing from the park system.
She also mentioned that around 2,000 seasonal job offers were withdrawn when Mr. Trump enacted a hiring freeze shortly after taking office, which hindered the rehire process for those individuals.
During the summer months, approximately 325 million visitors frequent the nation’s 63 national parks along with numerous historical sites and other attractions governed by the park service.
Federal employees received the Trump administration’s resignation proposal in an email last month titled “A Fork in the Road.” This offer allowed employees to resign while still receiving pay until September, whereas those who declined risked being fired. As reported by the Office of Personnel Management, around 75,000 government workers have agreed to this offer.