Public lands threatened by government
In just their first months in office, the Trump Administration has removed safety nets from U.S. national parks, adding to a long list of other executive orders. One of President Donald Trump's campaign slogans—“drill, baby, drill”—refers to his plan to boost fossil fuel production and reverse climate change efforts. His efforts began with a mass termination of National Parks Service (NPS) workers, first announced on Feb. 14, in what some federal employees are calling the ‘Valentine’s Day massacre.’ The cuts led to around 1,000 NPS workers being forced out – 5% of the staff. In addition, 10% of the Forest Service staff have been fired, an estimated 3,400 people. With the busy spring and summer seasons approaching, parks employees and tourists alike have raised concerns about park welfare upon the arrival of millions of visitors.
According to BBC news, the impacts of the large layoffs have already been felt by visitors who experience “longer park lines, reduced hours at visitor centres, trails closed and dirty public facilities.” National Park Service employees are adding comments that crucial safety services are being affected. Kate White, a former employee at Enchantment, a region within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area in Washington, has raised concerns about the ecosystem as the remote backcountry toilets may overflow without proper maintenance.
“That’s probably going to be very damaging to the ecosystem in the area, and maybe to the visitor experience,” White said in the BBC article.
Trump's plans to carry out other executive orders, such as offshore drilling, will also significantly affect wildlife habitats. The World Wildlife Fund states that the national parks, which have served as protected areas for a myriad of endangered species, are now being disrupted by drilling for oil and gas.
Under Joe Biden's presidency, the administration took numerous steps towards combating climate change, such as targeting the growth of renewable energy sources like wind and solar.
The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has worked the last few decades to protect animals like bears and wolves from being hunted. Bear baiting– a behavior that includes using donuts and grease-soaked breads as bear bait–was made illegal in national parks; killing of wolves and coyotes when they are denning was also banned; and any intentional hunting to manipulate natural predator-prey dynamics was forbidden.
However, all efforts may soon be reversed. During his first week on the job, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum ordered an issue of Secretary's Order 3418, otherwise known as “Unleashing American Energy”. This order encouraged energy exploration and production of oil and gas on federal lands and water.
The drilling of formally federally protected lands has led to more air and water pollution, which has damaged land and marine ecosystems. According to the Wilderness Society, over 12 million acres are currently being used to produce fossil fuels – the equivalent of six Yellowstone National Parks. The loud noises, human movement and vehicle traffic from the drilling operations disrupt wildlife communication, breeding and nesting habitats. Captain of Team Marine Emmy Fay (’25) discusses the impact of Trump's executive orders on the environment.
“I think it is already absolutely devastating," Fay said. "Not just the lack of protection of the environment is going to have moving forward but also with oil drilling and [Trump's] complete disregard for the environment.”