Park Service Is Left Short-Staffed in Peak Travel Season

Layoffs and departures after pressure from the Trump administration have left sites struggling, with the remaining employees each doing the work of two or three people.

Vacancies at the National Park Service have shot up since President Trump returned to the Oval Office and slashed the federal work force, leaving popular destinations across the country short-staffed during what is expected to be one of the service’s busiest seasons.

The park service, which manages 433 sites and 85 million acres, has lost nearly a quarter of its permanent staff since the beginning of the Trump administration, according to a new report from the National Parks Conservation Association, a nonprofit organization that focuses on protecting the park system.

The agency is also far behind on hiring temporary employees to support the busy summer season, already well underway.

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By:  Eileen Sullivan
Source: The New York Times

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