National Park Service restores some jobs of fired employees, pledges to hire 7,700 seasonal workers

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: AP

Updated 7:34 PM EST, February 21, 2025


WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is restoring jobs for dozens of National Park Service employees fired amid government-wide reductions and hiring nearly 3,000 additional seasonal workers, following an uproar over an aggressive plan to downsize the agency.

At least 50 jobs are being restored to help maintain and clean parks, educate visitors and collect admission fees, according to two people familiar with the agency’s plans who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

The moves come as the park service said in a new memo that it will hire up to 7,700 seasonal positions this year, up from about 5,000 promised earlier this week and higher than the three-year average of 6,350 seasonal workers. The park service has about 20,000 employees.

Lawmakers and advocacy groups have criticized the widespread layoffs as unnecessary and a threat to public safety and the parks themselves. Colorado’s Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, which is located west of Colorado Springs and gets about 70,000 visitors annually, announced on social media that effective Monday it will close two days a week due to “lack of staffing.” “These roles are critical to protecting America’s treasured natural assets, maintaining public safety and promoting exceptional standards,” said a letter signed by Virginia’s two Democratic senators and six Democratic House members.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-park-firings-elon-musk-d0cdc23fe5fac68e4dc8ef58f041ced4