Our Work Goes On

The Department of the Interior (DOI) has posted its contingency plan for the National Park Service (NPS). Roughly 64% of NPS staff are furloughed for the duration of the shutdown. NPS has implemented closures to parks and stipulates that “excepted staffing will be held to the amount needed for the protection of life, property, and public health and safety, and will be based on the assumption that the NPS is conducting no park operations and providing no visitor services.” NPS also notes that “Park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors.” Read the complete DOI contingency plan here.

At National Park Trust, we hope the government shutdown ends soon.

What you need to know before visiting a park: 

• If you plan to visit a national park, check NPS.gov for current park closures.
• Consider state parks if your favorite national park is closed. Find a state park here.
• If a national park site is open, limited park staff are available. Please consider your personal safety and remember the seven principles of Leave No Trace.

Even during the shutdown, our work continues to preserve parks today and create park stewards for tomorrow.

• Lands: While many NPS partners are furloughed, we continue our work to support identified acquisition projects so we are ready to resume our efforts as soon as the shutdown ends.
• Kids and Families: Our team continues to offer youth and military family trips when possible, stepping in to fill the roles of park rangers by providing programming with an eye on safety practices.
• Partnership: We maintain contact with those at the National Park Service who have not been furloughed, so we are prepared to move forward after the government reopens.  

We need YOUR help.  

Like many nonprofits, our government grants have been drastically reduced. With your help, we can continue our critical work during and beyond the shutdown. Our team is working overtime to ensure students and military families are not disappointed by cancelled park trips. Fortunately, our team is able to temporarily stand in for our talented park rangers.

Your help will also enable us to hold and steward the lands we have purchased until we can convey them to the national parks once the shutdown is over.

With your support, we will continue our critical mission to connect kids to parks and help our national parks thrive and grow.