The Trump administration's approach to national parks has been widely criticized by a former National Park Service director, Jonathan Jarvis. According to Jarvis, the agency is now under the control of "ideologues" who are more interested in privatizing and exploiting the parks than protecting them for future generations.
Jarvis, who led the NPS from 2009 to 2017, has witnessed firsthand the impact of the federal government shutdown on the parks. The shutdown caused many park employees to be furloughed, leaving only skeleton staff in place. This put visitors at risk and allowed vandalism, such as graffiti and damage to historical sites, to occur.
Jarvis is concerned that the Trump administration's priorities are not aligned with those of the American people. He believes that the private sector would not prioritize conservation over profit, and that selling off national parks would undermine decades of work to protect them.
Despite concerns about the future of the NPS under the Trump administration, Jarvis remains optimistic that broad, bipartisan support will shield the agency from extreme plans. However, he warns that Americans must take action to protect the parks, including calling their representatives in Congress and donating to advocacy groups.
Jarvis suggests that Americans can help by volunteering to clean up parks after the shutdown and by raising awareness about the issue. He notes that there are "several hundred thousand volunteers" who show up at national parks each year, and encourages people to join them in standing out against those who would harm the parks.
The situation is dire, and it seems that Americans must take a stand to protect our national treasures. Jarvis's warnings about the Trump administration's plans for the NPS should serve as a wake-up call to all of us. We owe it to ourselves, future generations, and the millions of Americans who rely on the parks for recreation and inspiration.
The parks are facing an unprecedented crisis, with vandalism, neglect, and exploitation threatening their very existence. The Trump administration's policies have created an environment in which these issues can thrive, and it is up to us to push back against them.
Jarvis's words echo the concerns of many conservationists and park enthusiasts who are fighting to protect America's most treasured landscapes. As we move forward, it is essential that we prioritize the long-term health and sustainability of our national parks, rather than allowing short-term gains or ideological agendas to take precedence.
By raising awareness about these issues and taking action to support the NPS, Americans can help ensure that our national parks remain safe, protected, and preserved for generations to come. The fate of our parks hangs in the balance, and it is up to us to make a difference.
Jarvis, who led the NPS from 2009 to 2017, has witnessed firsthand the impact of the federal government shutdown on the parks. The shutdown caused many park employees to be furloughed, leaving only skeleton staff in place. This put visitors at risk and allowed vandalism, such as graffiti and damage to historical sites, to occur.
Jarvis is concerned that the Trump administration's priorities are not aligned with those of the American people. He believes that the private sector would not prioritize conservation over profit, and that selling off national parks would undermine decades of work to protect them.
Despite concerns about the future of the NPS under the Trump administration, Jarvis remains optimistic that broad, bipartisan support will shield the agency from extreme plans. However, he warns that Americans must take action to protect the parks, including calling their representatives in Congress and donating to advocacy groups.
Jarvis suggests that Americans can help by volunteering to clean up parks after the shutdown and by raising awareness about the issue. He notes that there are "several hundred thousand volunteers" who show up at national parks each year, and encourages people to join them in standing out against those who would harm the parks.
The situation is dire, and it seems that Americans must take a stand to protect our national treasures. Jarvis's warnings about the Trump administration's plans for the NPS should serve as a wake-up call to all of us. We owe it to ourselves, future generations, and the millions of Americans who rely on the parks for recreation and inspiration.
The parks are facing an unprecedented crisis, with vandalism, neglect, and exploitation threatening their very existence. The Trump administration's policies have created an environment in which these issues can thrive, and it is up to us to push back against them.
Jarvis's words echo the concerns of many conservationists and park enthusiasts who are fighting to protect America's most treasured landscapes. As we move forward, it is essential that we prioritize the long-term health and sustainability of our national parks, rather than allowing short-term gains or ideological agendas to take precedence.
By raising awareness about these issues and taking action to support the NPS, Americans can help ensure that our national parks remain safe, protected, and preserved for generations to come. The fate of our parks hangs in the balance, and it is up to us to make a difference.
i'm not surprised tho, been seeing some pretty sketchy stuff happening online about the trumps admin trying to sell off our public lands... like, who do they think they're playing for? 
Jarvis is totally right, we gotta stand up for these places and make sure they stay protected for future gen's. volunteering to clean up parks after shutdowns sounds like a great way to get involved! 
. I mean, privatizing them just doesn't seem right. I've seen some crazy stuff go down during those government shutdowns - vandalism, graffiti, and all sorts of damage. It's like people have no respect for the land or each other. And Jarvis is right, the priorities don't seem to be in line with what most Americans want. I think we need to take a stand and make our voices heard. We can't let this get out of hand 
. We should be focusing on conservation, not profit. It's time for us to step up and show that we care about these incredible places. Every little bit counts - whether it's volunteering or donating to a good cause 
. Let's make some noise and protect our national parks for future generations 
.
the shutdown was a major blow & now they wanna privatize n sell off our parks? no way bruh 
we gotta take action ASAP 
volunteering, donating, callin reps... all that jazz 
Jarvis is tryna spread awareness & get ppl to stand up against it but it's hard when u got so many ppl thinkin it's not a big deal 
w/ all the vandalism n neglect goin on in the parks, it's like we're losin our national treasures 
Jarvis is right, we can't let the private sector just come in and ruin our national treasures 
we need to stand up and protect these parks, whether it's by volunteering, donating to advocacy groups or just spreading awareness about the issue 
... I mean, I get why some people would want to profit off these natural wonders, but have we thought about the long-term consequences? Our national parks are for everyone, regardless of party affiliation or wallet 
. Jarvis is right that our priorities should be conservation over profit, but who's going to speak up against the administration when it comes down to it? 
We need to keep a close eye on this and make sure we're not sacrificing the very things that make America great in the name of ideology 
. Like, he's been director of the NPS like 15 years ago, what makes him an expert now? And what's with all the drama about Trump? The dude was president for 4 years, it's not that new info. 
. I mean, who wants to privatize America's most iconic natural wonders? It's like they're trying to sell off our great-grandkids' inheritance 
. As someone who loves exploring and protecting our natural world, it's disheartening to see people in power putting profits over preservation 
. I guess Jarvis has a point, if people don't stand up for what they care about then nobody will. We should def be calling our reps and supporting those orgs that are fighting to protect the parks 
.
, but I also think there are some awesome people like Jonathan Jarvis who are speaking out against it. I mean, it's crazy that we need someone to remind us of how important these parks are and the impact that Trump's policies are having on them 
. And let's be real, those hundreds of thousands of volunteers who show up at national parks each year are already making a huge impact just by being there and showing their love for nature 
!
Not me, that's for sure.
.