In the wee hours of the morning, you’re startled out of your sleep by a strange noise. Someone’s trying to break in! Grabbing the phone and dialing 9-1-1 brings a quick response. But if a serious crime happens while you’re in one of America’s national parks, the response may not be so quick. In 2024, some 1,200 rangers kept watch over the park system. But back in 2010, nearly double that number was on hand. Park ranger numbers are in decline—and seriously threatened.
Park ranger numbers—1 ranger for 71,000 acres
The National Park system has landholdings half the size of Texas—85 million acres. That breaks down to 71,000 acres per ranger. At the same time, the number of visitors to the park system is on the increase. Visitors have increased by 10 percent in ten years. And not all of those visitors have good intentions. Even if a criminal doesn’t threaten a park visitor, that visitor’s own misfortune can lead to the need of ranger help.
“People are going deeper into places where they shouldn’t be and getting into trouble,” said Jeff Ruch in comments published by news outlet KUNR. Ruch is a director with Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). Ruch says that based on National Park Service statistics, park search-and-rescue calls more than tripled between 2015 and 2021. “And the ability to respond to those demands has greatly lessened,” Ruch adds.
But, as we said, it’s not just a lost or injured hiker that needs ranger assistance. “The amount of serious crime that was reported in national parks to the Department of Justice had almost gone up by four times over the last decade,” Ruch said. “Yet, the number of law enforcement personnel has shrunk.”
Park rangers included some of 6,000 seasonal workers
Park rangers are among the seasonal staff that parks depend on to keep operations running smoothly during the busy season. Each year, the Park Service hires more than 6,000 seasonal workers to welcome visitors, ensure safety, manage visitor centers, maintain facilities, protect resources, and conduct research. Full-time staff also perform these tasks and more, ensuring a safe and inspiring experience for millions of visitors.
However, a recent federal hiring freeze has disrupted the hiring process. The freeze forced the National Park Service to rescind more than 2,000 seasonal and permanent positions nationwide, critical roles needed for spring break and summer visitation. As more job offers are delayed, the risk grows of parks lacking essential staff.
Federal employees invited to quit their jobs
Add to the already difficult situation with hires, the new administration has invited all federal employees to quit their jobs by tomorrow, February 6, and be paid through the end of September 2025. They could stay on, but they’re warned if they do they don’t have “full assurance regarding the certainty of your position.” Will some park rangers take the “buyout”? That remains to be seen.
All of it is a major worry for park managers. Among the shrinking numbers of park rangers, increases in visitors and crime, and the potential for losses by the “buyout,” managers have plenty to keep them awake at night. Add to that, in January a spending bill passed by the House adds greater uncertainty. That bill would cut national park funding by more than 6 percent. Park ranger numbers could shrink even more.
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There will be no more rangers hired! Our current administration has put a hiring freeze in place and wants to reduce the number of federal employees by at least 10%.
In general, I think a >30% downsizing of the Federal workforce Beaurocrats is in order. 94% work from home already, reporting to the office 1 day per month. By work from home I mean *twerk frum home, on TicTok…🙃.
Once the violent criminal aliens are removed from the USA, maybe crime in the National Parks will decline and the correct number will be 1 ranger per 100,000 acres. It’s an unknown until that happens so let’s get the violent criminal illegals out and then assess our hiring needs with a new normal.
That’s just my opinion.
I retired as a Senior Govt civilian. I can absolutely, and unequivocally attest to the fact that the work force is bloated. Previously it was EXTREMELY difficult to terminate non-productive employees due in part to Unions, “protected” classes (both real and perceived), and political correctness. The need for a hiring freeze, political dogma notwithstanding, is absolutely borne out by the number of employees telecommuting, and outright waste and mismanagement by EVERY Federal agency. There are over 150 General Officer civilian equivalents just in the Defense Intelligence Agency, out of approximately a 10k work force. There are 7-9 General Officers in an equivalent size Army unit.
While I agree with Grumpy vet on Unions, “protected” classes (both real and perceived), and political correctness. Most of my fellow government workers worked hard and were dedicated to ensuring our warfighters equipment was working and repaired in time. My federal agency had to operate like a business. Before I retired 13 years ago we didn’t have many working from home. The biggest problem was programs from upper management off the installation that didn’t have anything to do with work. But had to show data that there were cost savings whether there was or not. Some of these programs IMHO were maybe political paybacks for contributions to political campaigns.
Thank you, Russ and Tina, for the information. I do not think that the latest effort to reduce the number of federal employees likely targets Forest Service employees. The primary target is federal employees working remotely. I doubt that many Forestry Service employees telework. Also, law enforcement has been identified as an area generally ineligible for the latest separation plan. Until the “dust settles” we have no plans to visit a national park; maybe later. Meanwhile, have a great day and safe travels! 🙂
If I am “startled out of my sleep by a strange noise and someone’s trying to break in”, I am NOT reaching for my phone first.
I have no sympathy for people needing assistance in places in restricted areas where they aren’t supposed to be in the 1st place. Also, if someone is trying to break into the rv, I won’t be looking for my phone!
Me neither.
Yup. Dial “1-9-1-1”, THEN dial 9-1-1!
In 2024 Biden put a freeze on hiring seasonal workers for the Forest Service. While I believe many federal agencies are bloated, I don’t believe the Forest Service seasonal workers and rangers fall into that class.