Winter in Acadia National Park / Pixabay
Editors note: The following letter was published by the Friends of Acadia group to their supporters.
As we enter...the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, all of us at Friends of Acadia share concern – for the furloughed professionals not able to do the job they love; for the handful of rangers working long hours without pay to safeguard the park and public safety; for the park itself and the impacts it will suffer from prolonged gaps in funding and staffing; and for the visiting public, who will feel the repercussions of this shutdown for months and even years to come.
Because the gates at Acadia have largely remained open through this shutdown, it has the potential to create a false impression that Acadia National Park is functioning normally for this time of year, despite the shutdown. What the public doesn't see is that important planning for the summer season isn't being done, maintenance isn't being performed, vital scientific research and monitoring is stopped, the hiring of seasonal employees is stalled, and hardworking park staff are furloughed without pay during an especially tough time of year.
We ask the public to use extreme care when out in Acadia in the coming days to avoid undue demands on the very few rangers still on the job to ensure public safety. These rangers are doing an amazing job under very difficult circumstances, and the last thing we would want to do is add to their concerns.
We learned this past week that park officials were hopeful that maintenance crews would be able to perform limited winter snow removal operations, including the plowing of Ocean Drive and trailhead parking areas, after requesting guidance from Washington about the use of entrance fees to fund the work. The breakthrough came ahead of a possible major winter storm forecast for last weekend. See below for a related update on FOA’s winter grooming of carriage roads if we receive adequate snowfall.
So many FOA members are reaching out to see what they can do to help at this challenging time for Acadia. Please know that your support for FOA allows us to be a steadying influence at the Acadia when the picture in Washington is so volatile. FOA cannot and should not step in to attempt to fill the valuable roles played by park staff, but we can do our best to hold up our end of the partnership and provide resilience to park staff and park resources and priority projects during a time of great stress. We can also voice our individual and collective concern to our elected officials in Washington.
How You Can Help Acadia During the Shutdown:
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Contact your senators and urge them to pass the Interior Appropriations Bill to get the National Park Service operating again. Let them know how important Acadia and all our national parks are to you. Funding the basic operations of these national treasures is a fundamental responsibility of the federal government. Find your Senator's contact information here.
- Join us on social media and let our federal employees know how much they are appreciated. As the shutdown stretches on, our federal employees are feeling more and more strain. You can show your appreciation and support for the hardworking federal employees furloughed or continuing to work without a paycheck by sharing #FurloughedNotForgotten on social media. In addition to the hashtag, we hope you’ll share a story of an important federal employee in your life, or a story of how a federal employee, ranger or otherwise, made a difference for you. Share your stories on our facebook page or email [email protected].
- Leave No Trace: If you choose to visit Acadia during the shutdown please do not leave trash in the park. Pack it in, pack it out. If you see trash left by other visitors, please pick it up. You can download an informational poster on our website.
- Visit our Facebook page for more information and the latest updates on Acadia visitation during the shutdown.
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