Editor's note: This updates with a photo from Olympic National Park of trees down on the road to the Hoh Rain Forest.
As Saturday dawned, the government was shut down, most National Park Service personnel were furloughed, and visitors to the parks were largely on their own. No fees were collected, many restrooms and visitor centers were closed, but concession operations were in business.
Whether any visitors would get into trouble -- a couple at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area got lost last weekend and stayed out overnight in single-digit weather with the Park Service fully operational -- some groups were voicing concern that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's decision to keep the parks open while most Park Service personnel were sent home was dangerous.
"There is no substitute for National Park Service staff and their expertise, and it is not wise to put the public or our park resources at risk by allowing for half-measures to keep them open," said Theresa Pierno, president and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association. "And yet, that’s exactly what the Department of Interior is asking park superintendents to do. Keeping parks open with virtually no staff is a risky situation, and the guidance park staff is being given is vague at best."
At the Sierra Club, Jackie Ostfeld, associate director of the Outdoors Campaign, said,"(T)he reality is that our parks can’t operate without the Park Service. Keeping them open without staff is dangerous for both visitors and for the delicate ecosystems in our parks. Risking both visitors and important cultural sites to win political points is the height of irresponsibility. But it shouldn’t surprise anyone to see this administration put our parks at risk - after all, this is the same administration that wants to double entrance fees and shut out low-income families from our national parks, all while proposing massive budget cuts to the National Park Service.
“Trump may have escaped a few bad headlines today by keeping parks open through this irresponsible and damaging government shutdown, but the millions of people who love and enjoy our national parks every day won’t forget all the damage done to our public lands by this administration.”
Some problems were noticed across the National Park System, where rangers were not immediately available at Olympic National Park to remove trees downed on the road to the Hoh Rain Forest, said representatives of the National Parks Conservation Association.
NPCA staff estimated that "approximately a third of our 417 national park sites are now completely closed, including places like Ford’s Theatre, the Statue of Liberty, presidential homes, and other historic and cultural sites primarily made up of buildings that can be locked. Other park sites will remain semi-open, and what is accessible to the public will differ from park to park."
"More than 21,000 Park Service employees are being furloughed during park closures," noted NPCA's John Garder. "Thousands more contract employees and small business owners will also be affected. That leaves a 3,298 'essential staff' to manage 80 million acres of national park lands, from Acadia to American Samoa to Zion."
Different parks were handling the shut down differently, and with some interesting impacts. At Everglades National Park in Florida, for instance, the fish cleaning station was closed, but the boat launches were open. Backcountry camping was allowed, but on a first-come, first-served basis, and no permits were being issued, which could create some problems.
Opinions on the impact of the shutdown, and who was responsible, ran the gamut on Traveler's Facebook page.
"Who misses rangers when they dress like cops and act like cops? Law enforcement has no place in the parks," wrote Chad Emery.
But Jeff Darren Muse wrote, "Think about more than a snapshot. Whenever you visit a national park — be it one with a natural emphasis, cultural, or otherwise — you visit a place that represents a long history of struggle and success with stewardship. Stewardship for this and future generations — the heart of the Organic Act of 1916. Geologists and biologists and archeologists are part of that history. Firefighters and trail crew and resource specialists are. Law enforcement officers. Emergency responders. Interpretive rangers and educators giving formal programs to families and school groups, or informal activities in visitor centers, at bus stops, near trailheads. Wilderness rangers combing through permits and working to keep the backcountry, well, the backcountry. Maintenance staff!
"This shutdown is a big deal," he went on. "If it’s short, not too big. If it drags on, parks and other public lands will be threatened. The primary threat? Taking them — and their preservation — for granted. You don’t just save a place once. You have to save it over and over and over again. That’s what these employees do. With partners, of course. With the public. For now, get out there, enjoy yourself, please look after the place. No other country in the world has this remarkable heritage."
And Judi Staab pointed out that, "Just remember those of you who disrespect our hard-working rangers, they are also the ones who have to fish your boiled carcass out of the boiling water when you disregard the danger signs in Yellowstone, pick up your mangled body parts when you are in a climbing accident or taunt a bison, and haul you out on a litter from the backcountry. Don't think they're getting paid the big bucks and they are living in substandard park housing with little or no insulation and no a.c.
"Just sayin'! Good luck out there today! Hope you don't need a ranger!"
Traveler footnote: If you're out in the park system during the government shutdown, please share your experience in comments to this story. Did you miss Park Service rangers, did you encounter any issues?
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Comments
People visit, camp and otherwise recreate in millions of acres of non-Park National Forest BLM and other state and federal lands without an NPS staff to hold their hands. Visiting the Parks today is no more dangerous than visiting those other lands every day of the year.
I guess it's play time for Drone opperators.
This comment brings up another question: What happens with the BLM and Forest Service staffing during the shutdown? In some BLM-managed areas such as the Imperial Sand Dunes (Glamis) in CA, this is the prime recreation season. Which employees will continue to work and which are furloughed? At Glamis, it is not just the law enforcement personnel who keep relative order in this congested OHV recreation area, but the recreation and maintenance staffs. Same thing at NPS areas like the Grand Canyon. For example, other Park employees, including Naturalists (who presumably are subject to this furlough) assist law enforcement in giving out safety information to visitors and keeping them inside safety railings at popular viewpoints along the Grand Canyon's rim. Hopefully this government shutdown doesn't cost the lives of any public land visitors.
Well, Grand Canyon NP is open. I've heard that the State of Az., local businesses and the town of Tusayan is funding operations to keep the doors open.
In some cases you will find Law Enforcement Rangers working, as 'essential personnel'.
If you ask them you will also find out that they are working without pay, essentially on a promise that they will be paid some day for what is mandatory work now.
At the Sierra Club, Jackie Ostfeld, associate director of the Outdoors Campaign, said,"(T)he reality is that our parks can’t operate without the Park Service. Keeping them open without staff is dangerous for both visitors and for the delicate ecosystems in our parks. Risking both visitors and important cultural sites to win political points is the height of irresponsibility. But it shouldn’t surprise anyone to see this administration put our parks at risk - after all, this is the same administration that wants to double entrance fees and shut out low-income families from our national parks, all while proposing massive budget cuts to the National Park Service.
Again, this is what Ms. Ostfeld is expected to say. We should be asking this. If the National Park Service is to remain apolitical, how is that best accomplished? Note her inflammatory language against the president. Does she (or the Sierra Club) think this really helps?
Thirty-seven years ago, when Ronald Reagan appointed James Watt as Interior Secretary, environmentalists kept a sense of humor. When Watt, for example, predicted the second coming of Christ, I said yes. And Jesus would take Watt over his knee and give him a spanking, then send him straight to bed without his dinner. The newspapers rippled with humorous political cartoons--hundreds of them. We got the point across without denigrating the president.
Now? Okay, Mr. Trump is "asking for it." At least that is what we have learned to say. The problem is: We have learned to say it all too well. We don't want a solution; we rather want absolution that only what we say rings with truth.
The truth here is closer to EC's comment that we are asking (expecting) government to do too much. In Switzerland, if you fall off the mountain you had better have arranged beforehand for some private company to come to your aid.
Here, apparently nothing about the parks was dangerous, delicate, or irresponsible until Mr. Trump came into office. I do believe there is a lesson to learn from the Swiss. If you want to come, you take the risk, in which case we will no longer have to denigrate any of our poliitical leaders for not holding our hands and wiping our face.
"Risking both visitors and important cultural sites to win political points is the height of irresponsibility. But it shouldn’t surprise anyone to see this administration put our parks at risk "
It is this kind of hypocrisy from the Sierra Club (among others) that I no longer donate.
The sad truth is that whatever decision was made the Sierra Club and everyone else on that side of the aisle would find cause to be critical of those on the opposite side of the aisle. It does highlight who really cares for the parks and who just uses them for fundraising and political gain. Perhaps instead the Sierra club could get out there and roll their sleeves up and help clean up and do some policing. No, they would rather issue grandiose statements.
As for the panic over people not being able to take care of themselves, have we really fallen that far? I have the upmost respect for most of those working in the parks and in particular search and rescue but perhaps a little return to self reliance and responsibility wouldn't be such a bad thing.
As I mentioned on another site, when this shut down first became imminent--I've been visiting some of the busiest national parks for sixty years, and have seen the changes, good and bad. It's nice for visitors to have fancy visitor centers, with guided tours, nature walks, kiddy programs, etc. etc., all of which require personnel to pull them off. But I grew up visiting the parks when we were lucky they had one ranger to man the visitor center, if there was a visitor center, and one handling the campfire lectures and so forth. Sometimes, they did double and triple duty, emptying trash bins and servicing restrooms, too.
The point I'm making is that the parks could temporarily shut down all those routine visitor activities that require extra staff, including the visitor centers, and still use their skeleton crew to oversee the essential needs of the park. And visitors can still enjoy the park by using their eyes and ears and park brochures to aid them with the different attractions--just like we used to do. At least temporarily. Of course, we're dealing with a generation of visitors that have a completely different mindset of what visiting the national parks is about, so they wouldn't know what to do without the extra-curricular activities to entertain them. But limited activity is doable, as long as everyone cooperates and behaves themselves.
Having said that, I think Potus, and all of Congress, should be ashamed of themselves for using the shutdown of public services like the National Park system, and threatening people's Social Security or other essential services, as weapons for their own failure to cooperate with each other. That way, they can defend their inactions by blaming the other guy, thus advocating this nasty political war between the dems and reps, both in the government and in the public forum. I have no respect for politicians who can't seem to find their backsides with both hands in daylight, let alone in the dark.
I've no wish to join this useless political debate, but wild places should know that the Sierra Club has a history many decades long of doing exactly what he suggests:
https://content.sierraclub.org/outings/trip-type/service-volunteer
I worked with many types of volunteer groups during my NPS career and the Sierra Club folks were tops at Wilderness revegetation and by far the most dedicated, discliplined and productive vols, year after year.
Looks to me like someone is removing the downed trees in Hoh rain forest. The log in the foreground has apparently been cut with a chain saw and has a rope around it. Perhaps the Sierra Club volunteers?
Seriously, most national parks are no more dangerous than any other public lands, including the street in front of my house. Why the great concern for visitor safety? The peolpe foolish enough to get themselves into trouble will do so whether there are rangers in the park or not.
References:
Search & Rescue Series Issues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpMpqd2PGuI
http://www.nndb.com/people/010/000023938/ Comparing Zinke with Watt
Caught in the Conflict: My Life with James Watt, 1984, BY: Leilani Watt,
Shapers of the Great Debate on Conservation: A Biographical Dictionary
https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0313328269
Rachel White Scheuering - 2004 - Biography & Autobiography
Government Shutdown Due To An Incompetent Narcissistic Trump: Read:
http://people.com/politics/trump-cheating-marriage-fire-and-fury-book/
Delusional Trump Gives Impression He Thinks Marches Are Celebrating His First Year Anniversay !
http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-42712855/women-s-march-where-...
http://www.vulture.com/2018/01/donald-trump-is-absolutely-having-an-affa...
Government shut down due to Trump? Are you that ignorant or do you think we are? The shutdown is 100% on the Democrats who have more concern for illegal immigrants than for US Citizens. They voted no because Shumer told them to and he told them to because he wanted DACA. DACA has nothing to do with the government funding/budget. One can have disagreements about immigration policy but holding out the funding of our government over illegals is the definition of irresponsibility.
"Excepted" employees - that is, those of us who are carrying on work that in the 'through the looking glass' world we're experiencing this weekend is called "essential" (as though other work that won't be carried out isn't) - are required to work, and are required to code their work time as furloughed (nonpay status) just like those employees who are actually furloughed. It isn't until specific authorization is given by legislation and OMB clearance that timesheets are then changed - hopefully - to hours worked for pay purposes.
Hey Kurt, I know you would rather screw people out of their vacations just to spite the administration. Everybody remember that is what the DEMOCRATS did last time. Truth is, the government doesn't have to do that and they are not... THANK YOU REPUBLICANS!
Kurt- why don't you join your Socialist buddiies in Venezuela, eh?
MAGA
Oh gosh, Diefi, I'm so glad you've found a venue in which to write a comment that has absolutely nothing to do with what the author of this article asked of its commenters: Were you out in a national park during the shutdown, and what was your experience without rangers and other park service personnel present? This article is simply reporting the goings on regarding national parks due to and during the shutdown. It's not even labeled an Op-Ed. Apparently reporting information like this gets under your skin? I can only imagine how you must feel about all of the other Traveler articles, if you've bothered to read them. By the way, if you enjoy commenting and think you are going to be doing this on a regular basis, have you donated to the Traveler??
Thank you tahoma, my experience also with the Sierra Club. Also, Alfred thanks for posting the Jackie Ostfeld comment, I think her comment is spot on.
Diefi - You’re right, government doesn’t need to do that. That state of being is called “funded.” Not, “unfunded but we‘ll still treat many things as if nothing is wrong so the public backlash against the failure to pass a budget won’t be so strong as to get us all thrown out of office.“ A shutdown should mean zero executive branch workers and uniformed members working except maybe constitutional officers like the President. Then we would never, ever, have one.
You lost me, ECBuck, with your statement about visiting non-NP lands without Park Service staff. I didn't realize that NPS staff could hold my hand in those places even if they didn't work there.
In Washington, the higher elevation roads to Paradise and Hurricane Ridge are closed, but the remainder of Mount Rainier and Olympic are open, despite snow at lower elevations. Previous commenters have mentioned government 'hand-holding'. I'd recommend no visitor hand-holding either, since restrooms are closed at both parks!
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article195766229.html
When the Democrats shutdown the government under the last administration, the park I regularly visit was chained shut and told leave open areas. This morning at the same Park, access is open, though the bathrooms are locked. So refreshing to have an administration that doesn’t use the parks as political theater. Democrats have shown they don’t care about its citizens.
Zinke is out picking up trash and welcoming visitors versus the last secretary directing barricades from his desk. A very welcome change.
Republican or Democrat, it doesn’t matter. “We the people” elected them all and now it’s time to hold them accountable for what they are doing to us. It is a terrible thing when Americans are held hostage by the people we elected and are paid with our tax dollars. I am fed up with the political environment that both parties have created in this country.
Brian, I thought I was pretty clear. The point is that there are many other lands where people recreate that have the same animals and same dangers as the National Parks. They are different only in designation. The visitors tothese lands don't have NPS Rangers "holding their hands" and for the most part do just fine. People in the National Parks during they shutdown, won't have Rangers to hold their hands and there is no reason to believe they can't handle themselves just as well.
White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said this on Sean Hannity's radio show yesterday:
"Obviously, I'm heavily involved in this, Sean, is that the Office of Management and Budget is charged with, you know, sort of implementing running a shutdown. In fact, I found out for the first time last night that the person who technically shuts the government down is me, which is kind of cool."
Mulvaney was a member of the House during the last shutdown and says he was a leader of "shutdown caucus" that led to that mess.
Isn't it comforting to know that we have morons like this one helping the Moron in Chief?
It would be wonderful if we could empty D.C. of ALL incumbents in both parties and replace them with intelligent people. Maybe elect an all-female government. They seem to be much more sensible because they lack testosterone fueled egos.
We need to remember this when the next elections roll around.
People tend to get in trouble all over public lands, no matter the designation. The following SARs were on national forest lands since the first of the year. I believe there was one in the National Park System, in Big South Fork National River and NRA, though there certainly could have been more.
https://www.ksl.com/?sid=46233009&nid=148
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article193288979.html
http://www.khq.com/story/37253550/missing-snowmobiler-found-alive-in-pan...
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/man-rescued-after-getting-stuck-i...
Yes Kurt, there are SARs in non-NPS lands just as the are in NPS lands. Heck there have been books written about deaths in the National Parks while well stocked with Rangers. That is why I said "for the most part". People will do stupid or dangerous things with or without Rangers. In my opinion, the lack of paid rangers in the parks is unlikely to have a material impact on visitor safety.
https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/tv/snl-lampoons-trump-government-shu...
http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/05/politics/daca-trump-congress/index.html
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/government-shutdown-2018-01-20-trump-democr...
“Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down
to their level and beat you with experience.”
― Mark Twain
I don't need a Ranger to "hold my hand" in the parks (tho I've seen a few that I wouldn't mind holding hands with). They have often added to my enjoyment of a park as they share tips on neat trails, out-of-the-way spots for good photos, and where the wildlife hot spots are at the moment. And the visitor centers usually have exhibits, books, maps, etc. that add to the experience. That being said, it is still perfectly possible to enjoy a park visit without these extras. And I hope most of us are mature enough to act sensibly and obey the rules even if the ranger isn't on duty. BUT, what I worry about is those among us who do not have any respect for nature or cultural heritage. I remember a man walking out in Harbison Meadows with his toddler son, intent on getting up close to a moose despite a bunch of us along the road yelling at him. Just as the moose started bobbing his head, a ranger drove up and hastily intervened. I worry about idiots who think their initials are as vauable as ancient Native American petroglyphs, or who think pushing over balanced rocks is some kind of fun. Yeah, that happens when the rangers are working, but I suspect the threat of being caught actually does deter at least some of the vandalism and stupidity.
What is apparent are the differences between this shutdown and the last one under Obama. This one seems to mitigate the difficulties to a degree rather than the previous one making it as difficult as possible. Is it just me or are there accomodations that were not apparent in Obama's shutdown?
As far as the road debris Im betting 9 out of 10 locals in that neck of the woods would routinely be carrying a chainsaw and have it cut up and loaded in short order.
Trailadvocate: We actually witnessed that volunteer role at Redwoods N.P. when during windstorms along the Redwood Northcoast, trees and debris land on the
Highway: Major Hwy 101; fortunately, the trees were small diameters and pickup drivers with chainsaws played a critical role opening the road.
Of course, for SAFETY, best not to travel through forested corridors during windstorms. During the Columbus Day Windstorm of 1962, there were several
near vehicle misses along Oregon State Hwy 62 through Rogue River N.F. approaching the west entrance of Crater Lake N.P. and these were large old growth trees.
trailadvocate, I like your respect and appreciation for our nations public lands but my own experience with a major national park, over 50 years now both as a ranger and now emegency hire fire information officer has been that those who feel they do not need help, are usually the ones we help the most.
Thankfully this can come to end... who knew, people can handle themselves for a few days!
Rhetorically, both sides are pointing at the other. All I know is that this time the Republicans own the House, the Senate, and the GOP President who is supposed to be the calm head in the middle is apparentkly playing with his breakfast cereal. Headlines I've seen this morning with smiling politicians only talk about another temporary solution through February 8th. Jed Bartlett did much better.
That’s Jed Bartlet with one t, or rather, Josiah Edward Bartlet, PhD, D.Hum.Litt.
Best President we never had.