This year, 2025, likely will go down as the most transitional for the National Park Service. We’ve seen the loss of nearly a quarter of the permanent workforce, efforts to whitewash history in some parks, and the loss of a grand lodge to wildfire.
The past 12 months have been full of news impacting the National Park Service and national parks, not all of it good. It’s been a somewhat tumultuous year, leaving many wondering what the new year will bring for the parks and their employees.
To help us look back over the past 12 months, we've invited Kristen Brengel, the senior vice president for government affairs at the National Parks Conservation Association, to join us.
0:02 National Parks Traveler introduction
0:12 Episode Intro with Kurt Repanshek
0:46 Beyond the Reef - Tim Heintz & Grant Geissman - Seascapes: A Musical Journey
1:04 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
1:23 Washington National Park Foundation
1:47 Friends of Acadia
2:11 Smokies Life
2:33 NPT Promo
2:52 Episode 355 - Year in Review
50:31 Almost Home - Randy Petersen - The Sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains
50:59 Episode Closing
51:29 Orange Tree Productions
52:02 Splitbeard Productions
52:12 National Parks Traveler footer
- By Jess Repanshek - December 28th, 2025 5:00am
Comments
Trump made several meaningful improvements to the National Park Service that put American citizens first and restored accountability. One of the most practical changes was finally charging foreign visitors more to access U.S. national parks, ensuring that American taxpayers were no longer subsidizing international tourism. That revenue was directed back into park maintenance and infrastructure, helping preserve the parks for future generations.
His administration also worked to reduce bureaucratic bloat by cutting back on unnecessary administrative positions and redirecting focus toward efficiency and on-the-ground function rather than office-heavy management. This helped restore a culture of responsibility and stewardship rather than paperwork and stagnation.
Overall, the approach emphasized fairness, accountability, and respect for the American public who fund and cherish these lands.
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