Our National Parks and Public Spaces Are Not for Sale

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Imagine waking up one day to find your favorite trail closed, a towering forest reduced to stumps, or a once-thriving ecosystem turned into a construction site. This is a possibility for many of us. Our national parks are under threat, and if we don’t act now, we could lose them forever. And as a hiker, I’ve explored landscapes worldwide and have come to see how essential these places are for my mental health. Selling our national parks would speed their destruction, replacing protected spaces with profit-driven developments. These places are more than scenic escapes—they shape who we are. I know they have influenced every stage of my life, offering inspiration, solitude, and a vital connection to nature. They have also been the backdrop to some of my most meaningful moments.

Table of Contents

• More Visitors, Fewer Protections
• Why This Matters
• Personal Moments in Nature
• My Favorite Childhood Memories
• Privatization and Environmental Harm
• Protecting National Parks Isn’t Political
• What You Can Do
• The Future of Our National Parks
• Planning a Trip to the Badlands
• The Value of Scenic Detours

More Visitors, Fewer Protections

In 2024, national parks had a record-breaking 331.9 million visitors—almost as many as the entire U.S. population. But at the same time, the Trump Administration has made drastic cuts that could change these parks forever. Over 1,000 park employees were fired, and another 700 were forced to resign. Yosemite National Park lost its only locksmith, and Devils Postpile National Monument lost its only emergency medical technician. If we continue down this path, it’s only a matter of time before officials start discussing selling our national parks to private interests. Our national parks are what some of the most beautiful in the world.

Over 1,000 park employees were fired, and another 700 were forced to resign. Yosemite National Park lost its only locksmith, and Devils Postpile National Monument lost its only emergency medical technician. The U.S. Forest Service fired even more—3,400 employees, or 10% of its workforce. The administration promised to hire seasonal workers, but they also fired the staff responsible for those hires.

Why This Matters

With fewer staff, visitor safety is also at risk. Park rangers play a critical role in search and rescue operations, responding to injuries, lost hikers, and emergencies. Fewer rangers mean longer response times, putting visitors in danger. Without proper staffing, accidents that could have been prevented or quickly handled may turn deadly. It’s shocking to think that instead of increasing funding, some policymakers are considering selling our national parks to corporations.

Our national parks have been underfunded for decades, and these new cuts are making things worse. Since 2010, full-time park staff has dropped by 20%, while visits have increased by 16%.

With fewer staff, parks are already struggling, and so are their emergency response teams. Zion National Park had to close all but one entrance, creating half-mile-long traffic backups. Great Smoky Mountains National Park told visitors to stay away because there weren’t enough staff to clean up after a major storm. Yosemite National Park delayed campground reservations because there weren’t enough employees to oversee them.

Personal Moments in Nature

One of the most unforgettable moments of my life happened at Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. Among the towering red rock formations, under a sky painted with hues of gold and blue, I got engaged. It was the perfect place—wild, timeless, and awe-inspiring. National parks and natural spaces are more than just scenic backdrops; they hold our stories, our milestones, and our most cherished memories. The idea that places like this could one day be privatized, commercialized, or restricted to the highest bidder is heartbreaking.

My Favorite Childhood Memories

Growing up near Niagara Falls, I never thought about who controlled the land—it was just a place of natural wonder. But imagining a private company drilling for oil nearby or chemicals polluting the water is unthinkable. As a kid, I sometimes dreaded taking visiting family to see it over and over again. Looking back, I realize how vital these spaces are—not just for recreation but for our well-being and as a legacy for future generations.

One of my fondest memories is when my parents took me to Sequoia National Park to see the stunning redwoods. I was small, but I felt even smaller standing next to those towering, centuries-old trees. It was a moment of awe, a reminder of just how grand and irreplaceable these landscapes are. Losing places like this to corporate interests would be a tragedy.

Privatization and Environmental Harm

Budget cuts aren’t the only problem. Recent executive orders allow more logging, mining, and private development in public lands. Environmental protections have been weakened, so companies can now cut down trees and mine for resources without an environmental review. If corporations profit from public lands, the argument for selling our national parks will only grow stronger.

There’s also a growing push to privatize national parks, which would let companies take over, limit public access, and focus on making money instead of preserving nature. Once land is developed, it could be gone for good.

Protecting National Parks Isn’t Political

National parks should not be a political issue—both Democrats and Republicans love these lands. Even Republican presidents have played major roles in protecting nature. Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency and signed the Endangered Species Act. These parks are for all of us, yet they’re now being dismantled for short-term profit.

Most Americans want to protect national parks. A recent poll found that only 10% of voters support cutting park funding, while 30% want to increase it and 53% want it to stay the same. Even in Republican-leaning states, people overwhelmingly support keeping these lands public.

What You Can Do

We can still protect our national parks. Contact Your Representatives. Be a Responsible Visitor, Donate, Volunteer, and Stay Informed. If we don’t act now, we may wake up to headlines about selling our national parks to the highest bidder.

The Future of Our National Parks

Road trips have always been about more than just getting from point A to point B. I have a habit—one that has sometimes driven my travel companions a little crazy—of taking side trips to scenic viewpoints, just to catch a glimpse of a waterfall, a canyon, or a particularly striking mountain range. These detours have led me to some of the most breathtaking places I’ve ever seen, many of them within our national parks.

If these places were sold off, fenced in, or turned into luxury resorts, the spontaneous joy of discovery would disappear. No one should have to pay an entry fee just to experience nature’s beauty. Selling our national parks would strip away these spontaneous discoveries, replacing them with luxury resorts and restricted access.

Planning a Trip to the Badlands

This summer, we are planning a trip to Badlands National Park, but with all the cuts to staffing and resources, I can’t help but feel concerned about what we’ll find. . The sky, unpolluted by city lights, revealed a dazzling spread of stars. I lay awake listening to the distant calls of coyotes, feeling completely connected to the land. That night reminded me why these protected spaces exist—not just for the scenery, but for the sense of peace, solitude, and connection they provide. The idea that this kind of experience could be lost to corporate interests is unacceptable.

Road trips have always been about more than just getting from point A to point B. I have a habit—one that has sometimes driven my travel companions a little crazy—of taking side trips to scenic viewpoints, just to catch a glimpse of a waterfall, a canyon, or a particularly striking mountain range. These detours have led me to some of the most breathtaking places I’ve ever seen, many of them within our national parks. If these places were sold off, fenced in, or turned into luxury resorts, the spontaneous joy of discovery would disappear. No one should have to pay an entry fee just to experience nature’s beauty.

The Value of Scenic Detours

I’ve hiked some of the most famous trails in the world, including the legendary Kalalau Trail in Hawaii. Walking through those lush landscapes, with the ocean on one side and volcanic cliffs on the other, reminded me why these places must be protected. Nature is breathtaking, but it is also fragile.

If we don’t act now, future generations may never experience these parks as we do today. Once private companies take over, they won’t give these lands back. Protecting them isn’t just about enjoying beautiful views—it’s about preserving our country’s history, protecting wildlife, and keeping these spaces open for everyone.

Support groups like the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), which advocate for park protection and funding. National parks belong to all of us, and we must fight to keep them that way.

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