22 Comments
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Andrew Bearman's avatar

Thanks for your continuing spotlight on this joke of an effort masquerading as diligence.

I mean, really, WT-holy-F?

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Glen's avatar

I’ve enjoyed going to state and federal parks my entire life. Sixty plus years.

I’m saddened and enraged that park rangers are being declared surpelrulous.

And this administration wants to log and clear cut said parks?

I hate this timeline

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Alan Peterson's avatar

First time I've read one of your Substack posts, Mr. Siler. I think you express yourself clearly, concisely, and honestly; much better than Donald Trump can, even though some people find his confused and false speeches entrancing. Reading your post convinced me that you and the staff at the NPS are much better informed and smarter than Trump and the other members of his administration who are currently afflicting you. I know it's cold comfort to hear this, but Trump, et al, afflict the rest of us, too. I'm no historian, but this must be the first time ever that Americans are being victimized and abused by their own government.

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Linda4peace's avatar

I am trying,at this time to decide if I want to know what DOI plans to do to our NPS if there is nothing we can do to stop the blatant destruction of our National Parks.(Kudos to the Resistance Rangers)

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Michael's avatar

I'm a nephew of a park superintendent and he used to take me hiking in the Great Smokies NP decades ago (65 years ago to be exact) The parks have been in my blue ever since and the way the GOP mess with them, administration after administration, is infuriating. Thanks for this essay.

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Colleen's avatar

Dark times. Thank you for the coverage.

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Lon Ottosen's avatar

Thanks for the information. Keep up the good work

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Rick's avatar

Mayday, Mayday! These actions are just downright disgraceful.

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cory's avatar

Help

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Joe English's avatar

Thank you Wes.

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Janet W.'s avatar

This link about layoffs was removed from the site and then reposted. https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2025/05/report-national-park-service-rif-be-deep-and-blunt

The incompetence of the cabal and occupiers of the WH is astounding! Good people simply cannot keep up because there is such a firehose of chaos and evil spewed and acted upon every single day. And, to preserve any semblance of mental health, we have to step away at times. As a Boomer woman of a certain age, I found my voice and I have never shut up!! :) I'm appalled by the willingly lack of knowledge by people (head in the sand) who know better! Democratic congressional critters need to stop bringing knives and more podcasts to an AR-15 battle. And, the rest of congress needs to have a spinal transplant. And, the electorate must never ever vote for a republican at any governmental level!!!

Hang in there Wes and keep the information and fight going!!

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Bill's avatar

Thank you for the heads up. It’s clear that upside down flag on El Cap got their attention. Which of course means we need to create more of that type of bad PR. What’s also clear is that all these DOGE cuts are not really about saving money but really about decapitating these agencies so they have no independence or autonomy (which they do as established by congress). Then they can take all the backroom deals and actions they want.

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P.M.'s avatar

Man, the bad news just keeps coming from this regime. People ought to be pissed off but it seems like no one is noticing. NYTimes reports on it like it's inevitable change. What can be done to get these issues in front of more eyeballs that care?

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incognito's avatar

Good article but the NPS hasn't had 20,000 staff for years. Pre-t2, there were somewhere between 17 to 18,000. So, the percent losses are even worse.

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Wes Siler's avatar

Really? I've checked that number with NPS admin employees, Jarvis, etc, and never heard anything else.

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Kim's avatar

Not just numbers of personnel in long time decline, experienced rangers scientists and managers have been pushed out in a few different eras.

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Yourmouth Mynutz's avatar

An opinion piece passed off as news. 👏

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Yourmouth Mynutz's avatar

An opinion piece passed off as news. 👏

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