Editor's note: All opinions, columns and letters reflect the views of the individual writer and not necessarily those of the IDS or its staffers.
Around this time each year, thousands of visitor’s flood Yosemite National Park hoping to see the iconic “Firefall” at Horsetail Fall. Spectators gather as the sun sets, and as it does, the falls reflect the setting sun, giving the spectacularly unreal appearance of molten fire pouring from the cliffs of El Capitan.
This year, the scenery was a little bit different.
An American flag, measuring 30 feet by 50 feet, was displayed upside down on the side of El Capitan by a group of frustrated Park Service workers, some of whom rappelled down the side of El Capitan, which rises more than 3,000 feet above the base of Yosemite Valley.
According to the U.S. Flag Code, the flag should “never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.”
That’s precisely what these Park Service workers are worried about.
These protests follow the Trump administration's abrupt firing of a thousand National Park employees and 3,400 Forest Service workers. Workers say these cuts are a severe blow, with the National Parks Conservation Association warning that reduced staff will leave parks understaffed and struggling with decisions about operating hours, public safety and resource protection — especially as they enter their busiest season in the spring and summer months.
These terminations in national parks and forests have left employees confused and worried about the future of America's public lands. Not only for their own well-being, but for the well-being and future of millions of acres of once-protected wilderness.
These layoffs are part of the Trump Administration’s efforts to reduce the size of the federal government. Layoffs nationwide impact all 50 states, also affect agencies that millions of Americans rely on, including the National Park Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, the Internal Revenue Service, and the National Institutes of Health.
The Trump administration is simultaneously working to open up federal lands to oil and gas leasing. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told Fox News his department is “completely embracing the DOGE effort.”
It’s convenient that National Parks are among the first targets of this downsizing initiative, especially as the administration increases efforts to exploit these lands for commercial mining and drilling. Executive Order 14154, titled “Unleashing American Energy,” cites “burdensome and ideologically motivated regulations” as obstacles to developing these critical areas. As a result, the Department of the Interior is currently reviewing national monuments and public lands, including these thirteen national monuments “at risk” of losing federal protections, as potential sites for oil drilling and mining.
This idea is nothing new; from the beginning, the creation of National Parks faced resistance from those who saw the land as a resource for economic growth rather than conservation. When the national parks were established, the idea of acquiring these massive swathes of land and limiting their commercial use was quite contrary to the expansionist attitude of the time. But what people understood was that these lands were worth protecting.
The administration's current move to exploit these lands for commercial purposes undermines the very essence of conservation that led to the establishment of National Parks. These terminations could be the beginning of the privatization of millions of acres of wilderness, a shift that not only threatens the ecological integrity of these areas but also contradicts the long-standing recognition of their intrinsic value beyond mere economic gain.
The fight over America’s public lands is more than just a political or economic debate — it’s a battle over what kind of legacy we leave for future generations. National Parks were created with the understanding that some places are too valuable to be sacrificed for profit and that the natural beauty and biodiversity they contain should be preserved for all to experience.
The future of America’s National Parks and public lands now hangs in the balance. Whether they remain protected or are opened to industry will depend on those who recognize their value — not just as resources to be extracted, but as irreplaceable treasures that define the nation’s natural heritage.
Ainsley Foster (she/her) is a junior studying Elementary Education.
