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The Future Of America's National Parks : 1A People visited U.S. National Park sites a record 331 million times last year. Were you one of them?

If you were, and plan to visit any National Parks this year though, staff cuts might mean a different kind of experience.

At the direction of Elon Musk's DOGE entity, the Department of the Interior fired around 1,000 probationary National Park Service employees in February.

That has current and former NPS employees feeling pessimistic about the future.

We discuss how these cuts will impact the future of America's National Parks.

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.

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The Future Of America's National Parks

The Future Of America's National Parks

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Grand Canyon Park Services Ranger Jill Staurowsky looks out from the South Rim while giving a tour to visitors on in Grand Canyon, Arizona. Brandon Bell/Getty Images hide caption

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Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Grand Canyon Park Services Ranger Jill Staurowsky looks out from the South Rim while giving a tour to visitors on in Grand Canyon, Arizona.

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

People visited U.S. National Park sites a record 331 million times last year. Were you one of them?

If you were, and plan to visit any National Parks this year though, staff cuts might mean a different kind of experience.

At the direction of Elon Musk's DOGE entity, the Department of the Interior fired around 1,000 probationary National Park Service employees in February.

That has current and former NPS employees feeling pessimistic about the future.

How will these cuts affect American public lands and their future?

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.