OPINION: Chapman Outdoors Club advocates for national park rangers
by Lily O'Day
Photo Collage by Emily Paris, Photo Editor
Chapman University’s Outdoors Club has a deep appreciation for national park workers — they’re the ones who keep our parks running smoothly! From maintaining trails and facilities to hands-on wildlife protection, ensuring visitor safety and educating people about the differing ecosystems within each park, their work is vital. Rangers and staff do everything from enforcing conservation policies to leading educational programs and, most importantly, responding to emergencies. Without them, our national parks wouldn’t be the amazing spaces we all love to explore.
But when national park workers face budget cuts and staff shortages, the effects are felt across all parks. Losing up to 1,000 employees, for example, means fewer rangers patrolling the parks, less trail maintenance, and fewer resources for conservation. Under President Donald Trump’s administration, they made it clear that environmentalism is not a priority. As a result, national park budgets were slashed to align with his goal of defunding the government. Naturally, this has led to deteriorating facilities, fewer open trails and cuts to the educational programs that in turn, help visitors of all ages learn about the history, culture and natural ecosystems within the parks.
For Chapman Outdoors Club, these challenges could make our trips more tedious. Longer wait times to get into parks, fewer available campsites and more complicated trip planning all around. With reduced staffing, visitor centers and ranger stations might have shorter hours, making it harder to get information when we may need it. On top of that, fewer people maintaining trails could mean more safety risks, and restrictions on activities like hiking or camping.
At the end of the day, national park workers are the heart of our parks. Without their dedication, these natural spaces wouldn’t be the same. We all need to recognize their value and make sure they have the resources they need to continue protecting these beautiful landscapes for future generations.
This article and accompanying media was submitted by an independent student. If you are interested in having your work featured in The Panther, reach out to pantheropinions@chapman.edu.