WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has sharply criticized Interior Secretary Doug Burgum for delivering what it describes as a “misleading” portrayal of National Park Service staffing during a recent Senate Appropriations Committee hearing.
In his testimony, Secretary Burgum claimed that approximately 26,000 individuals are employed across the National Park System. However, data from the Department of the Interior’s Financial and Business Management System (FBMS) shows a starkly different reality. As of May 13, 2025, the National Park Service employed only 18,066 staff members — representing a 16.5% decrease since fiscal year 2023. The decline is attributed to pressured buyouts, early retirements, deferred resignations, and numerous unfilled vacancies.
The NPCA also raised concerns over seasonal hiring, which has lagged significantly behind administrative goals. Although the administration later exempted seasonal workers from an ongoing federal hiring freeze, internal figures indicate that only about 3,300 seasonal and temporary staff had been hired by mid-May — 39% fewer than the previous fiscal year and less than half of the agency’s target of 7,700.
Further scrutiny was directed at Burgum’s assertions regarding the roles and locations of Park Service staff. The Secretary stated that fewer than half of Park Service employees work directly in the parks and questioned the presence of “several thousand” staff in roles like IT. In contrast, official records show that just over 2,060 individuals work in administrative capacities across the agency, with fewer than 450 serving in IT and human resources — roughly 2% of the total workforce.
While many staff are not stationed within park boundaries, NPCA emphasized the indispensable role of regional and programmatic personnel. These individuals support everything from infrastructure maintenance to public education and conservation efforts. Their work, though less visible, is essential to the functioning and safety of national parks nationwide.
NPCA President and CEO Theresa Pierno condemned Burgum’s testimony, calling it part of a broader pattern of misrepresentation. “The data is clear: national park staffing is at its lowest point in decades,” she said in a statement. “Even iconic parks like Yosemite are struggling to maintain basic visitor services. Thousands of positions — including about 100 superintendent roles — remain unfilled, leaving the system under immense strain.”
Pierno added that any additional staffing reductions under consideration by the administration would have dire consequences for park operations and preservation.
“With parks in a full-blown staffing crisis,” the NPCA urged, “agency leaders must be transparent about the scale of the challenge. Misleading Congress and the public only deepens the strain on an already overwhelmed system.”
As lawmakers prepare to deliberate over fiscal year 2026 funding for the National Park Service, advocates argue that an honest accounting of current staffing levels is essential to shaping a sustainable future for America’s national parks.
