Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issued an order Thursday for national parks and historic sites across the country to remain open and accessible to the public during their operating hours, with a promise to provide staffing levels the parks need.
Burgum’s order directed all national park sites to prioritize remaining open for visitors, noting record-high visitation across the more than 85 million acres managed by the National Park Service’s 20,000-person workforce. The order comes as critics of the Trump administration have questioned if downsizing across the federal government — and within NPS — could force parks to limit public access.
“The Department and NPS are committed to ensuring that all Americans have the opportunity to visit and enjoy our Nation’s most treasured places,” Burgum wrote, promising “to ensure that NPS is properly staffed to support the operating hours and needs of each park unit.”
Burgum directed the acting assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks, Maureen Foster, and National Park Service acting Director Jessican Bowron to immediately review parks’ hours for compliance with the directive.
