National Park Service loses 25% workforce

The White House withdrew Scott Socha’s nomination to be director of the National Park Service on April 27, leaving the agency without a Senate-confirmed leader before summer. (whitehouse.gov) Socha, a New York hospitality executive, had been sent to the Senate on February 11, according to the White House withdrawal notice. Reuters reported the move on April 28. (whitehouse.gov) (reuters.com) The leadership gap lands as the park system heads into peak travel season with far fewer permanent employees than it had at the start of 2025. The National Parks Conservation Association says the Park Service has lost nearly 25% of its workforce, or more than 4,000 staff, through resignations, retirements and hiring barriers. (npca.org 1) (npca.org 2) Those losses are showing up in basic operations. The parks group says fewer rangers and support workers have meant reduced visitor-center hours, delayed maintenance, weaker resource protection and slower emergency response. (npca.org) Active NorCal reported that Yosemite visitors during spring break waited as long as two hours at entrance gates. The outlet said park staffing advocates expect longer lines and slower service this summer. (activenorcal.com) The Interior Department has said it plans to hire 5,500 seasonal workers for the summer and is requesting nine-month terms instead of six to stretch coverage. Critics say seasonal hiring does not replace the permanent staff who run year-round operations and emergency response. (activenorcal.com) (npca.org) The pressure is rising because visitation is not falling. The National Parks Conservation Association says 323 million people visited national parks in 2025 and 26 parks set attendance records. (npca.org) (activenorcal.com) The budget fight is still ahead. The Trump administration’s 2027 proposal would cut park operations by $736 million, more than 25%, and Congress will decide whether those reductions become law. (npca.org) (activenorcal.com) For now, the immediate picture is simpler: the Park Service is entering its busiest months with no confirmed director, thousands fewer permanent employees and warnings of slower service at the gate. (whitehouse.gov) (npca.org) (activenorcal.com)