Parkgoers join in layoff protest at Pinnacles National Park
CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION-TV) -- President Donald Trump's federal layoffs are taking a toll on national parks and sparking protests across the country Saturday.
People gathered at over 150 parks to voice their concerns over potential impacts on park operations including Pinnacles National Park.
Dozens of people surrounded the east entrance of Pinnacles National Park on Saturday, protesting recent cuts to the National Park Service.
"I'm concerned about our parks being understaffed and, for example, not having any rangers to respond to emergencies and climbing rangers in Yosemite get laid off, and we will not have responses to emergencies on the walls or in the backcountry there," Salinas resident Molly Bauer said. "It's a safety concern. It's also an environmental concern. We have specialists who are working on, bringing back native species and we lose all of that diversity."
Multiple people attended the protest, holding signs saying "Protect Our Parks" and I Want a Future Where National Parks Exist."
Earlier this week, the Trump administration fired 1,000 park employees as part of its efforts to reduce the federal workforce.
People KION spoke with are upset, demanding the workers be reinstated.
"These are vital, essential workers. They are. Our fire crews are maintenance park rangers, wildlife biologists, all those people. They need to be reinstated so that we can protect us and protect everything that we love," Morgan Hill resident Jennifer Brinker said.
People fear parks will be neglected, especially as many parks prepare for the busy summer season.
"With the layoffs is that these people are public servants. They're here to serve the public, and that is their job. That's their role, their civil servants. And they are here to protect this land and to make it accessible for all of the people to enjoy. And if you remove those people now, that's threatened," Brinker said.
"Love your national parks, you love our land. We want it protected. We don't want it underfunded, because when it's underfunded, it's not protected. It's not taken care of," Bauer added.
Protesters say people need to urge their representatives to take action.
"We need to call our congress members. Don't just email them. Don't just spam their social media accounts. You need to pick up the phone and call them," Bauer urged.
KION contacted Pinnacles National Park multiple times to see if any staff had been laid off. KION has yet to receive a response at this time of reporting.
