National Parks, Public Lands Feared at Risk of Long-Term Harm as Shutdown Drags On

National parks, public lands feared at risk of long-term harm as shutdown drags on

The lack of staff already has led to reports of bad behavior, like illegal camping and BASE jumping at California’s Yosemite National Park, and parks advocates and workers told States Newsroom they fear more to come.

Retired ranger calls on public: Federal lands need the public's help, retired National Park ranger says

Walt Dabney, a retired National Park Service ranger, hikes on the Maah Daah Hey trail near Medora, North Dakota, on Oct. 12, 2025. | photo by Mary Steurer Public lands advo cate Walt Dabney joined a group of North Dakota conservationists in the Badlands on Sunday to see how federal funding cuts are affecting public lands in the state — and how members of the public are stepping up in the government’s place. Dabney, a former National Park ...PLEA…

Government Shutdown Is Already Leading To More Dangerous Bear Encounters In Yellowstone National Park

The government shutdown is hitting the National Park Service hard, and even making Yellowstone National Park a bit more dangerous. It’s now day 15 of the federal government shutdown, which was sparked by Democrats and Republicans not seeing eye-to-eye on how to move forward with subsides for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Republicans believe those across the aisle are trying to push for tax dollars to cover undocumented immigrants’ health care, …