'Catastrophic': 'Reckless actions' throw Yosemite into freefall as high season approaches

Yosemite National Park is facing a severe staffing shortage and the threat of chaos as a result of President Donald Trump's hiring freeze across the federal government, according to a report at SFGate.

Since Trump took office, hundreds of job offers for seasonal workers at Yosemite have been rescinded, leaving the park severely understaffed as it heads into its busiest months of the year.

Former Yosemite Superintendent Don Neubacher described the looming staffing situation as "catastrophic," with the park potentially having to "stop specific functions (like no Half Dome cables can be installed) and close park areas."

Beth Pratt, a regional executive director for the National Wildlife Federation, said, "I've never seen anything like this in my 55 years. Just to want to gut the Park Service? I don't understand it."

The trouble began on January 20th when Trump issued an executive order freezing hiring across the federal government. Three days later, thousands of employees in the process of onboarding for federal agencies, including the Park Service, received emails stating that their job offers had been rescinded. This included rangers and fee technicians who were two months into the hiring process, creating chaos at Yosemite.

Adding to the uncertainty, the Trump administration has been collecting the names of all federal employees within their probationary period and warning agency leaders that these newest employees are the easiest to terminate.

One anonymous Yosemite employee said, "There's a lot of fear right now, but nobody even knows who is making these decisions anymore."

Conservationists and nonprofit leaders are also deeply concerned about the long-term effects on Yosemite's ecosystems and visitor experience.

Senator Alex Padilla and 21 other senators sent a letter to the Interior Department, warning that "without seasonal staff during this peak season, visitor centers may close, bathrooms will be filthy, campgrounds may close, guided tours will be cut back or altogether cancelled, emergency response times will drop, and visitor services like safety advice, trail recommendations, and interpretation will be unavailable."

Former Yosemite Superintendent Neubacher is worried that even if federal officials eventually decide to reissue job offers to seasonal workers, it'll be too late, as the park typically onboards 350 to 400 seasonal employees every February and March. He said, "This is one of America's greatest treasures, and these reckless actions jeopardize its future."