“Protect Our Parks”

– CALL: (5calls) Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [CITY, ZIP].

I’m calling to demand [REP/SEN NAME] to demand oversight hearings to push back on the Trump administration’s efforts to devastate our national parks and public lands under the guise of “cutting costs”. These parks and public lands were already understaffed, and the recent chaotic firings of park workers are dangerous not only to the lands, but the people who enjoy them. It’s inappropriate for the Trump administration to take these dramatic and dangerous actions without any oversight. Thank you for your time and consideration.

– EMAIL: (Sierra Club provides a online submisssion page or you can copy what you want directly to your legislators ) I value America’s unique and precious public lands for what they mean to me, and what they protect. The staff who steward those lands make America’s parks, monuments, and refuges an extraordinary and invaluable resource.

(Add personal message here, especially if you are planning to visit a National Park or other public lands this year or have visited recently, to share how this loss of staff impacts you.)

I ask that you call on Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to stop slashing their workforce and reverse harmful staffing policies that impact land management and environmental protection.

These staff are the heartbeat of public lands, national parks, national monuments, national forests, wildlife refuges, and the health of our air, water, and communities. They are essential to the special places that millions of Americans visit every year. Those visitors drive local economies and support hundreds of thousands of jobs. From guiding hikes to backcountry rescues, trail maintenance to cleaning toilets, protecting endangered species, or helping green nature-deprived communities, staff are already being asked to do more with less. Any further cuts to staffing could forever change our national parks, public lands, and communities. The recent moves by the administration are nothing short of devastating.

In addition to leaving thousands of people without a paycheck, these layoffs will also hinder the implementation of key programs, impact visitor safety, stifle effective public land management, and result in the loss of critical institutional knowledge throughout our government.

Our communities and our economies rely on protected public lands and environmental protections. As your constituent, I want you to do everything in your power to protect the National Park Service, Forest Service and other land management, from these egregious staffing cuts.

– PHONE OR EMAIL (Channel Islands Protect our Parks) “My name is [______], and I’m a [your city/state] resident. I’m writing to urge [Lawmaker’s Name] to support continued funding to support our public lands, including our national parks and forests.”

Personal Connection (Optional but Encouraged): “Public lands are incredibly important to me because [share a personal experience].”

Examples:

• “I grew up visiting [National Park/National Forest] with my family, and it shaped my love for the outdoors.”
• “As a hiker/camper/kayaker/researcher, I rely on these spaces for recreation and inspiration.”
• “I’ve seen firsthand the incredible work that rangers and public land stewards do to keep these places accessible and protected.”
• “Public lands provide a place for me to connect with nature, de-stress, and spend time with loved ones.”

Why It Matters:

• Option 1: “These lands are an essential part of our national heritage, providing recreational opportunities, protecting wildlife, and supporting local economies.”
• Option 2: “Investing in public lands ensures future generations can enjoy these placeswhile also creating jobs and bolstering tourism.”
• Option 3: “National parks and forests are vital for conservation, climate resilience, and maintaining biodiversity. They need proper funding to be protected.”

Issue of Employee Termination:

• Option 1: “I am also concerned about the recent termination of federal employees who safeguard and maintain these lands. Their work is critical, and they should bereinstated.”
• Option 2: “Without these dedicated employees—scientists, rangers, and stewards—our public lands are at risk of neglect. Please support efforts to reinstate them.”
• Option 3: “Federal workers who protect our national parks and forests provide aninvaluable service. Losing them undermines conservation efforts and public access.”

***consider addition of “Why Channel Islands National Park Matters” (below) here.***

Closing Ask:

• Option 1: “I urge [Legislator’s Name] to support adequate funding for our public lands and advocate for the reinstatement of these essential workers. Can I count on [him/her/them] to take action on this?”
• Option 2: “I urge [Lawmaker’s Name] to ensure that Channel Islands National Park receives the funding and staffing it needs to continue its essential work. Can I count on their support?”

“Thank you for your time and for supporting the protection of our national treasures.”

Why Channel Islands National Park Matters

“I’d also like to highlight the importance of Channel Islands National Park. This park is often called ‘North America’s Galápagos’ because of its incredible biodiversity and the unique species that exist nowhere else in the world.”

• “The park protects critical habitats for endangered species like the island fox,which was brought back from the brink of extinction thanks to conservation efforts.”
• “It serves as an important marine environment, protecting kelp forests, seabird nesting sites, and marine mammals like sea lions and whales.”
• “Beyond conservation, Channel Islands National Park provides invaluable recreational opportunities for thousands of visitors each year, boosting the local economy through tourism.”

The Need for Funding and Staff

“Maintaining this special place requires proper funding and the dedicated work of park staff, scientists, and rangers. Without them, the park’s fragile ecosystems, visitor services, and conservation efforts are at risk.”

• “Recent staffing cuts threaten critical research, restoration projects, and visitor education programs.”
• “Investing in Channel Islands National Park isn’t just about protecting the park itself—it’s about preserving a piece of California’s natural and cultural heritage.”

NOTE from Indivisible Ventura: The fired employees all got the same “unsatifactory performance“-type smack the Musk’s team of malicious flying monkeys has added to notices to fired employees nationwide – this provides cover for their fraud that they are only firing low-performing employees.

“Don Quinn, an employment lawyer who represents federal employees, said he saw no legal rationale for citing performance when dismissing probationary employees, who typically enjoy very limited job protections.”

“What they’re trying to do is they’re trying to cover themselves by saying it’s a performance issue, which, in my mind, opens it up to possible liability for a false firing,” he said. (https://allwork.space/2025/02/doge-fires-top-performing-federal-workers-while-blaming-poor-performance/) (https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/20/politics/doge-firing-low-performers-new-employees-reality/index.html)

It’s also a mean trick to try to stop former employees from receiving for unemployment benefits. Depending on how the negative review was worded, the best that can be said is that “Thousands of federal workers fired over the past week by the Trump administration will likely be eligible for unemployment benefits.” (https://www.yahoo.com/news/fired-federal-workers-likely-eligible-002330888.html) Likely. Not guaranteed.

And how are the following issues:
– the payment of unemployment benefits,
– The administrative costs of processing mass terminations
– The legal expenses from inevitable wrongful termination suits
– The higher future costs of restarting critical programs
– The expense of rebuilding lost institutional knowledge
– The cost of repeating work that was abandoned mid-process

affecting their fake bottom line of “savings?”