Stop the Secret Overhaul of Our National Parks

America’s national parks belong to all of us. But the Trump administration is quietly considering a sweeping reorganization that could change who makes decisions about some of our most treasured public lands — without first giving the public a meaningful say.

Internal National Park Service documents obtained by The Washington Sun reveal a draft plan to reorganize the country’s roughly 430 park units under a new “hub and spoke” system. Larger “hub” parks could gain authority over priorities, leadership and resources at smaller “spoke” parks.

That may sound like bureaucratic reshuffling. But the consequences could reach everything from protecting wildlife and fragile ecosystems to preserving historic sites and serving visitors.

Yellowstone is not the Everglades. Channel Islands is not Valley Forge. Every park has its own wildlife, ecosystems, cultural resources, communities and challenges. Protecting them requires people with local knowledge — and the authority and resources to act on it.

And the National Park Service is already under enormous strain. The Interior Department has lost more than 10,000 employees since President Trump returned to office, while former park leaders warn that another poorly planned reorganization could further weaken an already stretched workforce.

Twenty former National Park Service superintendents recently wrote Interior Secretary Doug Burgum warning that a rushed reorganization could jeopardize parks, wildlife protection, visitors and relationships with local and Tribal communities.

Yet the newly reported proposal was developed largely behind closed doors. The Washington Sun reports that Interior had not yet notified Congress of its intention to reorganize, even though the department must notify lawmakers before implementing such changes.

Our national parks are too important to reorganize in secret.

Please sign the petition demanding that Secretary Burgum halt any sweeping National Park Service reorganization until the administration publicly discloses its proposal, allows meaningful scrutiny, and guarantees that changes will not weaken local leadership, scientific expertise, staffing or protection for our natural and cultural heritage.

The petition to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum reads: Do not push through a sweeping reorganization of the National Park Service behind closed doors. Publicly disclose the proposal, comply with congressional oversight requirements, and ensure that any changes preserve the local leadership, scientific expertise, staffing and resources needed to protect wildlife, ecosystems, cultural treasures and communities across our national parks.

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Sources:

https://protectnps.org/2026/09/02/former-national-park-superintendents-warn-interior-secretary-national-parks-are-in-crisis/

https://washingtonsun.com/agencies/trump-quietly-plan-national-parks-run

Photo: Gizzly sow and cubs near Roaring Mountain credit NPS/Eric Johnston