This is a Critical Moment to Support National Parks – Here’s How You Can Help

By Nat Leinbach

One of the best ways to support access to national parks and public lands is to understand the challenges they face. While our parks across the country are widely enjoyed by both domestic and international visitors, they might undergo the largest funding cut in their history at the end of the month. Here’s what you need to know and how you can help.

Each year, the Appropriations Committee of the House and the Senate develop and pass an appropriations act. This unique piece of legislation outlines budget authority and funding for federal agencies during the following fiscal year. 

The congressional appropriations process is well underway to establish the federal budget for the next fiscal year ending September 20, 2026. 

The Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies subcommittees have done their part and both Appropriations Committees have put forth their bills for consideration. This month, the two chambers must agree on one bill to put before the President for signature or veto. They are considering three different introduced versions of funding allocation for the Department of Interior, two of which will drastically reduce national park funding if enacted.

One funding proposition comes directly from the White House. Following multiple executive orders affecting staffing and educational content in national parks, the Executive Office of the President sent a letter to the Senate appropriations committee in May proposing a budget that would cut more than $1 billion to the National Park Service compared to fiscal year 2025. Amongst various funding cuts, the recommendation includes a 31% decrease in the operations funds for our parks, the largest proposed cut in the agency’s 190 year history. This significant cut in funding is a huge threat to the park system.

Another bill was proposed by the House of Representatives in July. While this bill offers a less drastic cut when compared to that of the President, it would still cut more than 6% of the park service’s operation budget. This bill also includes a 21% cut to construction funding which would likely halt many necessary infrastructure projects across the park system. 

Luckily, there is one bill that doesn’t pose nearly as big a threat.

At the end of July, the Senate Committee on Appropriations passed a bill with bipartisan support. Importantly, this bill provides flat funding for the National Park System – it’s consistent with the funding from fiscal year 2025, with no significant monetary increases or decreases. The advancement of this bill through the House and Senate would signal strong support for the parks amidst already challenging conditions.

According to the National Parks Conservation Association, NPS accounts for less than a fifteenth of 1% of the federal budget. Yet it generates more than $15 in economic activity for each dollar invested. National parks offer a huge return on investment, injecting tons of money into local economies and supplying thousands of jobs in surrounding areas. 

The future of our National Parks is largely dependent on the funding they receive. Right now, they need our support.

It’s more important now than ever that you visit your parks. Most parks track visitation, so showing up demonstrates that we utilize our public spaces. If the public displays support in numbers, we can prove that our public lands are well-loved. It’s also a great idea to leave positive feedback with the National Park Service about your good experiences. The National Park Service is always seeking feedback; here is another request for feedback about improving visitor services in national parks that went live at the beginning of September. 

Secondly, you can always volunteer to help support national park maintenance, preservation, and operations. Funding and staffing shortages force national parks to prioritize only their most indispensable operations. Volunteers can help bridge the gap to make sure other important functions (e.g. trail maintenance, invasive management, clean up initiatives, etc.) are still completed. At Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, we have monthly volunteer events every fourth Saturday in addition to other opportunities. You can even sign up for our next event on National Public Lands Day, September 27, 2025.

Finally, you can call your congressional representatives to express your support for the Senate’s proposed budget to keep NPS funding consistent with fiscal year 2025. If you don’t know how to contact your representatives, you can look online at the House and Senate websites. With enough public support, we can convince our leaders that the public cares about national parks, both big and small. Together, we can help keep our national parks well funded so they can be well enjoyed.