In an era where fiscal responsibility is supposedly paramount, one would think lawmakers would recognize a simple truth: the National Park Service (NPS) is one of the most profitable investments the federal government makes.
Yet, instead of strengthening it, DOGE is fixated on gutting its funding, undermining an institution that not only preserves America’s natural and historical heritage but also generates billions in economic benefits.
Let’s be clear—defunding the National Park Service is not just shortsighted; it’s economically illiterate. In 2022 alone, national parks brought in $50.3 billion in economic output and supported over 378,000 jobs across the country. Compare that to the Park Service’s modest budget, which hovers around $3.5 billion—a mere fraction of the revenue these parks generate. If this were a private enterprise, slashing its budget while it produced an enviable return on investment would be considered sabotage.
But this isn’t just about profit margins—it’s about protecting one of America’s greatest public goods. Our national parks are part of the American soul. From the towering peaks of Yosemite to the deep canyons of Zion, from the battlefields of Gettysburg to the solemn grounds of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, these spaces embody our history, our values, and our collective identity. They are not luxuries; they are essential pieces of our national character. Every dollar cut from the Park Service means fewer rangers, more maintenance backlogs, and degraded visitor experiences—problems that will ultimately cost taxpayers more in the long run.
The consequences of underfunding are already visible. Across the country, parks are struggling with infrastructure decay—crumbling roads, dilapidated visitor centers, outdated wastewater systems, and trails in disrepair. The NPS maintenance backlog now exceeds $22 billion, and without proper funding, that number will continue to balloon. Visitors are increasingly met with closed facilities, overcrowded campsites, and fewer rangers available to educate, guide, and protect them.
So why attack the National Park Service? Because it’s an easy target for ideological crusaders who conflate public goods with wasteful spending. It’s the same playbook used to justify austerity policies that benefit no one but private interests eager to see public lands mismanaged or even sold off. Some lawmakers see public parks as prime real estate for commercial exploitation—whether it’s mining, drilling, or privatizing public spaces for corporate profit. This is not about budget efficiency—it’s about undermining government institutions for the sake of political theater.
Defunding the NPS doesn’t just hurt nature lovers or history buffs—it hurts businesses and local economies that depend on the tourism and economic activity these parks create. Small towns and rural communities near national parks thrive on the influx of visitors who spend money on lodging, dining, and recreation. Weakening the Park Service threatens this entire economic ecosystem, stripping communities of jobs and revenue streams they’ve relied on for generations.
Americans across the political spectrum love their national parks. They are one of the few institutions left in this country that still unite us. But they won’t stay that way if we let reckless budget cuts turn them into neglected, crumbling relics. If fiscal responsibility really mattered to these lawmakers, they’d invest more—not less—in a system that provides unmatched economic and cultural returns.
The bottom line? Defunding the National Park Service is not just an attack on America’s greatest landscapes and historic sites—it’s an attack on American prosperity itself. And we should fight it with everything we’ve got.