Threats to Public Lands

by on April 12, 2025 with No Comments

Hills For Everyone remains concerned about staffing cuts and other impacts to our federally protected lands. There are known consequences to the landscape when staff shortages exist.
☎️If you care about public lands, call or email your federal elected officials. Tell them to defend public lands, rehire staff, and reinstate budgets.
➡️Congressional Leaders
➡️Senators
📢Attend the April 19th Rally and focus your message on “Hands Off Our Public Lands!”

California has 25.6 million protected acres. The federal government protected 20.6 million of them in the form of National Parks, National Monuments, National Historic Sites, National Forests, etc.

The State of California protected 2.7 million acres as State Parks, State Beaches, State Historic Sites, State Reserves, etc. The federal government ownerships are 7.6 times more land than California’s protected lands.

As decisions are made at the federal level to cut staff, there are implications to both the landscape and the visitor experience. We know this from previous government shut downs and the impact those shutdowns had on the lands.

So far, the Department of the Interior, which oversees many of the protected lands, has lost:
~1,000 National Park Service staff
~800 from the Bureau of Land Management, and
~400 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

If you enjoy visiting your beloved National Park or Forest, think twice. Demand will be up and closures will impact your plans. And, if you want to help our federal lands, we urge you to take action now.

Other visitor experiences that will be impacted, as government shutdowns have demonstrated, include restroom closures, no more trash disposal, and no park maintenance teams. Additionally, if you get injured there may not be a Search and Rescue team available to rescue you.

The State of California protected 2.7 million acres as State Parks, State Beaches, State Historic Sites, State Reserves, etc. The federal government ownerships are 7.6 times more land than California’s protected lands.

Call or email your federal representatives with two links: bit.ly/Federal-Reps and bit.ly/US-Senators. There is a phone and email icon on each side of the links which rest atop a black bar.

Attend the Rally on Saturday, April 19th from 3-4:30 PM. In a black bar below that is a “Hands Off Our Public Lands Imperial Hwy/Yorba Linda Blvd.

A yellow background with the HFE logo upper right and a threat thermometer on the left pointing to red. The title is: Threats to Public Lands. There is a photo of the Point Reyes National Seashore. Below the photo it says: California has 25.6 million protected acres. The federal government protected 20.6 million of them in the form of National Parks, National Monuments, National Historic Sites, National Forests, etc.
A yellow background with the HFE logo upper right and a threat thermometer on the left pointing to red. The title is: Threats to Public Lands. There is a photo of Chino Hills State Park at sunset. Below the photo it says: The State of California protected 2.7 million acres as State Parks, State Beaches, State Historic Sites, State Reserves, etc. The federal government ownerships are 7.6 times more land than California’s protected lands.
A yellow background with the HFE logo upper right and a threat thermometer on the left pointing to red. The title is: Threats to Public Lands. There is a photo of an overflowing dumpster with trash everywhere. Below the photo it says: As decisions are made at the federal level to cut staff, there are implications to both the landscape and the visitor experience. We know this from previous government shut downs and the impact those shutdowns had on the lands.
A yellow background with the HFE logo upper right and a threat thermometer on the left pointing to red. The title is: Threats to Public Lands. There is a photo of Joshua Tree National Park at sunset. Below the photo it says: So far, the Department of the Interior, which oversees many of the protected lands, has lost: ~1,000 National Park Service staff ~800 from the Bureau of Land Management, and ~400 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
A yellow background with the HFE logo upper right and a threat thermometer on the left pointing to red. The title is: Threats to Public Lands. There is a photo of sunlight shining through Sequoia trees in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Below the photo it says: If you enjoy visiting your beloved National Park or Forest, think twice. Demand will be up and closures will impact your plans. And, if you want to help our federal lands, we urge you to take action now.
A yellow background with the HFE logo upper right and a threat thermometer on the left pointing to red. The title is: Threats to Public Lands. There is a photo of a National Park Service Park Ranger vehicle. Below the photo it says: Other visitor experiences that will be impacted, as government shutdowns have demonstrated, include restroom closures, no more trash disposal, and no park maintenance teams. Additionally, if you get injured there may not be a Search and Rescue team available to rescue you.
A yellow background with the HFE logo upper right and a threat thermometer on the left pointing to red. The title is: Threats to Public Lands. There is a photo of Chino Hills State Park at sunset. Below the photo it says: The State of California protected 2.7 million acres as State Parks, State Beaches, State Historic Sites, State Reserves, etc. The federal government ownerships are 7.6 times more land than California’s protected lands.
A yellow background with the HFE logo upper right and a threat thermometer on the left pointing to red. The title is: Threats to Public Lands. There is a photo of sunlight on Pinnacles National Park. Above the photo is a black bar with an "Act Now" button being pressed by a mouse icon. Below the photo it says: Call or email your federal representatives with two links: bit.ly/Federal-Reps and bit.ly/US-Senators. There is a phone and email icon on each side of the links which rest atop a black bar.
A yellow background with the HFE logo upper right and a threat thermometer on the left pointing to red. The title is: Threats to Public Lands. There is a photo of a handmade sign that says Save Our Parks with trees and birds on it. Above the photo is a black bar with an "Act Now" button being pressed by a mouse icon. Below the photo it says: Attend the Rally on Saturday, April 19th from 3-4:30 PM. In a black bar below that is a "Hands Off Our Public Lands Imperial Hwy/Yorba Linda Blvd.