Funding Cuts to National Parks and Forests: A Dumb Decision

The Trump Administration’s latest executive orders slash funding to national forests and parks, threatening over 6,000 jobs—including 1,000 in the National Park Service and 3,400 in the Forest Service. Seasonal and permanent staff alike are affected, and Arizona will feel the pain.

The Grand Canyon—one of the seven natural wonders of the world and a cornerstone of Arizona’s identity—stands at the center of the storm. It’s so big that the Colorado River travels 277 miles through it, and it’s so deep that you could stack four Empire State Buildings in it. It’s home to 1500 plans, 355 birds, 89 mammals, 47 reptiles, 9 amphibians, and 17 fish. But for most of us, it’s part of our home as Arizonans. Beyond its staggering beauty and biodiversity, it draws six million visitors a year and helps generate $1.2 billion in tourism revenue, supporting more than 17,000 jobs statewide.

Governor Hobbs didn’t hold back: “I certainly am not interested in bailing out the Trump Administration for dumb decisions they make, like cutting off funding and staff for one of the largest tourist attractions in the country.”

The economic fallout will ripple across Arizona, but the damage goes deeper. The Grand Canyon and all our public lands deserve protection—not political neglect.

Tell your elected officials: DON’T cut funding for our precious resources. Let’s save our national forests and parks from “dumb decision.”