By Dakota Antelman – [email protected]
An employee at Minute Man National Historical Park was fired last month amid the Trump administration’s larger purge of National Park Service staff.
The worker was a probationary employee and lost their job on February 14, according to Association of National Park Rangers executive director Bill Wade.
Wade said he did not know which employee was fired. Though public safety positions are exempt, he said, park rangers are potentially on the chopping block.
“So, it could have been one of them, or someone in maintenance, or a specialist position of some kind,” he said.
Wade confirmed the firing in an email to The Concord Bridge on Monday morning. A Minute Man spokesperson deferred to the NPS’ regional communications team when asked on February 24 about possible firings or layoffs. The NPS did not directly address the local cut in its response and did not respond to a follow-up inquiry.
Concord250 concerns
Concord tourism manager Beth Williams said local officials are following developments at the NPS. Weeks away from the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution, she said, officials are “concerned for our colleagues at the national park.”
Before news of the Minute Man firing broke, dozens of Concord residents gathered in Monument Square on February 26 to protest the Trump administration, as well as recent cuts throughout the federal government led by Trump adviser Elon Musk.
Surrounded by fellow supporters, Julia Genster waved to honking cars and said she is worried about the national parks.
She said NPS cuts are “unconscionable.” If Minute Man is affected, she said, “it would be a tragic irony, particularly in this year of celebrations.”
In addition to Concord250 events on April 19, Lloyd Resnick said he plans to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park this spring. A Concord resident, he said he is worried about upkeep at national parks after recent firings.
“The people who are getting fired willy-nilly from their jobs are, I believe, by and large, hardworking, dedicated, competent people,” Resnick added.
Nationwide cuts
Roughly 1,000 NPS workers lost their jobs beginning in mid-February, according to multiple reports and statements from groups supporting the parks. Firings have targeted probationary employees, those who were recently hired or promoted into their current roles.
The NPS cuts came as the federal government reversed course on part of an earlier hiring freeze and allowed the parks to hire 5,000 seasonal employees ahead of the busy summer season.
In its statement to The Bridge, the NPS said it is hiring seasonal workers “to continue enhancing the visitor experience as we embrace new opportunities for optimization and innovation in workforce management.”
“We are focused on ensuring that every visitor has the chance to explore and connect with the incredible, iconic spaces of our national parks,” the NPS statement said.
Though the arrival of seasonal employees will be welcome news, advocates warned the firings will leave parks understaffed.
“Allowing parks to hire seasonal staff is essential, but staffing cuts of this magnitude will have devastating consequences for parks and communities,” Theresa Pierno, president and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association, said on February 14.
Staff in Sen. Ed Markey’s office, in a press release, said visitors to Massachusetts NPS sites spent $823 million in 2024.
Markey echoed Pierno in a statement, saying firings will have immediate impacts.
“Visitor centers will be closed during the height of the tourism season, restrooms will be left dirty, and tours will be left unfinished,” he said. “Not only is this bad for park visitors, it’s bad for everyone who wants to celebrate and learn about our nation’s past and future as we near our 250th anniversary.”
The Association of National Park Rangers signed a joint letter with the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks on Monday asking the NPS to reinstate its fired workers.
The letter, which Wade shared with The Bridge, cited a recent federal judge’s ruling that said the firings were illegal but stopped short of requiring agencies to rehire employees.
“Please do the right thing for the terminated employees and for the National Park Service,” the letter said.
