Cutting National Park Service funds will harm the nation’s youth

The future of the National Park Service has been under the microscope since the Trump administration suggested a $1 billion cut to the NPS budget in May. Though Congress rejected the cut, the House and Senate continue to spar over funding the 109-year-old institution, whose parks welcome 318 million annual visitors.

With 24% of NPS staff laid off this year, Americans already lament a loss of access to expertise and programming that connect us to the land and solidify our understanding of our past. As a mother, I fear further cuts will affect our nation’s youth.