At least 20 percent of parks are now said to have been left significantly understaffed, while about 1,500 projects at more than 200 sites were placed on a “low priority” list as administration-backed work in the capital took precedence.
The changes have alarmed former park officials and conservation campaigners, who fear deferred work and staffing reductions could leave damage that takes years to reverse.
A former senior National Park Service source exclusively told Radar: “What is happening goes far beyond trimming budgets or changing priorities. People who have spent their careers protecting these places believe the administration is laying waste to a system that took generations to build.
“You cannot strip out experienced staff, divert money intended for parks and repeatedly postpone essential maintenance without consequences. The fear is that visitors will increasingly see those consequences on the ground – whether that means facilities deteriorating, projects being abandoned or fewer people available to protect these extraordinary landscapes.”
The source added: “There is particular anger about money being concentrated on high-profile projects in Washington while parks across America are dealing with a huge maintenance backlog. To people working in the system, seeing fountains and statues prioritized while essential work elsewhere is delayed sends a very clear message about where the administration’s priorities lie.”
A conservation source said: “America’s national parks are not ornamental assets that can simply be neglected for a few years and then repaired when somebody decides to turn the funding back on. Once experienced employees leave, conservation work stops or infrastructure deteriorates, rebuilding that capacity can take years.
“That is why there is such alarm about the cumulative effect of these decisions. Any individual cut can be presented as an administrative choice, but put them together – fewer staff, less money for projects outside Washington and canceled conservation work – and critics see a sustained hollowing-out of the park system.
“There is a profound sense of frustration and a sense Trump is laying waste to America’s wild spaces because these are places Americans of every political persuasion regard as belonging to them. Rangers and other staff do not see themselves as participating in some ideological battle – they believe their job is simply to protect the land, preserve its history and keep it functioning for the public.
“The concern now is about what will be left behind. Budgets can eventually be restored, but you cannot necessarily replace decades of expertise overnight. Nor can every environmental or maintenance problem simply be put on hold without the eventual bill becoming much bigger.
“Nobody disputes that Washington’s monuments and public spaces need investment. The argument is about balance. When money generated through the wider park system is being poured into prestige projects in the capital while important work elsewhere is struggling for funding, people inevitably ask whether America’s wild spaces are paying the price.
“For people who care about these landscapes, the most worrying aspect is that there isn’t one isolated controversy. It is the accumulation of decisions – staffing reductions, delayed maintenance, blocked partnerships, and changes to how America’s history is presented.
“Taken together, critics believe that amounts to fundamentally reshaping the National Park Service. Their fear is that by the time the full impact becomes obvious to ordinary visitors, some of the damage will already be extremely difficult and expensive to undo.”
Dan Wenk, a former Yellowstone National Park superintendent who spent nearly 43 years with the Park Service, said: “Any one of these changes could be catastrophic in its own right, especially as it relates to staffing and funding.”
He added to the New York Times: “When the next administration comes, Republican or Democrat, funding may be restored, but it’s going to be incredibly difficult to rebuild.”
At least $67million generated through park entrance fees has been used to help finance projects in Washington, including work on ornamental fountains and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Meanwhile, the National Park Service acknowledges aging infrastructure and rising visitor numbers have created a substantial deferred-maintenance burden.
The administration also awarded a no-bid contract to cover four statues near the National Mall in 23.75-karat gold leaf ahead of America’s 250th anniversary.
Projects facing uncertainty elsewhere include infrastructure work at sites stretching across the country.
Separate partnership agreements worth at least $25million have also been blocked, including proposed work involving wildfire preparedness and conservation.
The administration is additionally considering a land exchange involving a small section of Yosemite National Park and a private developer.
The Interior Department has stressed no final decision has been made and said normal procedures would be followed if the proposal progresses.
Trump’s administration has also ordered changes to historical material displayed at park sites, targeting exhibits it says “inappropriately disparage Americans.”
Fran Mainella, who led the Park Service under George W. Bush, criticized efforts to alter displays dealing with difficult episodes in American history.
She hit out: “Our parks tell the history of this country. You may not like the history, but it is the history, and so you should tell the story that did take place, not come in and edit.”
White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers has insisted Trump “has put an end to the radical left and the media’s divisive and inaccurate characterization of our nation’s history, which infiltrated our national parks and museums.”
Republican Senator Steve Daines has also defended Trump, calling him “an incredible supporter of the parks” and dismissing criticism surrounding staffing and funding as “fear-mongering.”
Daines said: “You know, there’s always room for improvement, but I think some of this is just, it’s the political season.”
The Interior Department has meanwhile said the Park Service remains committed to protecting America’s natural and cultural resources, preserving its history and welcoming visitors, while arguing some projects initially designated low priority had been incorrectly prioritized and subsequently corrected.