As President Donald Trump continues to make decisions regarding public lands, many of his recent executive orders are raising serious concerns about the future of national parks across the country. These orders could have devastating effects, both on the environment and local communities, including those here in Illinois.
While Trump argues that these changes are meant to boost economic growth and ensure energy independence, they could have disastrous consequences for the nation’s most treasured natural spaces, the people who maintain them, and the local economies that depend on them.
One of the most concerning actions is Trump’s recent push to reduce the size of national monuments and protected areas. His administration has already attempted to shrink national monuments including the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante monument in Utah, opening up these lands to oil and gas drilling, mining, and other commercial activities.
This decision signals a broader agenda to prioritize short-term economic gains over long-term conservation. The reduction of protected areas puts fragile ecosystems at risk and threatens species that depend on these lands for survival.
But these actions don’t just impact the environment; they also affect the people who work in our national parks. Under President Trump’s administration, the National Park Service and other agencies responsible for maintaining and protecting public lands have seen significant budget cuts, resulting in loss of staff.
Many park rangers, maintenance workers, and environmental specialists—the backbone of our national parks—are being temporarily sent home or even fired. They play a key role in keeping the parks clean, safe, and accessible to visitors, while also protecting the unique ecosystems within them. For visitors, this means longer entrance lines, shorter hours at visitor centers, closed trails, and dirty public facilities. By cutting staff, President Trump is not only weakening park services but also putting these outdoor wonders at risk. This decision makes it harder for national parks to stay healthy and function as crucial ecological sanctuaries.
The effects of President Trump’s executive orders are being felt locally at Niles North, where U.S. history classes taught by Ms. Sarah Stucky and a colleague were forced to cancel their yearly field trip to Pullman National Park.
“About a week before the trip, the head ranger emailed me saying, ‘We don’t have any staff anymore,’ Stucky said. “‘I was let go, along with a whole bunch of other rangers, so we don’t have the resources to accommodate field trips.'”
Ms. Stucky and her colleague had been eager to offer their students a personalized tour of Pullman National Park, a historic site in Chicago known for its significance to labor history. However, due to staff cuts from these executive orders, the park had to cancel the trip, limiting access for both school groups and the public. This is especially troubling as the Pullman neighborhood has seen revitalization with new businesses and a thriving community. The loss of this opportunity is a setback for both students and locals.
Though Illinois is not home to the dramatic landscapes of Utah or Colorado, the president’s actions still have significant implications here. We have the Shawnee National Forest, a protected area of over 280,000 acres in the southern part of the state.
National parks and forests, including this one, are essential to the local economy, as they draw tourists who spend money in nearby towns, supporting local businesses. Any effort to weaken protections on national lands or cut jobs related to park maintenance could hurt these areas, jeopardizing tourism revenue that contributes to Illinois’ economy.
In addition to his direct actions on national parks, Trump’s administration is also rolling back other key environmental protections. One of the most worrying examples is his decision to weaken the Clean Water Rule, which ensures that streams and wetlands are protected from pollution.
While this might seem like an issue far from Illinois, its ripple effects are significant. For example, water quality in areas like the Lake Michigan shoreline—critical for local ecosystems and public health—could suffer as a result. Weakening the Clean Water Rule, along with undermining the Endangered Species Act and other environmental protections, Trump is weakening the foundation of conservation efforts at the national level, which impacts us all.
President Trump’s focus on drilling, mining, and defunding environmental agencies creates a dangerous precedent for future policy. While energy independence and economic growth is important, they should not come at the expense of our public lands or the people who maintain them.
Our national parks and protected areas are not just resources for today—but for tomorrow. They help us fight climate change, protect biodiversity, and provide opportunities for outdoor recreation that are crucial for our mental and physical health.
For Illinois, this means our national parks and public lands could face similar threats. While our state may not have vast wilderness like other regions, places like Shawnee National Forest and Starved Rock State Park are invaluable to our community. If President Trump’s policies go unchecked, local economies reliant on tourism and conservation could suffer, and we risk losing access to the beauty and resources that make our state unique.
Ultimately, the decisions made about national parks and public lands will impact us all—whether we’re from Illinois or elsewhere. As members of our individual communities and future leaders, we all need to stay engaged to ensure the protection of these lands remains a priority. The choices we make today will shape the world we leave for tomorrow. We need to advocate for policies that preserve these natural treasures for future generations.
