Kirk Sigler

This is a big deal because it follows cuts to the agency ordered by President Trump and his Doge team.

Since January, the park service lost a quarter of its entire staff, from scientists to janitors to rangers.

Meanwhile, the return of the remaining staff is seen as a relief following reports of vandalism of artifacts at Arches National Park in Utah, base jumpers off El Capitan at Yosemite, and damage to a stone wall at historic Gettysburg.

Kirk Sigler, NPR News.

Thousands of furloughed National Park Service employees are now returning to work after the 43-day shutdown.

Many entrance gates at parks remained open but unstaffed.

One estimate by watchdog groups predicts the service may have lost upwards of $40 million in entrance fee revenue.

This is a big deal because it follows cuts to the agency ordered by President Trump and his Doge team.

Since January, the park service lost a quarter of its entire staff, from scientists to janitors to rangers.

Meanwhile, the return of the remaining staff is seen as a relief following reports of vandalism of artifacts at Arches National Park in Utah, base jumpers off El Capitan at Yosemite, and damage to a stone wall at historic Gettysburg.

Kirk Sigler, NPR News.