About the Resistance Rangers

Who are we?

We are a community of off-duty, illegally fired, and former/retired National Park Service (NPS) employees - stewards of public lands dedicated to the preservation and protection of all sites managed by the NPS.

Who are rangers? We are accountants, archaeologists, biologists, botanists, budget technicians, curators, custodians, ecologists, emergency medical technicians, engineers, educators, electricians, facility managers, fee collectors, firefighters, foresters, gardeners, helicopter pilots, historic architects, interpreters, law enforcement officers, lifeguards, locksmiths, maintenance mechanics, nurses, planners, plumbers, scientists, search & rescue technicians, sewage treatment plant operators, sign makers, snowplow operators, social media managers, technical rescue team leaders, trail crews, volunteer coordinators, water treatment plant operators, and everyone in between.

The Resistance Rangers use our collective and uncensored voices to strive for a better National Park Service by supporting NPS workers and protecting public lands, sites, and stories.

Our Mission Statement:

America’s public lands, natural resources, and cultural heritage are protected, celebrated, and accessible to all, in perpetuity - stewarded by a thriving National Park Service and supported by an engaged public.

Our Vision:

The future we’re working toward

Our Guiding Principles

  • Even as we defend the agency from immediate threats, we refuse to accept the status quo. We advocate for the changes needed to make NPS truly serve its mission and people.

  • As stewards of the nation's history, we know change isn’t fast, and resistance takes time. We draw upon these lessons with courage and humility, and embrace our role in shaping a narrative of the future.

  • We seek to support diverse voices through listening and providing a platform for everyone to speak.

  • We lift up research, seek facts, and tell stories reflecting the complexity of ecosystems and cultural histories. We demand our federal institutions prioritize and value science-backed decisions.

  • Public lands can mobilize a broad-based group of Americans to fight for a more just future. We know that public lands depend on a strong, healthy democracy, so we support civic engagement and a well funded provision of public goods. We use our platform to remind the general public what good government can make possible.

  • As civil servants we understand how systems of power can be used as a powerful protection mechanism and have seen firsthand what happens when those failsafes crumble. The agency is shaped powerfully by political forces; we directly resist those forces when they undermine the mission of the NPS.

  • We prioritize operational security as an act of solidarity, protecting everyone from harm. This stretches from being mindful about doxxing, our language, and sharing identities. We strive to treat fellow Rangers with respect, regardless of personal or professional differences. Disagreement is acceptable; hostility, insults, or ad hominem attacks are not.