Rangers need your help to create some good trouble this summer! Whether you’re going to visit a park, or are parked at home, there’s things you can do to help us!

We made a “Good Trouble Toolkit” to make it easy to decide!

Keep checking back for updated suggestions . And if you have any friends or family going to parks this summer, share this link with them!

Who: The Trump Administration’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) are proposing to remove the current regulatory definition of “harm” from the Endangered Species Act (ESA). A current open comment period invites the public to provide feedback on this proposed rule.

When:ASAP! Public comments about the proposed change are due by May 19, 2025.

What: The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted in 1973 to prevent the loss or harm of endangered and threatened species and to preserve the places they live. For over half a century, the ESA has proven to be one of the most effective wildlife conservation laws and is credited with saving 99 percent of the species it protects!

Currently, federal agencies interpret “harm” under that law to include damage to a species’ habitat — but the Trump administration is targeting the part of the definition that “includes habitat modification,” saying it “runs contrary” to the best interpretation of the ESA.

By rescinding the definition of “harm,” developers and industries could destroy critical fish and wildlife habitats—without consequences—so long as they don’t directly kill individual animals. This guts the intent of the ESA and puts endangered species at even greater risk. 

Where to submit a comment:

• Online at Regulations.gov (Regulations.gov; Docket No. FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0034), or 

• Hard copy submitted by U.S. mail to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0034, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB/3W, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

How:

Sample script:

"I am writing to oppose the rescission of the definition of ‘harm’ under the Endangered Species Act. Habitat destruction is a major factor in species decline, and weakening this definition would allow industries to degrade ecosystems that many species depend on, effectively gutting the intent of the ESA. Protecting these habitats is essential for biodiversity, conservation, and outdoor recreation. I urge you to keep the current definition in place to ensure wildlife remains protected under the ESA."

Feel free to use this script as is, or customize to make it your own! State any expertise you might have in this area and keep your comment focused and concise. Comments do not have to be lengthy to be effective!

Why should I comment? They won’t listen anyway!

1. Agencies must consider all new information received during the comment period and address that new information before publishing the final rule; this includes revising the proposed rule.

2. Even if they don’t revise it, a good comment can be the basis for a court challenge! If the agencies do not adequately address the new information, the agency can then be sued and the rule placed on hold until the issues raised by the new information are resolved.

3. Advocacy groups and journalists often scour public comments to get ideas for their own comments and campaigns.

Extra Credit: SPREAD THE WORD!

#NoParksWithout National and Regional Programs

What:

Cuts are coming and we need YOU to be LOUD. Email or call Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum to advocate for our critical NPS colleagues that he has specifically targeted in public interviews.

When:

Today. Staff have already submitted paperwork in preparation for a coming mass layoff. We need the Department of the Interior to know that we are watching and we KNOW the harm these layoffs will cause to our parks and communities.

Why:

Staff losses have already been devastating. Since January 20, the NPS has lost 20–30% of its workforce—crippling many programs and parks as experienced staff and leaders depart. Yet DOI continues moving toward more staffing cuts that will likely focus on critical national and regional programs.

The NPS is an excellent investment. National parks contributed $55.6 billion to the national economy in 2023. In contrast, the total budget request by the agency this year amounts to just 0.067% of the federal budget. For every $1 spent by NPS, $15 is returned to local economies.

Once lost, experienced staff will be impossible to replace. Experts in safeguarding vast historical collections, in monitoring ecosystems over broad reaches of the country, or in renovating a historic lighthouse are not easy to find. Many NPS employees have given decades of their careers to building highly specialized expertise in exchange for an often-transient lifestyle and modest paychecks—because they care deeply about this agency and our mission.

Basic park functions depend on the staff who are targeted for cuts. Picked up a map at an entrance station? Enjoyed clean water in a lake or river? Volunteered with a group? Thank a regional or national program! Staff that work in DC or a regional office directly serve the public and our national parks, we need YOU to help say that loud and clear:

How:

Send the message below (personalize as much as you like!) to Secretary_of_the_Interior@ios.doi.gov and Interior_Press@ios.doi.govOR call at 202-208-3100 x3.  

• ✨EXTRA CREDIT: Share a post or story on social media and tag @ResistanceRangers! Use a photo of your favorite national or regional program, and tag #NoParksWithout.

• ✨✨DOUBLE EXTRA CREDIT: Contact your representatives—both Senate and House! For added oomph, check the economic impact of parks in your state (in case they have forgotten these stats). Most of all, don’t be afraid to contact Republican reps—THEY are exactly who need to hear this message the loudest!

**Real human people will read your email, answer the phone, or listen to your voicemail.Remaining calm is more effective for our shared goals!**

Hello,

I am [writing/calling] to urge you to halt plans for reductions in force at the National Park Service. During Fox News Sunday on April 20, Secretary Burgum stated the DOI is planning to cut staff at the NPS national and regional offices. Hollowing out the agency from the inside will have catastrophic effects on our parks and also on the communities that rely on them.

Select one or more of the following options, or check out the NPS at Risk spreadsheet and share your connection to one of the 80+ threatened programs.

Option 1: Our nation has legal and moral responsibilities to Tribal Nations that we cannot ignore. These are upheld by staff at regional and national programs who maintain required government-to-government relations with Tribes. Cutting staff who perform functions that have been mandated by Congress is illegal, and would do further harm to already disenfranchised Tribal communities. (Learn more in our post from 4/20!)

Option 2: State and local governments rely on the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Historic Preservation Fund to support local parks, trails, and recreation opportunities, as well as heritage projects—OUTSIDE of national parks! The NPS also shares technical expertise with local conservation and outdoor recreation projects. These programs must remain fully staffed and located within the NPS for the benefit of all our communities. (Learn more in our post from 4/27!)

Option 3: Youth, interns, and volunteers are the lifeblood of parks across the country, supporting search and rescues, science projects, trail maintenance, visitor services, and more. Last year, over 138,000 volunteers donated millions of hours of service to parks. National-level volunteer and youth programs must remain fully staffed to make this gift of time and talent possible— and open the door for the next generation of public lands professionals. Without them, work across the parks will falter. (Learn more in our post from 4/17!)

Our parks are already in crisis from the loss of thousands of employees so far this year, and damage to public lands is multiplying. I urge you to protect remaining NPS staff from future cuts. We owe that to future generations.

Thank you for your time,

[Name]

The “Fix Our Forests Act” (H.R. 471) is currently in the Senate Committee of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. This bill includes provisions to circumvent NEPA and undermine the Endangered Species Act. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was enacted in 1970 and requires federal agencies to consider the environmental effects of their proposed actions. It mandates environmental reviews for federal undertakings and encourages public participation in the decision-making process.

H.R. 471 won’t “fix” our forests—it will only make it easier to cut down trees without the proper review on environmental impacts.

Consider adding your name to this letter to the Senate Committee for Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, opposing H.R. 471.

Heading to a protest? Consider printing this letter and collecting signatures to send to the Senate Ag Committee!

Share your thoughts with the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and voice your support for the National Park Service. Making postcards is a fun group activity that your family and friends can enjoy together. Here are a few ideas to get your ideas flowing:

• Dear Secretary Burgum, stop undercutting the mission of the National Park Service by prioritizing development and commercial interests over the preservation of our nation’s natural and cultural treasures.

• Secretary, your approach to resource management is eroding the National Park Service’s ability to maintain the integrity of our parks. When you compromise the protection of natural landscapes, you also diminish the legacy that NPS is tasked with passing down to future generations.

• Cutting staff within the National Park Service jeopardizes the health and accessibility of our national parks. These actions conflict with the NPS mission to preserve and protect natural and cultural resources.

• Hey yo Doug! Why did you sign that order saying parks had to be staffed and open but you won’t let them hire anyone? What’s with the hiring freeze?

Send your postcards to:

Secretary Doug Burgum
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20240

Head to 5calls.org (or download the app) for an easy way to call your reps about issues you care about. Just add your location and the website will find your representatives and even provide a script you can use. In the Topics area under the Environment category you will see public land related issues, like “Defend our National Parks” and “Protect our National Forests from Unregulated Logging.” Choose a topic and start calling!

Psst…don’t want to speak to a real live human? Call after hours to leave a voice message.

Are you on social media? You can help us spread our message to new audiences! A simple story or post can help inform and inspire friends and family members who are unaware of the fight to save our public lands.

Use these hashtags: #ResistanceRangers, #ProtectOurParks, #RehirePublicServants

Check out our list of park sites with planned protests on our Events page, to find out about dates, times, and additional information about how to protest safely and effectively.