Last summer, my family embarked on a journey to Yosemite National Park. I had visited briefly as a child, and it had left a lasting impression on me. However, this time was different—words and photos couldn’t capture the sheer magnificence of towering mountains and ancient sequoias that you could almost drive a car through. Experiencing it firsthand was thrilling, especially as I shared it with my kids.
One of America’s greatest treasures is its breathtaking natural landscapes, from Maine to Oregon, California to North Carolina, and everywhere in between. That’s why “America the Beautiful” is a beloved anthem—it’s a testament to our stunning country.
Fortunately, much of this beauty is protected by the National Park Service (NPS), which is charged by the federal government and the public to care for over 417 areas and 84 million acres of national park land nationwide. The NPS not only preserves these lands but also makes sure everyone can enjoy them. Through initiatives like the Every Kid in a Park program, they provide free access to hundreds of parks for every fourth-grader and their family for an entire year. The NPS is also proactive in addressing climate change and protecting cultural resources. Just recently, they released a Climate Change Strategy that aims to prepare for and respond to climate impacts on our historical treasures.
The NPS takes its role as the guardian of our national parks very seriously, relying on science and factual data to guide their efforts. Unfortunately, the new administration appears to have a different view. On January 24, President Trump signed an executive order to revive the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, which threatens ecosystems and sacred sites, including those of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. Then came a gag order on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), freezing grants and restricting staff communications. To top it off, the NPS was instructed to cease social media activities after they tweeted about the low attendance at the inauguration.
In a surprising twist, the Badlands National Park Service, taking a stand for the environment, tweeted factual climate change data despite the new restrictions—only to see those tweets quickly deleted. It sounds like something out of a dystopian novel, but this is our reality.
While it’s common for new administrations to quickly take control of federal agencies’ public relations, the swift and heavy-handed nature of the Trump Administration’s actions is notably alarming. The administration’s penchant for “alternative facts” and denial of scientific evidence regarding climate change creates quite the crisis for those of us who value truth and our planet.
Desperate times call for bold actions, and thankfully, there are individuals stepping up to make a difference. After the Badlands tweets disappeared, the Golden Gate National Park Service shared accurate climate change information as well—go team! A political action committee has formed to empower scientists to run for office. A group of anonymous NPS employees started an unofficial Twitter account, @AltNatParkSer, to share crucial information, including the now-deleted tweets from Badlands. And even before the new administration took office, scientists organized a “guerrilla archiving” event to safeguard irreplaceable public data on climate change. Talk about badasses!
Let’s be clear: people can debate economic policies and political strategies, but the facts remain—science is real, and climate change impacts us all. It’s time for everyone to embrace their inner badass because Mother Nature doesn’t distinguish between Republican and Democrat.
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In summary, America’s natural beauty is at risk, and it’s up to us to protect it. As we face challenges from those in power, courageous individuals and organizations are stepping up to defend our environment. Let’s all channel our inner badasses and ensure that our planet remains vibrant and beautiful for generations to come.