Carrying signs in support of National Park workers — or in opposition to President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and DOGE — and cheering at the myriad drivers honking in support, more than 225 protesters gathered near the entrance to Arches National Park on Saturday to oppose widespread layoffs within the National Park Service, part of a nationwide demonstration against federal cuts to public lands staff.
The protest was one of approximately 112 held at national parks and public lands across the country. In Instagram posts, the Resistance Rangers, a coalition of over 650 off-duty park rangers advocating for public lands, said the demonstrations were organized in solidarity with the 50:50:1 movement, which calls for public action to protect 50% of land and water over 50 years, within one generation.
Protesters at Arches began the demonstration at Lion’s Park, where they made signs before traveling to the park entrance. They stood near the entrance sign without obstructing it, holding banners and messages expressing support for NPS workers, frustration with federal cuts and concerns over the future of public lands.
“The parks are our gems,” said Moab resident Mike Coronella. “Our public lands drive the economy here in Moab, and it is insane that they are literally killing the goose that’s laying our golden eggs, so we’re here to be a voice of support.”
Federal layoffs
The layoffs, initiated by the Trump administration on Feb. 14 as part of broad federal budget cuts, resulted in the termination of thousands of employees across multiple agencies. The Department of the Interior dismissed approximately 2,300 employees, including about 1,000 from the National Park Service, primarily probationary employees — those with less than two years of service — affecting maintenance workers, educators, scientists and caretakers.
In all, more than 5,000 public lands employees in the U.S. have been fired. The mass firings stem from efforts by Elon Musk and the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been tasked with streamlining federal operations and reducing government spending.
(Doug McMurdo | The Times-Independent) More than 225 people took part in a protest against massive firings of federal employees on March 1, 2025, at the entrance to Arches National Park.
In Utah, at least 17 NPS employees have been affected, including 12 at Zion National Park and several more at Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef, according to The National Parks Conservation Association. The number of terminations at Arches and Canyonlands remains unconfirmed, though rough estimates are about seven employees. The Southeast Utah Group’s public information officer referred The Times-Independent’s inquiries to the Department of the Interior, which has not responded to requests for confirmation.
Concerns over NPS employees and future of public lands
Heather Daigle, a Moab resident who helped spread the word about the protest, said the event was about more than just showing solidarity with laid-off NPS employees — it was a statement that Moab cares about its public lands and the people who steward them.
“It might be a small town, but we’re on the map,” Daigle said. “We’re passionate people, and we care about our resources, and we care about our community and we have a voice in this too.”
Many at the protest emphasized concerns over the broader impact of the layoffs, particularly on park maintenance, safety and visitor experience.
“They plan projects years in advance and just firing them — not only do they lose their jobs, but the parks lose those projects in the middle of them,” said Mary Moran, who worked for the NPS’ Southeast Utah Group for 20 years before retiring. “There’s already a lot invested in them, so it’s very inefficient.”
Others feared that fewer staff members could lead to degrading park infrastructure.
“If the bathrooms aren’t clean, if the trash isn’t picked up, people see that and think, ‘Oh, nobody cares,’” said Moab resident Margaret Moreau. “And then they start to not take care of it either.”
More layoffs and potential office closures loom
The Trump administration has directed federal agencies to prepare for additional workforce reductions, with plans due by March 13 and cuts expected by Sept. 30.
“The main concern lies with the fact that this is just the beginning,” said Ash Howe, who grew up in Moab and whose grandfather works for the U.S. Forest Service. “There’s way more to come after this.”
The Department of the Interior has not released specific figures for layoffs at individual park units. However, a federal judge in San Francisco temporarily blocked further terminations, citing legal concerns.
(Doug McMurdo | The Times-Independent) (Doug McMurdo | The Times-Independent) Protesters carried signs opposing President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and DOGE on March 1, 2025, at the entrance to Arches National Park.
Axios reported that Judge William Alsup issued a temporary restraining order, stating that the Office of Personnel Management lacked the authority to mandate such widespread dismissals. The ruling came in response to lawsuits from labor unions and environmental groups arguing that the cuts violate federal employment protections.
There are troubling signs that both the NPS and U.S. Geological Service (USGS) offices in Moab could be shut down. On Friday, U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California, a ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, released a statement regarding the General Services Administration’s plan to close over 2 million square feet of office space used by the Department of the Interior.
That includes the building housing NPS, Forest Service and USGS offices at 2290 Resource Boulevard, set to close on April 1, 2026, and the USGS building at 123 200 South, set to close Sept. 30, 2025. Other closures in Utah include NPS buildings in Monticello and Salt Lake City and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office in West Valley City.
“The federal government exists to serve the people — not abandon them,” Huffman said. “[President Donald] Trump and [Elon] Musk are taking a wrecking ball to our country — slashing staff, cutting vital funding, and creating widespread chaos and economic devastation.”
Huffman also warned that these closures “go hand in glove with DOGE’s ‘destroy the government’ approach,” making it even harder to reverse the staffing cuts.
It is unclear whether employees at these locations will be reassigned elsewhere or if their jobs will also be eliminated.
Economic impact on Moab
Protesters also pointed to the economic impact of the federal layoffs in Moab.
“People who are getting fired have mortgages, and they’re going to leave town,” said Connie Wilson, who has lived in Moab for 28 years. “This is part of our economy, and so everybody suffers.”
Mary Beth Fitzburgh echoed these concerns, saying she attended the protest to stand up for her “friends and neighbors” impacted by the firings — or afraid they’ll be next.
“These are real people — they have families and mortgages, and their lives are being destroyed,” Fitzburgh said. “… I just want to support them in whatever way I can.”
Beyond feeling for “beloved community members” struggling to stay in Moab, Daigle said the layoffs would have ripple effects.
“Once the public lands are compromised, it’s not just the workers who are impacted — it’s the whole tourism industry of Moab,” she said.
Beyond NPS: More federal layoffs
The NPS layoffs are part of larger cuts to federal public lands agencies. Several Forest Service employees in the Moab area have also lost their jobs, though the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has not provided specific numbers or job details for southeast Utah.
A spokesperson for USDA told The Times-Independent in a statement that U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins defended the cuts, saying they align with President Trump’s directive to “improve government, eliminate inefficiencies and strengthen USDA’s many services to the American people.” The statement emphasized the department’s responsibility to ensure taxpayer dollars “serve the people, not the bureaucracy.”
The spokesperson also confirmed approximately 2,000 probationary, non-firefighting Forest Service employees have been released nationwide. The statement clarified that none of the terminated employees were operational firefighters and argued that many had been hired using temporary Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding without a long-term financial plan in place.
The USDA did not answer the newspaper’s primary question: How many USFS employees in southeastern Utah have been fired?
As protests continue nationwide and legal challenges mount, demonstrators in Moab made it clear that their fight is not over.
“I think as a human species, we’re very affected by what’s happening socially,” Fitzburgh said. “I want to say, ‘Where is your humanity? This is important. Notice this.’ I’m not going to just go about my life as if nothing’s happening.”
This story was first published by The Times-Independent.
