Visitors are leaving behind trash and unsupervised toilets that need cleaning.
E.A. Crunden

Jan 14, 2019

Local groups and concerned organizations are stepping up to help maintain national parks amid the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, one that has seen some of the country’s most beloved natural treasures imperiled by vandalism and neglect.

As a shutdown over funding for President Donald Trump’s sought-after wall on the southwestern border drags into its fourth week, religious groups, non-profits, and bands of concerned private citizens are among those seeking to offset the damage reported at national parks and monuments around the country. Together, they are pitching in to alleviate amid reports of mounting trash and unmonitored restrooms, among other problems.

Hundreds of people across the country have stepped up so far. ThinkProgress identified at least five efforts led by organizations including Friends of Joshua Tree, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, and several local Libertarian Facebook pages that have organized their own outings to help the parks. These efforts alone have seen hundreds of volunteers helping out in public areas over the past three weeks. But there are likely dozens of other instances as well, with non-profits and local political groups among those who have pitched in.

Garnering the most headlines recently is Joshua Tree National Park. During the shutdown, visitors have damaged the park’s beloved Joshua trees. The trees, which have a lifespan of around 150 years, are pollinated by one single type of moth, and are slow to reproduce. Any damage to a tree can be devastating, leaving experts deeply concerned about the vandalism in the park during the shutdown.

more:

https://thinkprogress.org/shutdown-volunteers-national-parks-trump-d827f7f15a30/