Why I Fight for Our Parks and the People Who Protect Them

From 2015 to 2021, I worked for Tennessee State Parks, much of that time on the Cumberland Trail. I’ve seen the sweat, care, and pride that go into protecting our land. The people who maintain these trails and parks don’t do it for headlines. They do it because they love Tennessee and the people who call it home.

That’s why it’s hard to watch what’s happening to our public lands now.

The National Park Service, created in 1916, is facing deep cuts under the Trump Administration. Since the start of Trump’s second term, the Park Service has lost about 24 percent of its permanent staff. His 2026 budget proposal includes another one-third cut. That could mean hundreds of parks closed, thousands of jobs lost, and the end of one of America’s greatest public treasures.

This isn’t just a Washington problem.

It hits Tennessee directly.

In 2023, the National Park Service reported that 10.5 million visitors came to Tennessee’s 13 national parks. Those visitors spent $1.4 billion, supported 20,000 jobs, and created a $2.2 billion benefit to our state’s economy. That money feeds small businesses, families, and entire towns that depend on park tourism.

Now, with the federal shutdown, nearly two-thirds of NPS employees are furloughed, and those still working are doing so without pay. Trails go unmonitored. Visitors are walking into unsafe conditions. Parks are losing over a million dollars a day in revenue, and nearby communities could lose nearly $100 million in visitor spending.

This is negligence.

I’ve seen what happens when we take care of our public lands. I’ve also seen what happens when we don’t. When we lose the people who maintain these parks, we lose a part of who we are.

It’s time for the people in power to act. Republicans control both houses of Congress. They can and should demand full funding for our parks and restore the support they already promised. If they won’t do that, they should step aside for leaders who will.

Our parks are more than land. They’re a living reminder of what we can protect when we work together. They deserve better. So do the people who protect them.

Better Choices. Brighter Future.

— Mike Croley

Candidate for Congress, Tennessee’s 6th District