Our Parks After the Government Shutdown w/ Alan Spears from National Parks Conservation Association (Episode 48)

Send us Fan Mail43 days. The longest government shutdown in US history. And now that it's over — a 24% reduction in NPS permanent staff, no FY26 budget, climate change signs removed from Acadia, the Ambler Road moving forward, and a secretarial order directing parks to sanitize their history.Alan Spears, Senior Director of Cultural Resources and registered lobbyist at the National Parks Conservation Association, joins The Parks Podcast for the full picture on what happened during the shutdown, what's still happening, and what we do next.In this episode: — The shutdown by the numbers: 43 days, 24% staff reduction, $2M+ in lost fees, record backcountry SAR calls — Why "parks look fine" is still a Potemkin Village — and what's actually happening backstage — Secretarial Order SO3431 — what it says, what it's done, and what it's tried to do — The QR code scheme — and why comments came back 10-to-1 in favor of complete, unfiltered history — What was removed (Acadia climate change signs, Jamaica Bay indigenous treaty signs) and what was fought off (Independence Hall enslaved people exhibit, Fort Pulaski "Whipped Peter" photograph) — The Senate Stewardship Caucus — Senator Sheehy (R-MT) and Senator Heinrich (D-NM) — The FY26 budget: House proposal (-$176M), Senate bill (flat funding), another shutdown possible January 2026 — What to do: thank a ranger, visit npca.org, contact your rep, ask about parks at town halls, look for 250th programming that tells real historyLinks mentioned: — NPCA: npca.org — Alan Spears blog: npca.org/author/alan-spears — 250th anniversary: america250.orgSupport the show