Friends of Acadia continues to monitor the policy developments in Washington and the potential impacts on Acadia National Park. We have created this page to keep our members and community up to date on the status of key issues, including hiring freezes, staffing cuts, and funding holds. The details are changing quickly, and we will update this page as new information becomes available.

Earlier this month, leaders from Friends of Acadia and Schoodic Institute met with legislators in Washington, D.C., to communicate the importance of sufficient park funding and staffing, including the critical need to lift the hiring freeze on more than 150 seasonal positions within Acadia. Members of Maine’s delegation expressed their commitment to Acadia National Park, with several issuing public letters to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. We were relieved to see the seasonal hiring freeze lifted on February 21 and continue to brief the delegation on how cuts and funding freezes impact Acadia, its visitors, and the local community. Last year, Acadia received nearly 4 million visits, generating over $685 million to the Downeast economy.

Here’s where things stand (last update: February 27):

Seasonal employee hiring moving forward

• The freeze on seasonal hiring put in place in January was lifted on February 21, and hiring is proceeding for the summer season. Applicants who previously applied will not need to reapply. New applicants can apply here at usajobs.gov.
• Acadia National Park recruits between 150 – 175 seasonal employees each year. These roles are essential to summer park operations. They maintain trails and carriage roads, orient visitors, manage campgrounds, clean restrooms, provide safety and rescue services, and collect fees that are reinvested in Acadia’s infrastructure.
• We are grateful to Maine’s congressional delegation for weighing in with Secretary Burgum to get the seasonal hiring freeze lifted.
  • U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced on February 19 that, after talking with Friends of Acadia and the National Park Conservation Association, she spoke with Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and “an exception to the hiring freeze” for national parks had been secured. She said she was continuing to work with Secretary Burgum on remaining issues, including the elimination of probationary workers.
  • U.S. Senator Angus King signed a letter with 21 Senate colleagues on February 7 urging Secretary Burgum to “immediately reissue seasonal employment offers for the National Park Service.”
  • Representative Chellie Pingree wrote to Secretary Burgum on February 13 to urge him to “immediately resume all seasonal hiring.”
  • Congressman Jared Golden expressed interest in staying connected with Friends of Acadia on staffing issues in the national parks during the recent meetings in Washington.
• The disruption to the hiring process may impact the total number of seasonal positions Acadia is able to fill by the start of the summer season. This in turn may impact the availability of visitor services this summer. We will provide updates as information becomes available.
• Friends of Acadia continues to work with Acadia National Park to support recruitment efforts, including through our work on seasonal employee housing.

Eight full-time probationary employees fired

• On February 14, Acadia National Park lost eight employees due to directives to terminate those who had not yet completed their probationary period, usually one year in length. These employees performed important job functions, such as working on the trails and collecting entrance fees, revenue that is reinvested into park infrastructure and visitor services.
• The terminations were ordered without consideration of the positions’ funding sources. The wages of the fee collectors came from the entrance fees generated by the park, and the trail workers were primarily funded by Friends of Acadia’s endowment.
• Fee collection at Acadia typically generates $12M annually, 80% of which is retained by the park. (The remainder helps support other national parks.) This funding is used for trail and facility maintenance and for visitor services, such as the Island Explorer bus system. Reductions in fee collection staff may result in less revenue for crucial projects and services in 2026 and beyond.
• Based on a February 27 memo from the Office of Personnel Management, additional reductions in staff may be forthcoming, which could have impacts on the park and visitors.

Federal funding on hold

• Acadia’s funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is currently frozen. This may impact the restoration projects at the Great Meadow, Bass Harbor Marsh, and several mountain summits. Funds provided through these pieces of legislation were intended to support research to determine the best ways to replace invasive shrubs with native species, restore mountain soils and alpine vegetation, and preserve important native salt marsh vegetation.
• Friends of Acadia is monitoring how funding freezes and delays may impact other projects.

Call your representatives: Let your congressional leaders know how important Acadia and national parks are to you.

Stay up to date: We will keep this page updated as the situation evolves and invite you to join our e-newsletter for updates and information about volunteer opportunities.

Care for our parks: With fewer staff in place, it’s more important than ever to take care of our national parks and practice Leave No Trace principles.

Support local businesses: The uncertainty around the upcoming season puts extraordinary pressure on local businesses in gateway communities that rely on summer visitors. Support the places that keep our communities vibrant.

Consider a donation: Help Friends of Acadia support the park by becoming a member or donating. Your gift will fund programs at Acadia including trail maintenance, habitat restoration, youth education, and government affairs efforts to protect our cherished park.

Thank you, all, for your love and support of Acadia.