FOA Statement on Reopening of Acadia National Park

Statement of David MacDonald, President, Friends of Acadia

“All of us at Friends of Acadia are deeply relieved that the partial government shutdown is over, but we are also mindful that it will be a while yet before Acadia is “back to normal.” We welcome our friends at the NPS back to their jobs today, and offer our full partnership and support in jointly tackling the important work ahead. FOA will also continue to advocate strongly with our elected officials to let them know that another shutdown must be avoided.

“The handful of park rangers who were not furloughed have done a tremendous job keeping an eye on Acadia, working long hours without pay and deserve our thanks for their commitment. FOA is also grateful to our supportive membership and communities who stepped up in so many ways to assist those federal employees impacted by the shutdown, and who also treated the park lightly and respectfully, knowing that our collective stewardship was needed while Acadia was largely un-staffed.”