With a possible US government shutdown looming, a group of former national park superintendents sent a letter to the US Secretary of the Interior Thursday, urging for the closure of all national parks and public lands if Congress cannot pass its funding resolution next week.

The group warned of potential treats to parks’ infrastructures and habitats in the event of understaffing, stating:

Past shutdowns in which gates remained open with limited staff have hurt our parks: Iconic symbols cut down and vandalized, trash piled up, habitats destroyed, and visitor safety jeopardized…A recent New York Times report found that at least 90 parks are already facing serious strain in an effort to comply with the directive in Secretarial Order 3426 that parks remain open and accessible to th

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