Joshua Tree National Park got damaged during the government shutdown

A day after President Trump declared an end to the government shutdown, more than 100 people gathered for a rally near Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California. The rally originally aimed to oppose the shutdown, but it quickly morphed into a critique of America’s attitude toward national parks.

Throughout the duration of the shutdown, which lasted a record-long 35 days, national parks greatly suffered: human waste piled up, lands were littered with trash, and some campgrounds and other public areas even closed to visitors, as the parks weren’t adequately staffed to stay open. It wasn’t until after Joshua Tree closed on January 2, though, that humans became excessively reckless, during which they off-roaded, graffittied rocks, started campfires in illegal areas, and cut down protected trees.

During prior shutdowns, administrations have suspended all operations at parks, including visitor access. The Trump administration deviated from this standard by leaving parks open to the public, with only certain federal employees around to provide emergency services.