Our national parks belong to all of us — not to mining companies, oil drillers, or private developers. But right now, that protection is under threat.

The Trump administration’s latest budget proposal would hand over control of smaller, lesser-known national parks and monuments to state governments. These are beautiful, natural places that tell the stories of our shared history — from the ancient formations of Canaveral National Seashore to the powerful legacy of Black settlers at Nicodemus National Historic Site.

This is a political maneuver to open public lands to corporate interests — making it easier for companies to mine, log, and drill in some of the most ecologically and historically precious places in America. Rangers are already sounding the alarm: if states can’t afford to maintain these lands, they’ll be shut down, sold off, or stripped for profit.

We can’t let that happen.

National parks were created to be preserved, not plundered. Once they’re gone, we can’t get them back. We’re calling on Congress to reject this dangerous proposal, restore full federal funding for the National Park Service, and ensure that our parks remain public, protected, and for everyone — forever.

Add your name to protect these precious cultural and environmental resources.

Photo: AFP/Getty via The Independent