A tree cut down at Joshua Tree National Park.
A nonprofit is launching a new fundraising campaign aimed at helping national parks recover after the current partial government shutdown ends.
The Hill reported that the National Park Foundation, a congressionally chartered organization that serves as the National Park Service’s (NPS) official charity, launched the Parks Restoration Fund on Thursday amid growing concerns about the damage the shutdown is inflicting on parks.
The effort came the same day that a photo of a tree cut down in Calif.’s Joshua Tree National Park caused national outrage and went viral on social media as a symbol of the harm to parks while the government is closed.
“People’s love for their national parks is palpable, and the Parks Restoration Fund gives everyone a place to channel their strong desire to support these national treasures,” Will Shafroth, the foundation’s president, said in a statement.
“Once the government reopens and rangers have determined what needs to be done, this fund will help repair damage where it’s needed most.”
The group said once the shutdown ends, it will work with the NPS to identify the places that need money the most and deploy resources there.
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