Federal budget cuts may mean fewer rangers, less service at Boston's Harbor Islands

Visitors to Boston's Harbor Islands can expect to see fewer park rangers and reduced welcome center hours this summer, according to Boston Harbor nonprofit leaders.

The expected reduction in service comes as the Trump administration slashes funding to the National Park Service. President Trump's proposed budget would reduce the agency's budget by more than $1.2 billion.

The Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park’s seasonal workforce has already been reduced, said Kathy Abbott, president and CEO of the park’s nonprofit partner Boston Harbor Now.

Cuts could affect the operations at the park’s welcome center located on the Rose Kennedy Greenway. Steps away from Faneuil Hall in downtown Boston, the kiosk is often the first point of contact for tourists looking for help with ferry service and park programs.

“ We're going to have fewer people to work with the visitors," Abbott said. "It'll have a negative impact on services I think, in terms of people being able to find somebody to help them.”

About half a million people visit the Harbor Islands every year, according to the nonprofit.

Ferry service began this week and will run Thursday through Sunday from downtown Boston. Service will expand to seven days a week with an additional route from Hingham in June.

Staff cuts will mean fewer volunteer groups to conduct beach cleanups and manage invasive species, Abbott said. She is also concerned that the reductions could curtail scientific research efforts.

Researchers with the nonprofit study the wildlife around the islands, the effects of sea-level rise and coastal erosion. The park was listed as one of the 11 most endangered historic sites in the country in 2021 due to the effects of climate change.

“(The islands) perform a really critical function in terms of protecting much of the city and the South Shore from storm impacts,” Abbott said.

The National Park Service also manages historic Massachusetts sites like the Minute Man National Historical Park in Lincoln, where staffing cuts are also underway.

Kristin Sykes, the northeast regional director for the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association, said several of the positions “on the chopping block” are historical or cultural positions.

The loss of staff comes at a critical time, as the country celebrates the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Sykes said the park's staff led “so many great events” in the last month.

“ We really will be potentially missing out on future information about history or stories that haven't been told by not having these historical, cultural positions filled,” she said.

The National Parks of Boston did not respond to requests for comment or confirmation of reduced staff.

Across the country, the National Park Service has lost at least 2,500 staff to layoffs, buyouts and early retirement packages since January, according to the National Parks Conservation Association. That's around 13% of the agency’s workforce.

And more cuts to the agency could be on the way.

Sykes said park rangers are essential to the mission of national parks, especially around Boston.

“ There's nothing better than a ranger that can really bring to life what it's like to be out at the (Harbor Islands) at night, for instance, or what’s so interesting about the history of the islands,” she said.

Clarification: This post has been updated to reflect concerns that staff reductions at the National Park Service may curtail research. It is not yet clear what effect the reductions will have on the agency's research efforts.