On a bright Saturday morning in late August 2025, the heart of Yosemite National Park pulsed not just with tourists and the hum of nature, but with the determined voices of protest. Around 200 members of the park’s tight-knit community—off-duty rangers, seasoned climbers, and concerned locals—gathered to rally against what they saw as a grave injustice: the firing of SJ Joslin, Yosemite’s well-known bat biologist and a beloved figure among staff and visitors alike.
SJ Joslin’s dismissal earlier in August sent shockwaves through Yosemite. According to reporting by Substack, Joslin was let go after a pride celebration in May, during which they scaled the legendary El Capitan and unfurled a large trans pride flag. For decades, displaying banners on El Capitan had been a celebrated tradition among climbers, with the park’s rules permitting such activity—until, that is, the day after Joslin’s event. In a controversial move, park management amended the regulations regarding flag displays and then backdated the change to the day of Joslin’s celebration. The Yosemite community, quick to spot the timing, called the action “retaliation.”
“This isn’t only about SJ,” one ranger told Substack. “It’s about whether every ranger feels safe speaking the truth about the challenges our parks face. If employees are intimidated into silence, the real losses won’t just be one fired federal employee. They’ll be the lands and histories that belong to all of us. We cannot and will not stand by while our friends and colleagues are targeted for speaking out.”
Demonstrators, many holding handmade signs, made sure their message was visible—not only to those physically present but also to the wider world, using public web cameras strategically placed around the park. Their demands were clear: reinstate SJ Joslin immediately and provide stronger First Amendment protections for federal employees, especially those tasked with safeguarding America’s most treasured landscapes.
Jesse Chakrin, a former supervisory ranger in Yosemite, captured the mood of the crowd. “The whole Yosemite community is feeling this,” Chakrin said. “We live, work, recreate, break bread, grieve and celebrate together. We watch each other’s kids grow up. We are a chosen family, and we’re standing with SJ because they are part of that family.”
For many in the park, Joslin’s firing was not an isolated episode but rather a symptom of a deeper malaise. The National Park Service, they argue, has been under mounting pressure from the Trump administration’s policies, which have included workforce reductions and a push to privatize or roll back protections for public lands. “Rangers aren’t just employees, they’re guardians of America’s most treasured places,” Joslin stated, as reported by Substack. “As the Trump administration is attempting to privatize and gut protections to public lands, rangers need to feel empowered to speak out about threats. This firing is the administration trying to make public servants afraid to raise their voices.”
Indeed, the challenges facing Yosemite this summer go well beyond the fate of one ranger. According to The Daily Climate, the park is operating with at least 40 fewer staff than last year, a direct result of hiring freezes and buyouts driven by federal policies. The timing couldn’t be worse: visitor numbers are soaring, with record crowds flocking to Yosemite’s iconic cliffs and valleys. The result? Rangers and staff are stretched perilously thin, working overtime to keep up with the deluge of tourists, an uptick in search-and-rescue missions, and mounting maintenance needs.
“It just feels like we’re being taken advantage of. We are buffering the public because we care. But how long is that going to last?” said one permanent Yosemite National Park employee, speaking to The Daily Climate. The exhaustion is palpable, and so is the frustration. Essential roles in law enforcement and maintenance have been left understaffed, putting both park resources and human safety at risk. With fewer people to manage fire risk, monitor wildlife, and maintain trails, the long-term consequences could be dire: degraded ecosystems, delayed emergency responses, and greater hazards for everyone who steps into the park, whether for work or wonder.
But the story doesn’t end with protest and burnout. In a remarkable show of solidarity, employees at both Yosemite and nearby Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks voted overwhelmingly to unionize on Monday, August 25, 2025. The Federal Labor Relations Authority certified the results: more than 97 percent of votes favored collective bargaining. Union members are now preparing to negotiate for better pay, safer working conditions, and a say in management decisions—issues that have taken on new urgency amid shrinking staff and growing workloads.
The unionization drive did not emerge in a vacuum. According to Substack, rangers and other staff have faced not only operational strain but also pressure from leadership to avoid politically sensitive language tied to diversity or climate-related topics. The message, some say, is clear: keep your head down, don’t rock the boat, and don’t draw attention to the deeper problems facing the parks. Yet, for many, this is precisely the wrong approach. America’s national parks are more than tourist destinations—they are living laboratories of biodiversity, stewards of cultural heritage, and bellwethers for environmental change. Transparency and open discussion, staff argue, are not threats but necessities.
The Yosemite community’s demands extend beyond Joslin’s case. They are calling for explicit protections for rangers’ rights to speak out, not just about their own employment but about the broader threats to public lands. As one protestor put it, “If employees are intimidated into silence, the real losses won’t just be one fired federal employee. They’ll be the lands and histories that belong to all of us.”
The ripple effects of Yosemite’s unionization are already being felt. Staff at more than 100 other national parks are reportedly considering similar moves, hoping that collective action might offer a bulwark against the twin threats of political interference and chronic underfunding. The stakes are high. As The Daily Climate points out, shrinking park staff paired with rising visitor numbers means less oversight of wildlife, trail erosion, and water systems. When rangers are overworked and discouraged from speaking candidly, both the land and its stewards pay the price.
Meanwhile, the Yosemite community remains resolute. Their protest is about more than one person or one policy—it’s about the future of America’s national parks and the people who care for them. Whether their calls for change will be heeded remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the fight for Yosemite’s soul is far from over.