VENTURA, Calif. — For years, Kenan Chan worked as a seasonal worker before landing his dream job as a biological science technician and lead fisheries diver with the Channel Islands National Park. He worked on long-term monitoring programs that kept tabs on the health and changes to the kelp forest, squid, lobster and more in the area.
But in mid-February, Chan and about 1,000 other National Park Service employees found themselves without a job when President Donald Trump's administration approved department budget cuts.
Now, Russell Galipeau, with the Coalition to Protect America's National Parks said the cuts will lead to unmanaged areas, poaching and limited visiting hours. During a Wednesday rally in Ventura, Galipeau called on the administration to reinstate the impacted workers.