The government shutdown lasted 35 days, but one former park official says each of those days was worth almost a decade.
According to Curt Sauer, it’s going to take up to 300 years for Joshua Tree National Park to recover.
That’s because while park rangers were furloughed, people continued to use the park.
Some of them camped illegally, set improper fires, and traveled in areas not intended for vehicular traffic.
Even worse — vandals purposely cut down trees and damaged rocks.
Sauer says next time the desert park can not be staffed properly, it should be closed to the public.
He served as Joshua Tree’s superintendent until 2010.
- FRIENDS FEAR MISSING DALY CITY WOMAN IS IN ‘GRAVE DANGER’
- SAN FRANCISCO DOCTOR KILLED BY BOYFRIEND IN MURDER-SUICIDE
- WOMAN UNKNOWINGLY OK’D LIFE SUPPORT TERMINATION FOR STRANGER
- IN RARE FOOD POISONING CASE, STUDENT DIES AFTER EATING LEFTOVERS
- PD: MAN SENT $200K TO BULGARIAN ‘CAM GIRL’ BEFORE KILLING FAMILY