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A shutdown now could be even worse as parks are already under strain from a 24% reduction in staff and severe budget cuts, the former park officials said in a letter Thursday. A directing parks to remain open has led parks to neglect trash collection and other routine maintenance work, the ex-officials said. The April directive said the Park Service director should ensure that all park units remain open and accessible to the public during their specified hours of operation posted on the park websites.

"Leaving parks even partially open to the public during a shutdown with minimal — or no — park staffing is reckless and puts both visitors and park resources at risk,'' the former officials wrote.

“ºÃÉ«tv parks don’t run themselves. It is hardworking ºÃÉ«tv Park Service employees that keep them safe, clean and accessible,'' they said.

"As stewards of these American treasures, we urge you to prioritize both conservation and visitor safety and protect our national parks during a potential shutdown, and into the future. If sufficient staff aren’t there, visitors shouldn’t be either,'' the former superintendents said.

Park staff manage everything from routine maintenance of buildings and trails to educational programs that teach visitors how to safely engage with nature and guided tours that share the nation's collective history, they said. Long-term projects and research are also in jeopardy during a shutdown, they said.

The letter was organized by the Coalition to Protect America's ºÃÉ«tv Parks and the Association of ºÃÉ«tv Park Rangers. The Interior Department and the ºÃÉ«tv Park Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment.