Kenan Chan, a marine scientist who was fired from his job at Channel Islands National Park along with five of his colleagues, is back on payroll.
Earlier this month, Chan protested with a crowd of more than 300 people against the group’s termination and other cuts to the National Park Service, which was hobbled by the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) wholesale flaying of government agencies. The six employees were among more than 1,000 National Park Service workers who hadn’t completed their probationary period and were axed February 14, leading to discontent and protests around the country.
Apparently, the firing of Chan and his colleagues was illegal. The National Parks Conservation Association announced in a news release that as a result of recent court orders the agency “is authorized to fully reinstate 1,000 previously terminated probationary employees at national parks across the country,” including rangers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other critical personnel.
Chan can now return to his job surveying the Channel Islands kelp forests and tide pools, as part of the park’s mission to monitor and preserve these natural resources. Since he has been reinstated, he declined to comment to the Independent. However, he did share a celebratory post on his Instagram, saying, “We are back. We did it.”
“It has been just over a month since I had my last day at Channel Islands National Park. A month full of uncertainty, stress, sadness, and frustration,” Chan said. He acknowledged the “looming threats” to public lands, including a potential widespread reduction in force within public land agencies.
“We are tired, we are weary, but we are back and ready to get back to doing our job for you and for our public lands,” he said.
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