Relephant: Our National Parks: America’s Newest Battleground.

After working around the clock for four intense days, we’re proud to release the NPX film that we never planned on making: A heartfelt defense of America’s national park rangers who have been attacked unfairly during the federal shutdown.

Here are some quotes we weren’t able to squeeze into our three-minute video:

1. At Death Valley National Park, visitors are defecating on the ground immediately adjacent to locked public restrooms.

2. In addition to vandalizing park property, several visitors have chosen to leave choice written messages directed at the staff, including: “F*** you. This is my park. I pay taxes.” Or “I peed in your parking lot you federal government bastards.”

3. I fear for the piecemeal approach of having states temporarily fund their nearby national parks. Much as I am grateful to be heading back to work tomorrow, there is a gnawing sense that opening up a few parks my delay the opening of all of them. It feels as if we should be standing in solidarity with all our Park Service colleagues around the country. Either open them all, or close them all. A park is a park, and the humblest of them all is just as important as the most beloved.

This is not the America we know and love. But hopefully with a little more compassion and awareness, we can get this great country back on track. Please watch the video, share the link, and take action on NPCA’s website to encourage Congress to reopen and restore proper funding to the parks.

Big thanks to our anonymous rangers, NPCA, narrators, Flickr photographers, and cinematographers Dana Romanoff, Tim Sessler, Andy Maser, and Tucker Walsh, who captured gorgeous b-roll footage for NPCA, and therefore made this video possible.

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Ed: Bryonie Wise