A former ranger at the Buffalo National River is speaking out after being terminated from her position as part of a recent decision by the federal government to fire thousands of probationary employees. Stacy Ramsey, who has worked in various capacities for the park since 2020, received an abrupt termination notice via email on February 14.
A lifelong resident of Marshall, Ramsey spoke with KTLO News and recounted her journey into the National Park Service, explaining that her love for the river led her to pursue a career with the agency. She initially joined the park in 2020 as contract labor during the COVID-19 pandemic and later transitioned into a seasonal river ranger role. In March 2023, she secured a year-round river ranger position funded through the Inflation Reduction Act. Despite her years of experience, she was classified as a probationary employee, a status that made her vulnerable to the recent wave of layoffs across federal agencies.Ramsey described the moment she learned about her termination while working in the field conducting inspections.
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She immediately called her division’s operations chief, who was unaware of the decision at the time. She was instructed to report to headquarters in Harrison, where she found out she was one of four employees officially processed out of a job that day.
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The Buffalo National River is an active tourist site with thousands of annual visitors and with nearly 95,000 acres that needs to be maintained and patrolled. Like many national parks, understaffing has been an issue and these terminations will further strain operations. The visitor center at Buffalo Point has struggled to stay open and in January a position had been filled to staff it with a new park guide but that position was also eliminated in the cuts.
Ramsey says one of the more upsetting aspects of her termination was the wording used in the official memorandum.
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After sharing her story on social media, Ramsey was stunned by the overwhelming public response. Her original post has been shared over 30,000 times which has given her a chance to share her story around the country. In the past week she has been featured in many Arkansas publications, KY3 TV as well as interviews on NBC News and CBS News. Ramsey doesn’t see herself as a very political person, her hope is that by sharing her story she can put a human face to decisions that are effecting thousands of Americans.
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One thing that has not changed for Stacy is her love of the river and if a new opportunity becomes available she would gladly return to the park service.
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As she awaits the outcome of her appeals, Ramsey begins the search for new employment. With limited opportunities in Marshall, she may need to look toward Harrison, Mountain Home, or Conway for work. Through it all, she continues to share her story with those who will listen, moving forward with hope for a brighter future.
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