The National Park Service is taking steps to honor a federal judge's order to rehire roughly 1,000 employees fired on Valentine's Day, but observers say it appears the agency likely will terminate some of those in the end just the same.

Under a directive sent late Wednesday afternoon, the Park Service began reinstating law-enforcement rangers, custodians, and park guides. Other staff, possibly including education specialists, visual information specialists, and archives staff, while being reinstated were being placed on administrative leave. 

The Park Service's reinstatment decisions apparently were being based on whether a position was deemed critical to public safety, national security, or park operations. As a result, jobs such as natural resource positions, were deemed disposable. Employees holding those positions, while being recalled, where being placed on administrative leave for the near term, with expectations they'd be included in a reduction-in-force coming down the road.

"When these park staff lost their jobs, many also lost their homes and communities. Now, with uncertainty looming over if or when the next cut might come, it’s unclear how many will choose to return," said Theresa Pierno, president and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association. "The Park Service stands to lose an irreplaceable wealth of expertise, experience, and institutional knowledge they may never get back. And even in the midst of these reinstatements, the administration continues to coerce staff to resign from the jobs they’ve dedicated their lives to or face ongoing firings and mounting obstacles to doing their work. Pressuring staff to leave will devastate the Park Service’s ability to keep our national parks running and safeguard our precious historic and natural treasures.

"This chaotic whiplash is no way to manage the National Park Service, especially as they are welcoming millions of visitors right now," she added. "This administration needs to stop playing games with the future of our national parks."

One employee who was called by their supervisor was placed on administrative leave.

"I am glad to be paid again, but I just want to go back to work — and this makes our long-term prospects seem ominous," they said, asking not to be identified because they had been rehired.