WASHINGTON — More than 700 National Park Service employees have submitted resignations as part of Elon Musk’s “fork in the road” offer, according to an internal agency memo that critics of the plan said would diminish staffing for the busy summer tourism season.

The news of the resignations comes after a decision this month at the Department of Interior to fire more than 1,000 full-time national park employees. According to the new memo sent Tuesday and viewed by The New York Times, the additional 700 workers who agreed to the resignation plan would not be permitted to work after March 7.

The staffing cuts have sparked a public outcry. Conservationists, outdoor enthusiasts and park rangers have warned that the reductions threaten to leave hundreds of national parks understaffed during the summer, and already are causing some parks to reduce hours, cancel tours and close visitor centers.

The national park job losses are part of a chaotic effort by President Donald Trump to eliminate thousands of federal jobs.

— The New York Times