Visit Them Now: National Parks Threatened by Climate Change
These eight national parks are just some that are endangered by climate change. But it's not too late to help.
By: Jennifer Uscher | Source: AARP.org | 2008-10-01
Thinking of planning a trip to a national park you’ve always wanted to visit? You may not want to wait. Experts say national parks from coast to coast are threatened, both their landscapes and wildlife, due to global warming.
“Many of the effects of climate change have been happening faster than anybody expected, and all the parks are in some way experiencing them, whether it’s drought leading to wildfires or coastlines that are vulnerable to sea-level rise,” reported Mark Wenzler, the director of clean-air and climate programs for the National Parks Conservation Association. Some parks are even at risk of losing their most iconic features; for example, the glaciers of Glacier National Park are melting and may disappear within the next two decades.
In view of his observations, here are eight parks Wenzler recommends visiting now:
Joshua Tree National Park, California
In the high desert of Southern California, this park is named for its spiky, crooked trees that can live for hundreds of years. A giant member of the lily family, the Joshua tree provides habitat and food for many of the birds, mammals, and lizards of the Mojave Desert. The trees are endangered because they need cool winters and freezing temperatures in order to produce flowers, release their seeds, and reproduce.
Why it’s endangered: According to modeling by U.S. Geological Survey researchers, it looks as if the climate may be too warm to support the trees in the southern half of their range–which includes Joshua Tree National Park–within the next 50 to 100 years. For more information on visiting this park, go to http://www.nps.gov/jotr/.
Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska
This remote Alaskan park is one of the best places on earth to see brown bears.At the Brooks Camp, visitors watch from viewing platforms as the bears feast on native sockeye salmon. The coho and sockeye salmon in Katmai’s rivers also provide food for bald eagles,and, along with rainbow trout, make the park extremely popular with sport fishermen. The species are also important to the local fishing industry outside the park.
Why it’s endangered: Scientists are concerned that the ocean around southern Alaska (where the salmon spend much of their lives) may become too warm to support healthy salmon populations by the middle of this century. For more information on visiting Katmai, see: http://www.nps.gov/katm/.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina
One hundred native tree species grow in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, inclu ding the red spruce and Fraser fir—trees that cap the park’s highest peaks. The park contains the largest block of virgin red spruce remaining on earth. The Smokies are home to many species of wildlife, including deer, raccoons, and black bears. And as the park contains more than 30 species of the dragon-like amphibians, the Smokies are also known as the “Salamander Capital of the World.”
Why it’s endangered: These forests are already threatened by acid rain and by ground-level ozone pollution. An invasive insect called the balsam woolly adelgid has destroyed many of the park’s Fraser firs. Warmer and drier conditions due to climate change could add to these stresses on the trees and eventually make conditions in the park unsuitable for their growth, according to the EPA. For more information on visiting the Smokies, visit http://www.nps.gov/grsm/.
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wisconsin
Lake Superior’s Apostle Islands are a popular destination for boaters and sailors, who like the sea caves, sandy beaches, and historic lighthouses. Thirteen of the 21 islands in the park have public docks.
Why it’s endangered: Visitors may lose access to some of these recreational boating facilities as most climate models show that warming will cause water levels in Lake Superior to decrease over time. Docks and boat ramps, for example, may be too high because of lower lake levels, and some areas of the lakes may become inaccessible to many types of watercraft. In the summer of 2007, a drought caused record low water levels in the park (similar to what scientists predict for the region), and some docks were so high out of the water that it was unsafe to access them from small boats. For more information on visiting the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, see:
http://www.nps.gov/apis/.
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
This park northwest of Denver hosts the largest expanse of tundra in the U.S., south of Alaska. The area’s windswept ecosystem begins above the tree line and supports elk, mule deer, and many other species. The park’s Trail Ridge Road winds through the open tundra, offering visitors spectacular views of wildflowers and wildlife, and reaches an elevation of 12,183 feet.
Why it’s endangered: The ecosystem is at risk as a warming climate may cause trees to grow at higher elevations and encroach on the tundra. Populations of white-tailed ptarmigan and pika, species that are adapted to the tundra, may decline as their habitat and food supply changes. For more information on visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, see: http://www.nps.gov/romo/.
Ellis Island National Monument, New York and New Jersey
Located on a small island in New York Harbor, this federal immigration station processed more than 12 million steamship passengers between 1892 and 1954. More than 40 percent of Americans can trace their ancestry through this site, which was restored and became a museum in 1990.
Why it’s endangered: The collection of immigrant arrival records may not be safe in the future because of rising seas caused by climate change. And it’s not just Ellis Island. “Records may be too vulnerable if they’re left on-site at coastal, historical parks. But it diminishes the visitor experience if the artifacts and documents aren’t there,” said Wenzler. For more information on visiting Ellis Island, see: http://www.nps.gov/elis/.
Everglades National Park, Florida
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Everglades National Park is a 1.5 million acre subtropical wetland with many distinct habitats, such as cypress swamps and mangrove forests. The park is also home to an abundance of wildlife, including manatees, Florida panthers, egrets, and alligators.
Why it’s endangered: More intense hurricanes are expected with warming temperatures, and these could destroy buildings in the park. In 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma severely damaged the “Flamingo” area, causing the closure of the park’s only overnight lodging and a restaurant (that have yet to be reopened). In addition, sea-level rise is expected to increase with global warming, and coastal freshwater habitats in the Everglades and elsewhere may be infiltrated by seawater. For more information on visiting the Everglades, see: http://www.nps.gov/ever/.
Glacier National Park, Montana
The mountains of Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana were formed by the action of advancing and retreating glaciers over hundreds of thousands of years. In 1850, the park had an estimated 150 glaciers, but now only 26 remain, and many of those are smaller than they were in the past. Grinnell Glacier, for example, covered 500 acres a century ago and today covers less than 200 acres.
Why it’s endangered: Melting glaciers are one of the most visible signs of a changing climate. If current warming trends continue, scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey estimate that all of the glaciers in the park may melt by 2030.For more information on visiting Glacier National Park, visit http://www.nps.gov/glac/.
Despite these threats to national parks, “there’s scientific consensus that if we act within the next few years to really bring down greenhouse gas emissions substantially, we can avoid some of the most damaging tipping points of climate change,” says Wenzler.
What you can do:
- Lessen your impact during your visit to a national park by using shuttle buses rather than your car to get around. A number of parks now have free shuttles that are hybrids or that run on alternative fuel. You can even take public transportation to get to some parks, such as California’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Yosemite National Park, and New York/New Jersey’s Gateway National Recreation Area.
- Volunteer in the national parks to work on habitat restoration and exotic-species removal projects. "When we restore park resources to natural conditions, we build their capacity to withstand the effects of climate change," says Shawn Norton, coordinator of the National Park Service's Climate Friendly Parks program. For volunteer opportunities, go to:
http://www.nps.gov/gettinginvolved/volunteer/opportunities.htm - Find out what steps you can take in your daily life to reduce your carbon footprint: Drive a fuel-efficient car and wash your clothes in cold water. Check out these and other recommendations at http://www.doyourpartparks.org/. On this site, sponsored by the National Parks Conservation Association in support of the National Park Service’s Climate Friendly Parks program, you can calculate your personal greenhouse gas emissions and set a goal to reduce them.
To Learn More:
- Check out the National Park Service’s Climate Friendly Parks program to find out more about what national parks are doing to address climate change:
http://www.nps.gov/climatefriendlyparks/ - For more on how global warming may affect our parks and what we can do to protect them, read the National Parks Conservation Association’s report, “Unnatural Disaster: Global Warming and Our National Parks.” The report is posted online at the following address: http://www.npca.org/globalwarming/.
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