CLIMATE CHANGE IS “GREATEST THREAT EVER” TO U.S. NATIONAL PARKS;  NEW REPORT
IDENTIFIES TOP THREATS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO PROTECT PARKS

11 Climate-Related Dangers in Parks in AK, AZ, CA, CO, FL, ID, IN, MD, MT,
NJ, NY, ME, NV, NM, NC, ND, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, and WY.

Denver and New York City (October 1, 2009)— Climate change from human
activity is the leading threat to wildlife, plants, water and ice in 25 of
America’s national parks, according to a new report by the Natural Resources
Defense Council (NRDC) and Rocky Mountain Climate Organization (RMCO).

The report, National Parks in Peril, comes on the heels of the introduction
of clean energy and climate legislation in the U.S. Senate, as well as Ken
Burns’ national parks series on PBS, which has put parks in the center of
America’s national conscience.

The RMCO/NRDC report outlines 11 climate-related threats and the needed
remedies for the following national parks (in alphabetical order):  Acadia
National Park; Assateague Island National Seashore; Bandelier National
Monument; Biscayne National Park; Cape Hatteras National Seashore; Colonial
National Historical Park; Denali National Park and Preserve; Dry Tortugas
National Park; Ellis Island National Monument; Everglades National Park;
Glacier National Park; Great Smoky Mountains National Park; Indiana Dunes
National Lakeshore; Joshua Tree National Park; Lake Mead National Recreation
Area; Mesa Verde National Park; Mount Rainier National Park; Padre Island
National Seashore; Rocky Mountain National Park; Saguaro National Park;
Theodore Roosevelt National Park; Virgin Islands National Park/Virgin
Islands Coral Reef National Monument; Yellowstone National Park;Yosemite
National Park; and Zion National Park.

“As a country, we need to ensure that our parks have a future that is as
promising as their past,” said Theo Spencer, senior advocate for the Climate
Center at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “Clean energy legislation
is now moving in Congress that would help preserve our national treasures,
while creating more jobs, economic growth and national security.”

The report outlines climate-related threats in 25 parks spanning 22 states.
The top risks include: loss of snow and water, rising seas, more extreme
weather, loss of plants and wildlife, and more pollution.

“Climate disruption is the greatest threat ever to our national parks. We
could lose entire national parks for the first time, as Everglades, Ellis
Island, and other parks could be submerged by rising seas,” said Stephen
Saunders, president of the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization and the
report’s principal author. “To preserve our parks, we need to reduce the
heat-trapping gases that are threatening them, and begin managing the parks
to protect resources at risk.”   

Remedies, which are outlined in the report, include enacting comprehensive
clean energy legislation, including reducing carbon pollution by at least 20
percent below current levels by 2020; increasing investment in energy
efficiency; and accelerating the development of clean energy technologies.
The National Parks Service also needs to prioritize this issue by enacting
policies to mitigate the impacts of global warming; and should have more
funding for research and to reduce the effects of climate change.

Bill Wade, chair of the executive council of the Coalition of National Park
Service Retirees (CNPSR) and former superintendent of Shenandoah National
Park in Virginia, said: “National parks are often referred to as the
‘canaries in the mine shafts’ when it comes to climate change. By their very
characteristics and locations, impacts and effects of climate change are
noticed in national parks first and are a forewarning about what will happen
elsewhere. That’s why this report is particularly important.”

For the full report, including the list of the National Parks, go to:
www.rockymountainclimate.org

The report and more information about national parks and global warming is
also at: http://www.nrdc.org/land/parksinperil/

Contact: Michael Oko, NRDC, 202-513-6245.