{"id":12377,"date":"2016-11-04T16:27:17","date_gmt":"2016-11-04T20:27:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/climate-change-in-americas-national-parks-to-preserve-and-protectwhatevers-left\/"},"modified":"2016-11-04T16:27:17","modified_gmt":"2016-11-04T20:27:17","slug":"climate-change-in-americas-national-parks-to-preserve-and-protectwhatevers-left","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/climate-change-in-americas-national-parks-to-preserve-and-protectwhatevers-left\/","title":{"rendered":"Climate Change in America\u2019s National Parks: To Preserve and Protect\u2026Whatever\u2019s Left"},"content":{"rendered":"

Climate Change in National Parks<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The National Park Service has two objectives, both of which are uniquely vulnerable to the effects of a warming planet: conservation and tourism.<\/p>\n

NPS employs 22,000 workers overseeing 84M acres of public land across 50 states. It is a major player in the domestic tourism industry, serving over 300M visitors a year and managing a network of 600 \u201cconcessionaires\u201d that provide hotel, food, and recreational services. \u00a0[1, 2] Local communities are economically dependent on the parks: in 2015, park visitors spent nearly $17B, creating 295,000 jobs in these \u201cgateway\u201d regions. [3]<\/p>\n

\"screen-shot-2016-11-03-at-7-31-31-pm\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Climate change poses a threat to the Park Service in three distinct ways: the increasing destruction of ecosystems, unpredictable visitation to parks and park-adjacent communities, and the cost of updating park infrastructure.<\/p>\n

Destruction of Ecosystems<\/em><\/p>\n

From melting snowpack in Colorado to eroding shorelines in Alaska, unpredictable weather and seasonal patterns are threatening the very existence of the landscapes NPS seeks to protect. Scientists estimate that the largest of Montana\u2019s Glacier National Parks\u2019 eponymous glaciers will disappear by 2030; as sea-levels rise, the Everglades is seeing the retreat of freshwater species; the Forest Service\u2019s \u201cSmokey Bear Reports\u201d show that longer, drier summers mean wildfires are more frequent, wide-spread, and longer lasting, sometimes resulting in park closures. \u00a0[4, 5,6] Wildlife in the Parks face grave threats if they fail to adapt speedily. [6]<\/p>\n

\"screen-shot-2016-11-03-at-8-55-24-pm\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Unpredictable Park Visitation Patterns <\/em><\/p>\n

Visitation to National Parks is strongly tied to air temperature, with visitation increasing up to about 80\u00b0F, then declining as temperatures rise. Based on projected future temperatures, many parks can expect a dramatic increase of 8-23% in visitation as additional warm weeks are added to the calendar, and those parks that are already warm will see a decrease in visitors and a shift in \u201ctourist season.\u201d The difficulty of predicting climate change\u2019s effects year-to-year will create uncertainty for the many parks that open facilities only for specific time periods. [7,8]<\/p>\n

\"screen-shot-2016-11-03-at-9-38-09-pm\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Cost of Updating Park Infrastructure<\/em><\/p>\n

NPS states that climate change threatens \u201c$40B worth of national park assets and resources.\u201d [9] Adapting the infrastructure that supports NPS\u2019s preservation and tourism work\u2014sewage systems, roads, trails, hotels and amenities, some dating from the 1930s\u2014is a costly proposal, especially as the Service can engage in only limited long-term financial planning: it depends on yearly Congressional approval. The 2017 budget for NPS, at $2.5B, includes just $5.8M for climate-related activities\u2014which itself represents a $3M increase from 2016\u2014as well as $49M earmarked for deferred maintenance projects. [10]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

NPS in Action<\/strong><\/p>\n

NPS is introducing bold new policies that encourage park managers to prepare for the unpredictable.<\/p>\n

From Preservation to Activation <\/em><\/p>\n

NPS has traditionally positioned its employees as stewards of America\u2019s nature, more passive protectors than environmental warriors. Looking ahead, NPS is encouraging employees to actively study, create plans for, and invest in the park\u2019s most vulnerable physical and natural assets. This plan includes a centralized effort to fund projects that demonstrate high climate-related vulnerability. [11, 12]<\/p>\n

Designing for Sustainability and Unpredictability<\/em><\/p>\n

Individual parks are increasingly mindful of reducing their own emissions: Pinnacles National Park\u2019s new visitor center, for example, runs on solar electricity and was built using renewable power. [11]<\/p>\n

Further, NPS is funding projects that anticipate extreme weather and can adapt accordingly: a new facility in the Everglades National Park was given an elevated design to avoid storm surges and sea-level rise. NPS is asking Park managers to consider designing movable structures, relocating highly-vulnerable assets, and integrating park services into regional infrastructure. [12]<\/p>\n

Finally, NPS is partnering with adjacent land owners to create \u201clandscape corridors\u201d for flora and fauna that are seeking more suitable environments. [12]<\/p>\n

Investing in Research<\/em><\/p>\n

While NPS is encouraging its employees to engage in \u201cscenario planning\u201d to anticipate \u201ccritical uncertainties\u201d, the agency is also investing in understanding these unknowns. In partnership with universities, NPS is investing in scientific research into the effects of climate change and potential solutions. The parks are an integral part of this effort due to their enormous size and biodiversity, home to projects ranging from the diagnosis of coral loss to the tracking of elk migrations. [9, 11, 12, 13, 14]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What\u2019s Next?<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are additional steps NPS might consider in its future planning.<\/p>\n

Firstly, NPS great physical footprint and popularity make it a potentially powerful educator for the general public about the changes ecosystems are experiencing. NPS should prioritize the vividly illustrating the real costs of climate change.<\/p>\n

Secondly, NPS should translate this public education into a political movement. While NPS has many adaptation plans on paper, the Service requires budget to carry them out. That budget will only become available if voters pressure their legislators to make protecting America\u2019s natural treasures a priority.<\/p>\n

(Word Count: 785)<\/p>\n

[1] National Park Service, \u201cFrequently Asked Questions.\u201d https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/aboutus\/faqs.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

[2] National Park Service, \u201cDoing Business With Us.\u201d https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/aboutus\/doingbusinesswithus.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

[3] National Park Service, \u201cVisitor Spending Effects.\u201d https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/subjects\/socialscience\/vse.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

[4] United States Geological Survey, \u201cRetreat of Glaciers in Glacier National Park.\u201d https:\/\/www.usgs.gov\/centers\/norock\/science\/retreat-glaciers-glacier-national-park?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects<\/a><\/p>\n

[5] National Park Service, \u201cHow Are the Saline Glades Changing?\u201d https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/ever\/learn\/nature\/cceffectssalineglades.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

[6] United States Department of Agriculture, \u201cThe Effects of Climate Change on Mammals.\u201d http:\/\/www.fs.usda.gov\/ccrc\/topics\/effects-climate-change-mammals<\/a><\/p>\n

[7] National Park Service, \u201cPark Visitation and Climate Change.\u201d https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/subjects\/climatechange\/visitation.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

[8] Fisichelli NA, Schuurman GW, Monahan WB, Ziesler PS. “Protected Area Tourism in a Changing Climate: Will Visitation at US National Parks Warm Up or Overheat?” PLoS ONE 10\u00a0http:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0128226<\/a><\/p>\n

[9] United States Department of the Interior, \u201cIn Paris, Secretary Jewell Releases Report on Actions Underway to Combat Climate Change in National Parks.\u201d https:\/\/www.doi.gov\/pressreleases\/paris-secretary-jewell-releases-report-actions-underway-combat-climate-change-national<\/a><\/p>\n

[10] National Park Service, \u201cThe United States Department of the Interior Budget Justifications and Performance Information Fiscal Year 2017\u201d https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/aboutus\/upload\/FY17-NPS-Greenbook-for-website.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

[11] The Atlantic, \u201cHow The National Park Service is Planning for Climate Change.\u201d http:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/science\/archive\/2016\/08\/how-the-national-park-service-is-planning-for-climate-change\/497042\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[12] National Park Service, \u201cAdaptation.\u201d https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/subjects\/climatechange\/adaptation.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

[13] United States Department of the Interior, \u201cAbout the Climate Science Centers.\u201d https:\/\/www.doi.gov\/csc\/about<\/a><\/p>\n

[14] Discovery Magazine, \u201cWhy Are Yellowstone\u2019s Elk Disappearing?\u201d http:\/\/discovermagazine.com\/2014\/may\/16-elk-vanishing-act<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Will the organization tasked with protecting America\u2019s natural resources have anything left to preserve?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2301,"featured_media":12421,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[1218,640,1642],"class_list":["post-12377","hck-submission","type-hck-submission","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-climate-change","category-government","category-natural-resource-management"],"connected_submission_link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/assignment\/climate-change-challenge-2016\/","yoast_head":"\nClimate Change in America\u2019s National Parks: To Preserve and Protect\u2026Whatever\u2019s Left - Technology and Operations Management<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/climate-change-in-americas-national-parks-to-preserve-and-protectwhatevers-left\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Climate Change in America\u2019s National Parks: To Preserve and Protect\u2026Whatever\u2019s Left - 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