America’s National Parks under siege: environmental threats, invasive species and climate change to blame

         Good Day Humboldt County!

  The reasons why our national parks face such challenges today can be attributed to several things.

  I recall working as an editor of a small town newspaper (The Desert Trail) during the 1980s, and going to Joshua Tree National Park numerous times; both recreational and on the job when a hiker would get lost or something along those lines. Today, Joshua Tree National Park is suffering from air pollution, among other things.

Joshua trees face peril from air pollution and climate change, which could leave Joshua Tree National Park with just 10 percent or less of the trees by 2100

“Disappearing glaciers, decreasing air quality and foundation species pushed to the brink of survival. America’s national parks are facing environmental threats that range from tiny invasive species to the planet-spanning impacts of climate change. In some cases, the situation is dire; in others, progress is being made. In aggregate, the issues point to how important — and how fragile — these special places are.

“Each unit in the system has its own unique challenges,” said Al Nash, spokesman for Yellowstone National Park, “but they all reflect a component of who we are and where we’re going. They’re about our shared experience as Americans.” (source)

Time for me to walk on down the road…