July 26, 2006 Imagine Glacier National Park with no glaciers, Joshua Tree barren of joshua trees, Yellowstone absent of grizzlies, and Yosemite even more crowded than it already is. These are all real dangers, according to a new report issued Tuesday by the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

The report, titled "Losing Ground," details a wide range of problems that may result from rising temperatures in the West. Twelve national parks are at greatest risk of damage to their natural resources, cultural sites, and wildlife. Among them are the most famous icons of the American Western landscape: Death Valley, Glacier, Grand Teton, Mesa Verde, Mount Rainier, Yellowstone, and Yosemite.

Different threats imperil each park. The glaciers at Glacier National Park could be gone by 2030, according to the report. The snow-covered peaks treasured by summertime visitors to Mount Rainier and the Grand Tetons could also melt away. Milder climates at Yellowstone are allowing the infestation of mountain bark beetles, which could kill off whitebark pines on which grizzly bears depend for food. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the rising sea level could put the Golden Gate National Recreation Area underwater. And as more city-dwellers try to beat the heat, the parks will also bear the effects of increased human traffic.

According to Theo Spencer, a senior project manager with the NRDC and a contributing author to the report, the authors chose to focus on national parks because of their appeal to many Americans.

"National parks are special places to begin with," he said. "Particularly national parks in the West. People who live all over the country have been to these beautiful places."

There had not previously been a survey-level study of climate change in the national parks in the West, said Spencer. The West is especially vulnerable to climate change, as temperatures there have increased at twice the pace of the eastern U.S., Spencer said. In the past 100 years, temperatures have risen three degrees in the West, compared with 1.5 degrees in the East, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

"Some of [the outcomes] are potentially inevitable," allowed Spencer. "But if we take action now, we can stave off the worst of the effects."

There have been a number of measures regarding global warming introduced in the past year and a half before the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Last year, Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) led a non-binding resolution signed by a majority of senators to put a mandatory cap on greenhouse gas emissions. This resolution was seen as a step toward legislating greenhouse emissions, but more political wrangling is anticipated before a bill is signed.

"These haven't been partisan efforts," said Spencer. "It's been very bipartisan. If you look at New York and California, they both have Republican governors and they've been leaders in the efforts to reduce emissions in their states."

The report's authors hope their research will attract attention to global warming by focusing on places that many people have enjoyed visiting. "People will realize it's time to take action now to prevent global warming," said Spencer.

To read the full report, visit the NRDC website.

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