Greetings from Glacier National Park

Streams carved small gorges on the mountainside as I hiked along the Iceberg Lake Trail on a recent snowy June day. I glared in amazement at the ridges of the mighty snow-capped mountains that stood above me. I understood why Glacier was designated the nation’s 8th national park in 1910. I realized, however, that Glacier is significantly different now than it was then because of the ecological changes we humans have created.

I learned, for example, at the Creston National Fish Hatchery that during the early 20th century, settlers to Montana introduced rainbow trout from the Great Lakes to Montana, drastically altering the area’s ecosystems. As a result, the bull trout is now listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. It was hard for me not to think about this as I boated across the pristine waters of St. Mary’s Lake.

It’s important to recognize that misguided human actions have tangible impacts on ecosystems and that we have a crucial responsibility to conserve and protect these last bastions of wilderness so the next generation of Americans can experience the same jaw-dropping sense of awe when they embark on their national park journeys.

Sincerely,
David