The Mid-Atlantic region's 79 national park units are facing an urgent threat due to the impacts of climate change.

The National Park Service must address rising sea levels at coastal parks like Assateague Island National Seashore and Colonial National Historical Park. This is a significant concern for those parks, given rising seas make them vulnerable to erosion and inundation. Places like Jamestown, rich in historical significance, face the potential loss of invaluable artifacts. National parks known for their memorials and cultural importance, such as the National Mall and Memorial Parks, are being undermined by the changing climate, causing damage to park infrastructure.

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The National Park Service anticipates that across the entire country the parks in the National Capital Region will see the highest average rate of sea level change by 2100

Beyond sea level rise, climate change is causing increasing temperatures at places like Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. and Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park in Maryland. This change is exacerbating the heat stress on park ecosystems and visitors. Moreover, the rising heat is accelerating the loss of biodiversity and disrupting delicate ecological balance in national parks such as the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. These parks preserve both natural and cultural resources for present and future generations, however they are at risk of devastating changes to wildlife and water quality.

To protect the region’s treasures, comprehensive climate action is imperative. The future of our parks requires swift measures, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, to bolster park resilience and safeguard them from the impacts of climate change. Adequate planning, staffing, and funding for restoration or adaptation is essential to ensure that our parks can weather these challenges and preserve their historical, cultural, and natural legacies

Mid-Atlantic Climate Impacts

Coastal challenges

Rising sea levels increase the risk of erosion and inundation, leading to the potential loss of valuable historical artifacts and damaging critical park infrastructure. Frequent minor flooding, such as “sunny day” nuisance flooding during high tides, affects parks like the National Mall Memorial Parks in Washington, D.C. and other low-lying areas.

Mid-Atlantic Climate Impacts

Warmer temperatures & extreme heat

In the Mid-Atlantic region, temperatures will continue to rise along with more frequent and intense heat waves. Warming temperatures and shorter winters are now altering the timing of natural events within the region’s national parks.

Mid-Atlantic Climate Impacts

Shifting precipitation & extreme weather events

Climate change in the Mid-Atlantic region is leading to significant shifts in precipitation patterns and an increase in extreme weather events, including heavy precipitation events, that pose profound challenges for the environment and national parks in the area.

Mid-Atlantic Climate Impacts

Changing ecosystems

Climate change is causing notable alterations to ecosystems within Mid-Atlantic national parks, posing a threat to native species and promoting the proliferation of invasive species.

Mid-Atlantic Climate Impacts

Environmental Justice

Across the U.S., including the Mid-Atlantic region, communities of color have historically been more negatively impacted by environmental degradation and climate impacts. To address these disparities, increased access to national parks is crucial for marginalized communities, especially with the escalating threats posed by climate change.

Swift climate action is needed

As climate impacts intensify, national parks across the U.S. are witnessing more drastic ecosystem shifts, weather changes, and natural disasters. National parks in the Mid-Atlantic region are no exception, and climate change has far-reaching consequences on both ecological balance within parks and communities that depend on them. Protecting national parks from this existential threat can not only protect biodiversity and sequester CO2 emissions, but it also preserves our historical and cultural legacies. Above all, national parks continue to inspire people to appreciate and care for the natural world and encourage a collective sense of responsibility around environmental protection. To ensure a sustainable future for our parks, swift and comprehensive climate action is needed.

Here are a few examples of policy strides that have been taken in the last few years that present opportunities to mitigate and adapt to climate change

  • Internationally:

    In January 2021, the U.S. re-entered the Paris Agreement, an international treaty aimed at mitigating climate change. Rejoining the Paris Agreement signals the U.S. committing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and slowing global temperature rise.

  • Nationally:

    Enacted in August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act allocated close to $700 million to the NPS. This allocation would help recruit additional staff for national parks and enhance the resilience of national parks against climate challenges. See a list of funding allocated to Mid-Atlantic national parks in the Financial Year 2023.

  • Locally:

    13 Mid-Atlantic parks, including Shenandoah National Park and New River Gorge National River, became part of the NPS Climate Friendly Parks Program and developed their own climate action plans to address sustainability challenges, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and strategize against climate impacts.

The responsibility to protect our parks transcends the present. NPCA is committed to demonstrating stewardship by safeguarding the historical and cultural heritage, biodiversity, and recreational opportunities found within our national parks. With the looming impacts of climate change on our parks, it becomes our duty to advocate for, educate about, and inspire the conservation of our natural, historical, and cultural assets.

Parks and Climate Change

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