How the climate crisis is forever changing our national parks

CNN —

When Garrett Dickman drove through Yosemite National Park early this week, he passed through a diverse band of large trees conifer, red fir, lodgepole pine and noticed a grim pattern: many of the trees were either dead or dying.

It was really striking to see that every single tree seems to be getting hit by either climatic changes; it could be dying from drought, or it could be insect attack or fungus, but theyre certainly weakened, Dickman, a forest ecologist with the National Park Service, told CNN. Theres a big shift happening right now, and its right in front of our eyes.

The consequences of the climate crisis more wildfires, devastating drought, sea level rise, flooding, ecological disease are plaguing the countrys national parks. Most recently, unprecedented flash flooding overwhelmed Yellowstone National Park and some of its surrounding areas.

Scientists and officials say it signals a dramatic change unfolding at the nations most prized parks. And unless the planet slashes fossil fuel emissions, scientists believe the climate crisis could drastically alter the landscapes, cultural sites and ecosystems in the parks, potentially making them inaccessible for humans and uninhabitable for other species.

Employee housing fell into Yellowstone River during flooding on June 13, 2022.

Gina Riquier/NPS/Getty Images

Yellowstone's North Entrance Road was washed out by the flooding.

Doug Kraus/NPS/Getty Images

What happened at Yellowstone is also a classic example of the climate crisis converging with failed emergency disaster response, said Marcy Rockman, a former climate change adaptation coordinator for the Park Service.