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    Climate Crisis Threatens the Survival of Majestic Spruce-Fir Forests in US National Parks

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    Great Smoky Mountain National Park” by DebiWatson is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

    In the misty highlands of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a quiet battle is underway. The iconic spruce-fir forests, home to a unique array of wildlife and a draw for over 12 million visitors a year, are facing a threat that could reshape this ancient landscape: climate change.

    Blue Ridge with spruce-fir forest (Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee, USA) 1” by James St. John is licensed under CC BY 2.0

    Despite recent recovery efforts, the towering red spruce and Fraser firs teeter on the brink of an uncertain future as rising temperatures and invasive pests jeopardize their existence.

    On Top of Ol’ Smoky!” by wallygrom is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

    The National Park Service’s latest inventory data found that the park’s spruce-fir forest remains in a fragile state. While policies curtailing logging and reducing acid rain have yielded modest improvement, conservationists are sounding the alarm.

    a metal pipe laying in the middle of a forest
    Photo by Collab Media on Unsplash

    The warming climate, warmer winters, and invasive species like the balsam woolly adelgid are stressing these high-altitude ecosystems to their limits.

    silhouette of trees during sunset
    Photo by Matt Palmer on Unsplash

    These venerable forests, which once blanketed Appalachia from Pennsylvania to Georgia, have been reduced to just seven individual stands across North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, with the largest surviving stand nested in the Great Smoky Mountains.

    Balsam woolly adelgid” by Gilles San Martin is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

    Since the 1980s, nearly half their habitat was lost, and the remnants have been besieged by the adelgid pest. “They are now at the tallest peaks in the southern Appalachians, and there is nowhere higher in elevation for the forest to continue to persist,” laments Matt Drury, associate director of science and stewardship at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

    Balsam woolly adelgid” by Gilles San Martin is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

    The conservation challenge extends beyond the trees. Endangered species like the Carolina northern flying squirrel, spruce-fir moss spider, and rock gnome lichen depend on this forest type for survival. “If it went away, there would be an ecological cascade that is tangible — is real. And that can be an extinction event for those species,” Drury warns.

    Carolina northern flying squirrel” by USFWS/Southeast is licensed under CC BY 2.0

    Despite the adversity, there is a flicker of hope in the form of an $11 million grant allocated by the Forest Service to restore national forest land, including two spruce-fir stands. “We get all the tools that we need,” declares Drury, embodying a newfound optimism bolstered by this infusion of support.

    Spruce-fir moss spider” by USFWS/Southeast is licensed under CC BY 2.0

    The battle for the spruce-fir forest is emblematic of a broader crisis affecting the nation’s national parks, where 97% are grappling with unsatisfactory levels of air quality, visibility impairment, and the adverse effects of pollution on sensitive species and habitats.

    Rock Gnome Lichen” by BlueRidgeKitties is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

    The National Parks Conservation Association’s report underscores the urgent need to curb the air pollution that’s driving climate change and to safeguard these treasured landscapes.

    U-Valley, Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier National Park, Montana” by Ken Lund is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

    As the situation evolves, so too does the philosophy of conservation. Strategic interventions are now considered where once there was a commitment to non-interference.

    Glacier Bay National Park: La Perouse Glacier” by Anita363 is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

    In Glacier National Park, efforts to rescue the native bull trout and the DNA testing of whitebark pines for drought resistance are examples of such pragmatism. Similarly, Indiana Dunes National Park battles erosion by replenishing beaches to preserve its dunes.

    Bull Trout” by USFWS Fish and Aquatic Conservation is licensed under CC PDM 1.0

    These scenarios reveal a stark reality: national parks, those bastions of natural beauty and historical significance, are at the forefront of the climate crisis.

    Indiana Dunes National Park” by U.S. Department of the Interior is licensed under CC PDM 1.0

    As we venture into these green cathedrals or stand at the foot of diminishing glaciers, the very essence of these sanctuaries urges us to ponder the legacy we leave for the generations to come.

    Indiana Dunes State Park, Dunes National Lakeshore in Porter, Indiana” by Szecska is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

    Will the spruce-fir forests and other natural wonders persist, or will they fall silent under the shadow of a warming world? Only time, and our collective action, will tell.

    Relevant articles:
    America’s Most Visited National Park Is Threatened by Climate Change, Scientific American
    NPCA Finds Air Pollution Harms 97% of National Parks, National Parks Conservation Association
    Climate change is destroying the natural wonders many U.S. parks are named for, CBS News

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