National Park Service

Climate Change Response Strategy

September 2010

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Climate Change Response Program

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Suggested citation: National Park Service. 2010. National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy. National Park Service Climate Change Response 

Program, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Background cover photo: Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area courtesy of Pete Sawtell.

All photos courtesy of the National Park Service unless otherwise noted.

Pederson Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park, 1909 (top) and 2005 (bottom).
Climate Change Response Strategy

September 2010

National Park Service

Climate Change Response Program

1201 Oakridge Drive, Suite 200

Fort Collins, CO 80525

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Washington, D.C.
National Park Service Mission

The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and 

cultural resources and intrinsic values of the National Park System for 

the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. 

The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits 

of natural and cultural resource conservation, and outdoor recreation 

throughout this country and the world. 

As temperatures rise, the habitat of species like the 

American pika is threatened.

National Park Service Organic Act of 1916

“ . . . to promote and regulate the use of the . . . national parks . . . which 

purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects 

and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in 

such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the 

enjoyment of future generations.”
Contents

Letter from the Director 1

Executive Summary 3

Climate Change and the National 

Parks: Rising to the Challenge 5

Building a Collaborative Response 6

Principles for Effective Decision Making in a 

Changing Climate 8

Charting a Course for Action: The 

Vision 11

Science 12

Adaptation 14

 Adaptation Planning 14

 Promoting Ecosystem Resilience 15 

 Preserving the Nation’s Heritage 16

 Protecting Facilities and Infrastructure 18

Mitigation 19

Communication 21

Legal and Policy Considerations 23

Conclusion and Next Steps 25

References 26

Glossary 27
iv National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy

Grinnell Glacier in Glacier 

National Park has retreated 

dramatically in recent years.
National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy 1

Letter from the Director

I believe climate change is fundamentally the greatest threat to the integrity 

of our national parks that we have ever experienced. The current science 

confirms the planet is warming and the effects are here and now. This is a 

high-priority issue for the current Administration, including the Department of the Interior and its individual bureaus. With the coordinated strategy put forward here, the National Park Service addresses what we are going 

to do about it.

We have a proud tradition of innovation and not 

shirking from a challenge. We shall not sit idle, 

because our 1916 Organic Act challenges us to 

conserve, “by such manner and by such means 

as will leave them unimpaired for future generations.” I have always liked those words “by such 

manner and by such means” as they give us latitude to use whatever resources we have to protect parks in a future that has been characterized 

as “hot, flat and crowded.”

The National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy is an urgent call for collective 

and individual action. First and foremost, the 

NPS should be a leader in all aspects of recycling, alternative fuels, energy efficiency, and 

sustainable design and construction. I see great 

examples around the Service, but we are inconsistent in our goals and efforts. That change will 

take place when every employee gets on board 

and insists on recycling, when every building we 

build is LEED certified, and when every can of 

paint is non-VOC.

The NPS is an extraordinary educational institution where millions of people learn about the 

environment, conservation, and our rich and 

complex history. We have helped the public 

understand the essential role of predators in the 

environment by bringing back the wolf and we 

have shown them that fire is essential to ecosystem health. We are unafraid to discuss the role of 

slavery in the Civil War or the imprisonment of 

American citizens of Japanese ethnicity during 

WWII. We should not be afraid to talk about climate change. Yes, there will be those who question it, even within our own ranks. But we always 

try to base our decisions on the best available 

science and that science is documenting changes 

to our parks right now. So let’s talk about it with 

the public. 

The young employees I have met who are just 

starting in this wonderful organization will be 

dealing with climate change their entire career. 

Anything as complex as climate change needs a 

comprehensive approach that includes budget, 

organization, policy, science, and actions on the 

ground. We were successful in the FY2010 budget and have requested increases for the coming 

years. We have set policies for new construction 

to meet LEED Silver and are working to develop 

sustainability standards for historic structures. 

Our science initiative is designed to develop 

the best usable knowledge so each of you is 

equipped to make informed decisions. Our 

resource assessment program will develop standards for reporting on the condition of our natural and cultural resources as they are stressed by 

a changing climate.

To guide the new program, I am creating a NPS 

Climate Change Coordinating Group, made up 

of four Associate Directors: Natural Resource 

Stewardship and Science; Cultural Resources; 

Interpretation and Education; and Park Planning, Facilities and Lands. Advising this group 

will be the Science Advisor to the Director, one 

Regional Director and one Superintendent. They 

will report to me and address tough questions of 

policy, such as impairment, arrival of new species, or facilitated migration. They will also interact with the Climate Change Response Steering 

Committee representing the amazing field staff 

already working on many of these issues. 

The old adage “may you live in interesting 

times” is appropriate here, as climate change has 

certainly made things interesting. How will we 

choose, as the sea rises, which cultural sites we 

save? How do we decide that the next site for the 

giant sequoias is hundreds of miles north? Are 

those warblers here for the first time treated as 

exotics? These are difficult questions. More than 

the future of the national parks hangs in the balance, but I am confident that the NPS will play a 

critical role.

Jonathan B. Jarvis

Director, National Park Service

August 2010
2 National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy

The NPS is using solar panel 

arrays to provide energy needs 

in remote areas.
National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy 3

The NPS is moving rapidly beyond the question of whether the Earth is warming and is 

focused on what to do about it. This crisis is 

daunting, but national parks can provide redemption. For one of the most precious values 

of the national parks remains their ability to 

teach us about ourselves and how we relate to 

the natural world. How we move forward in 

the era of climate change is up to each of us, 

at all levels of the NPS, and as citizens of the 

United States.

The NPS Climate Change Response Strategy 

provides direction to our agency and employees to address the impacts of climate change. 

It describes goals and objectives to guide our 

actions under four integrated components: 

science, adaptation, mitigation, and 

communication. The NPS will collaborate 

with partners to identify and monitor climate 

change effects in parks and to apply accurate 

and relevant science to management and 

policy decisions. In a changing climate, the 

NPS will adapt through the development of 

feasible and actionable scenarios and create a 

flexible framework for dealing with impacts1. 

We will reduce the National Park Service 

carbon footprint (the amount of greenhouse 

gases emitted through NPS activities) through 

energy-efficient and sustainable practices and 

integrate these practices into planning and operations. Finally, through clear directed communication, the NPS will raise employees’ and 

the public’s awareness of the implications of 

climate change and inspire them to take steps 

to address this challenge.

The four integrated components throughout 

the strategy call for an overarching legal and 

policy framework that will ensure the legality, 

consistency and appropriateness of management decisions. As climate change is likely 

to create conditions and ecosystems unlike 

any found today, upholding our mission may 

require updating interpretations of policy, 

mandates, and approaches to resource stewardship.

This is an ambitious coordinated strategy to 

understand, communicate, and respond to the 

impacts of rapid climate change. This issue’s 

complexity and pervasiveness demand a scientific approach and an unprecedented level 

of cooperation, collaboration, and partnership 

across all directorates and divisions within the 

National Park System, partner organizations, 

other government agencies, and neighboring 

communities. A legacy of inspirational heritage hangs in the balance.

Executive Summary

In 2016, the National Park Service (NPS) will begin its second century of 

preserving the Nation’s natural and cultural heritage, a stewardship that 

now includes protection of more than 84 million acres within the National 

Park System. Global climate change threatens the integrity of our national 

parks. It challenges the NPS mission to leave park resources unimpaired for 

future generations unlike any threat in our history.

STRATEGY COMPONENTS

Science: 

Conduct scientific research and 

vulnerability assessments necessary 

to support NPS adaptation, 

mitigation, and communication 

efforts. Collaborate with scientific 

agencies and institutions to meet 

the specific needs of management 

as it confronts the challenges of 

climate change. Learn from and 

apply the best available climate 

change science.

Mitigation:

Reduce the carbon footprint of 

the NPS. Promote energy efficient 

practices, such as alternative 

transportation. Enhance carbon 

sequestration as one of many 

ecosystem services. Integrate 

mitigation into all business 

practices, planning, and the NPS 

culture.

Adaptation:

Develop the adaptive capacity for 

managing natural and cultural 

resources and infrastructure 

under a changing climate. 

Inventory resources at risk and 

conduct vulnerability assessments. 

Prioritize and implement actions, 

and monitor the results. Explore 

scenarios, associated risks, and 

possible management options. 

Integrate climate change impacts 

into facilities management.

Communication:

Provide effective communication 

about climate change and impacts 

to the public. Train park staff 

and managers in the science of 

climate change and decision tools 

for coping with change. Lead by 

example.

1

The terms “effect” and “impact” are often used interchangeably to describe changes to physical, chemical, 

biological, or human systems as a result of climate change. In this document, a climate change effect refers to 

a consequence that may or may not be detrimental, while a climate change impact refers to an outcome that is 

unfavorable for park resources or visitor experience.
4 National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy

Glen Canyon National Recreation 

Area is experiencing drought 

and reduced water levels that 

affect many plants and animals. 

Photo courtesy of David Rankin.
The physical infrastructure, natural and 

cultural resources, visitor experience, and 

intrinsic values of national parks are at risk 

from the effects of climate change. Some effects are already measurable. However, the 

long-range and cascading effects of climate 

change are just beginning to be understood. 

Warmer temperatures are accelerating the 

melting of mountain glaciers, reducing snowpack, and changing the timing, temperature, 

and amount of streamflow. These changes 

are expected to result in the loss or relocation of native species, altered vegetation patterns, and reduced water availability in some 

regions. Wildfire seasons have expanded, and 

fires have increased in severity, frequency, and 

size. Conditions that favor outbreaks of pests, 

pathogens, disease, and nonnative species 

invasion occur more frequently than in the recent past. In Alaska, melting sea ice threatens 

marine mammals as well as coastal communities, while thawing permafrost disrupts the 

structural basis of large regions, jeopardizing 

the physical stability of natural systems as 

well as buildings, roads, and facilities. Rising 

sea levels, ocean warming, and acidification 

affect wildlife habitat, cultural and historic 

features, coastal archeological sites, and park 

infrastructure, resulting in damage to and the 

loss of some coastal resources. Some studies 

suggest that extreme weather events such as 

thunderstorms, hurricanes, and windstorms 

that damage park infrastructure and habitat 

are increasing in frequency and intensity. 

The uncertainty of how and when specific 

impacts will become evident makes responding to climate change a challenge. Many 

questions remain unanswered, such as: How 

quickly and how much will sea level rise on 

particular coastlines? How much temperature 

increase can species and ecosystems withstand 

before widespread and irreversible changes 

occur? How will the distribution, timing, and 

intensity of precipitation change in different 

regions? The lack of certainty about specific 

impacts does not mean we should not act. 

In fact, inaction may be the riskiest decision 

of all because climate change is a long-term 

problem that carries a huge procrastination 

penalty. The NPS must begin now to develop 

long-range plans and implement strategies 

for resource protection in the face of climate 

change.

Climate Change and National Parks: Rising to 

the Challenge

The fourth and most recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on 

Climate Change (IPCC) established with certainty that the Earth’s climate 

is rapidly changing. The report states, “Warming of the climate system is 

unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global 

average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, 

and rising global average sea level.” It also states, “Most of the observed 

increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century is 

‘very likely’ due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas 

concentrations.” The term “very likely” is defined in the report as having a 

90 percent or greater probability. The planet is warming and scientists are 

90 percent certain that human activities are the cause.

National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy 5

DEFINITIONS

IPCC:

The IPCC is the leading body for 

the assessment of climate change, 

established by the United Nations 

Environment Programme (UNEP) 

and the World Meteorological 

Organization (WMO). It is a 

scientific body that reviews and 

assesses the most recent scientific, 

technical, and socio-economic 

information produced worldwide 

relevant to climate change. It is 

an intergovernmental body and 

thousands of scientists from all 

over the world contribute to the 

work of the IPCC on a voluntary 

basis. By participating in the review 

process and endorsing the IPCC 

reports, governments acknowledge 

the authority of their scientific 

content (IPCC Organization 2010).

Cascading Effect: 

This term refers to a series of 

indirect effects triggered by an 

event or change. For example, 

warming temperatures have a 

direct effect on precipitation and 

soil moisture, which can in turn 

have cascading effects on many 

aspects of ecosystems, including 

wildfire, invasive species, and 

species migration. 

Inaction may be the 

riskiest decision of 

all because climate 

change is a long 

term problem that 

carries a huge 

procrastination 

penalty.
6 National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy

Meeting the challenge of global climate 

change will require an unprecedented level 

of cooperation and collaboration. The NPS 

recognizes the risks of a changing climate and 

is committed to implementing a response initiative that will guide management actions and 

collaboration at national, regional, and park 

levels. Through the strategy presented here, 

the NPS will contribute to the scientific understanding of climate change and its effects, 

construct a framework for adaptation and 

mitigation and provide guidance on its use, 

and communicate broadly with NPS employees, partners, and the public. Some of the necessary actions to implement this strategy have 

already been initiated and others will require 

further planning and development.

Many national parks and regional offices began several years ago to reduce their carbon 

footprint and communicate the consequences 

of climate change through interpretive programs and educational materials. More than 

70 parks are now participating in the “Climate 

Friendly Parks Program,” which the NPS initiated in collaboration with the Environmental 

Protection Agency in 2002. The branch for 

Sustainable Operations and Climate Change 

was subsequently created in the Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate, emphasizing the NPS commitment to reducing 

its carbon footprint and promoting effective 

adaptation response for facilities and infrastructure.

In 2007 the NPS Director established the 

Climate Change Response Program (CCRP) 

under the Natural Resource Stewardship and 

Science (NRSS) Directorate, which is responsible for working with parks, regions, other diBuilding a Collaborative Response

rectorates, programs, and partners to develop 

a cross-cutting, interdisciplinary approach to 

dealing with climate change. To facilitate servicewide input, the Climate Change Response 

Steering Committee was created in early 2009. 

The committee serves as an advisory body to 

the CCRP and NPS leadership. The steering 

committee was preceded by several working 

groups formed ad hoc to foster communication and explore the needs and issues of parks 

and regions. Under guidance from the steering 

committee, the working groups continue to 

provide a mechanism for servicewide engagement in the development and implementation 

of the new program. 

NPS response options will be developed and 

implemented in a manner consistent with NPS 

policy and Department of the Interior (DOI) 

guidelines set forth by Secretarial Order 3289 

entitled Addressing the Impacts of Climate 

Change on America’s Water, Land, and Other 

Natural and Cultural Resources. Issued on 

September 14, 2009, the order calls upon all 

DOI bureaus to participate in a departmental 

climate change response initiative. Key organizational elements include: the establishment 

of a Climate Change Response Council within 

the Office of the Secretary; creation of eight 

Regional Climate Change Response Centers 

(now referred to as DOI Climate Science Centers) and a network of Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (to promote on-the-ground 

actions); and the initiation of the Carbon 

Storage Project (to promote removal of carbon 

dioxide from the atmosphere through biological and geological processes) and the Carbon 

Footprint Project (to promote energy-efficient 

operations). 

One of the future effects of climate change will be longer fire seasons; fires have increased in severity, frequency, and size. Yellowstone National Park, 

July 2007.

“The management 

implications 

for protecting 

species, biological 

communities, and 

physical resources 

within finite land 

management 

boundaries in a 

rapidly changing 

climate are complex 

and without 

precedent.” 

—Testimony by Jon 

Jarvis at Senate Energy 

and Natural Resources 

Committee hearing, 

October 28, 2009
National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy 7

“Warming of the 

climate system is 

unequivocal, as is 

now evident from 

observations of 

increases in global 

average air and 

ocean temperatures, 

widespread melting 

of snow and ice, and 

rising global average 

sea level.”

—IPCC 2007

Figure 1. Observed changes in (a) global average surface temperature; (b) global average sea level from tide gauge 

(blue) and satellite (red) data; and (c) Northern Hemisphere snow cover for March–April. All differences are relative 

to corresponding averages for the period 1961–1990. Smoothed curves represent decadal averaged values while 

circles show yearly values. The shaded areas are the uncertainty intervals estimated from a comprehensive analysis 

of known uncertainties (a and b) and from the time series (c). {WGI FAQ 3.1 Figure 1, Figure 4.2, Figure 5.13, Figure 

SPM.3} (from IPCC 2007).
Climate change will create novel communities 

and environments (conditions and ecosystems 

unlike any found today). Sometimes called 

“no analog” conditions, the future will be 

characterized by climatic and seasonal patterns for which we have no modern or historical reference. Current NPS planning processes 

establish baseline conditions and explore 

alternative futures that assume continuation of 

historical patterns in climate, weather, vegetation, and animal behavior. Planning for climate change cannot make those assumptions. 

As conditions and ecological relationships 

shift, effective decision making will require 

a flexible approach for incorporating new 

and relevant science. The National Research 

Council2 conducted a study in 2009 to explore 

the elements and organizational practices 

necessary for ensuring such a flexible approach. The resulting report entitled Informing Decisions in a Changing Climate calls for 

federal agencies and academic institutions to 

embrace six basic principles in building an 

effective and sustained capability for climate 

change decision support. The NPS Climate 

Change Response Strategy has adopted these 

six principles to guide in the development 

and implementation of an integrated sciencemanagement response capacity for NPS and 

its partners. 

Principle 1

Begin with managers’ needs 

Effective decision support must begin with 

collaborative problem definition. In this 

way, tools and products for managers can be 

developed specifically to assist in decision 

outcomes rather than as by-products of established research programs. While much of the 

needed knowledge will come from physical 

and ecological sciences, decision making also 

involves social, economic, cultural, and political considerations. Questions about what information is needed and why should be asked 

at the outset of building decision-support 

systems.

Principle 2

Give priority to process as well as 

products

Interpersonal interactions are critical to effective decision support. By starting with 

engagement processes that bring together 

the relevant stakeholders (e.g., managers, 

planners, park specialists, scientists, and the 

public), we can encourage the development of 

scientific and other products that are relevant 

to decision making and supportive of a shared 

vision. In order to create flexible and adaptive 

As conditions 

and ecological 

relationships shift, 

effective decision 

making will require 

a flexible approach 

for incorporating 

new and relevant 

science.

2

The National Research Council (NRC) is a U.S. science advisory body administered jointly by the National Academy 

of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. It was established in 1916 to advance 

scientific knowledge and advise the U.S. government.

Principles for Effective Decision Making in a 

Changing Climate

There is growing evidence that rising temperatures increase insect infestations. An outbreak of mountain pine beetles is killing most large lodgepole 

pines in Rocky Mountain National Park.

DEFINITIONS

Decision-Support: 

Climate change decision support 

refers to organized efforts to 

produce, disseminate, and facilitate 

the use of data and information in 

order to improve the quality and 

efficacy of climate-related decisions 

(NRC 2009). 

8 National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy
National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy 9

decision-support systems, opportunities and 

processes for engagement need to be ongoing, 

participatory, transparent, and iterative.

Principle 3

Link information providers and users 

Scientific and decision-making communities 

have different purposes, norms, and standards for accountability, which can challenge 

communication between them. Networks 

are needed that link science providers with 

the managers and their staffs who use the 

information. Existing networks, such as the 

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units, Inventory and Monitoring Networks, and other collaborations can be efficiently enhanced to facilitate climate change decision support, while 

the capacity for new partnerships is improved 

through establishment of the DOI regional 

Climate Science Centers and Landscape Conservation Cooperatives. 

Principle 4

Build connections across disciplines 

and organizations

Well-informed responses to climate change 

will require combining information from different disciplines, sectors, and organizations. 

This includes building connections at local to 

regional scales and among people with a wide 

range of technical expertise within the bureau 

and the department, other agencies, and existing partners and stakeholders.

Principle 5

Enhance institutional capacity 

Climate change decision-making systems 

need stable and evolving support. This can be 

achieved through establishing dedicated funding of climate change programs and personnel, adding flexibility to existing fund sources, 

network building with partners and knowledge providers, and establishing new decisionmaking practices. Enhancing our capacity in 

these areas at park, network, regional, and 

national scales is necessary if we are to meet 

the goals outlined in this strategy.

Principle 6

Design for learning 

The NPS needs to be an organization that is 

structured for adaptability, grounded in experience, and supports (1) the development of 

personnel, (2) the exploration of alternative 

explanations and scenarios, (3) team learning and implementation, (4) the innovation of 

ideas across an institution, and (5) approaches 

to learning and management that evolve as 

knowledge increases. 

In Yellowstone National Park, long-term drought has caused tributaries to disconnect from Yellowstone Lake, negatively affecting native fish 

species, August 2004.
10 National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy

Low water levels at the 

confluence of the Pecos River 

and the Rio Grande, Amistad 

National Recreation Area.
National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy 11

Charting a Course for Action: The Vision

The NPS adapts to climate change and effectively preserves and restores 

park resources and opportunities for visitor enjoyment. Through 

collaboration with our employees, partners, and the public the NPS teaches 

and promotes climate change science and applies the best management 

practices and sustainable behaviors toward reducing climate change and its 

impacts. 

An Integrated Approach

The NPS Climate Change Response Strategy 

features four integrated components: science, 

adaptation, mitigation, and communication. 

This approach is consistent with Secretarial 

Order 3289 and complements strategies proposed by other DOI bureaus and other agencies. The NPS will work with local, state, tribal, regional, national, and international efforts 

and other bureaus and partners to implement 

the components of the strategy.

The NPS will:

•	 Participate fully in partnerships that increase scientific understanding of climate 

change and its effects

•	 Analyze potential climate change impacts 

and adaptively apply the information to improve planning, resource conservation, and 

visitor experience

•	 Set high standards for energy efficiency and 

greenhouse gas emissions reduction

•	 Communicate broadly about climate 

change science and its impacts and the 

actions that can be taken to mitigate and 

adapt

This moat at Dry Tortugas National Park is the last layer of protection between Fort Jefferson, a 19th-century coastal fortification, and sea level rise.

“One of the most 

precious values of 

the national parks 

remains their ability 

to teach us about 

ourselves and how 

we relate to the 

natural world.”

—Testimony by Jon 

Jarvis at Senate Energy 

and Natural Resources 

Committee hearing, 

October 28, 2009
12 National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy

NPS climate change science is a multidisciplinary “stewardship science” that involves 

biophysical, socioeconomic, and cultural 

disciplines. Stewardship science considers 

national parks and surrounding areas as integrated human-ecological systems and focuses 

on ecosystem, landscape, and regional scales 

to inform natural and cultural resources and 

facility management. Key elements include the 

synthesis of existing information, research, 

inventory and monitoring, and delivery of relevant information to managers and stakeholders to support decision making. Science in the 

NPS is conducted by professional staff scientists, USGS scientists, university faculty, and 

non-governmental partners through cooperative agreements, contracts, and other collaborations and mechanisms. NPS scientific 

activities have already begun to help increase 

the institutional capacity and scientific literacy 

of park visitors and the broader public related 

to climate change. 

The following climate change science goals 

and objectives direct the NPS to expand its 

scientific capacity to (1) develop and apply 

climate change science, (2) collaborate with 

scientific agencies and institutions to advance 

climate change science from local to international levels, and (3) identify and conduct 

scientific studies and resource monitoring 

activities necessary to support NPS mitigation, 

adaptation, and communication efforts. 

Goal 1

Use the best available scientific data 

and knowledge to inform decision 

making about climate change.

Objective 1.1: Integrate climate change considerations into all science activities where 

appropriate, including research, assessments, 

planning, reporting, and operational evaluations.

Objective 1.2: Develop an integrated data system that allows efficient discovery and sharing 

of climate change data and information with 

other agencies and the public. 

State-of-the-art technology will be used to 

efficiently manage and report NPS data and 

information. The NPS will share resource information and data management technology 

with partners and will use this technology to 

ensure current scientific information is available to inform management decisions and 

educational efforts.

Goal 2 

Collaborate with partners to develop, 

test, and appropriately apply climate 

change models to NPS activities. 

Objective 2.1: Identify and characterize the 

climate attributes and variables that are most 

important to park resources, infrastructure, 

and visitor experience. 

A USGS scientist collects GPS points along the terminus of Grinnell Glacier, September 2003. Photo by Lisa McKeon, USGS.

Science

DEFINITIONS

Climate Change Models: 

A climate model is a quantitative 

way of representing the 

interactions of the atmosphere, 

oceans, land surface, and ice. 

Models are representations of a 

system that allow for investigation 

of the properties of the system 

and, in some cases, prediction of 

future outcomes (EPA 2010).

NPS scientific 

activities have 

already begun to 

help increase the 

institutional capacity 

and scientific literacy 

of park visitors and 

the broader public 

related to climate 

change. 
National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy 13

magnitude of climate effects and to support 

adaptation to rapid climate change. Monitoring to evaluate the effectiveness of management actions is a key component of adaptive 

management. 

Objective 3.3: Develop criteria with other 

federal, state, and local partners and programs 

to measure and evaluate core concepts that 

may be used to direct adaptation strategies. 

The U.S. Climate Change Science Program 

Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.4: Preliminary Review of Adaptation Options for 

Climate-Sensitive Ecosystems and Resources 

(CCSP SAP 4.4) recommends specific approaches for adaptation, such as increasing 

ecosystem resilience (the ability of a system 

to recover from stress), redundancy (maintaining more than one example of an ecosystem 

or population), connectivity (the ability for 

organisms to move from one area to another), 

and protecting refugia (places that are relatively unaffected by climate change). The NPS 

needs to verify the scientific foundation of 

these concepts and identify criteria to evaluate 

their performance so that they may be applied 

appropriately in restoration and protection of 

park resources.

Goal 4

Use best available science to evaluate 

and manage greenhouse gas storage 

and emissions in national parks.

Objective 4.1: Develop and apply a scientifically valid, standardized approach for reducing the National Park Service’s carbon footprint. 

In collaboration with other agencies, develop 

a replicable and verifiable process for measuring emissions and continuously evaluate the 

process to ensure that it is effective and uses 

advanced science, technologies, and procedures.

Objective 4.2: Collaborate with partners to 

evaluate biological carbon accounting tools 

and their appropriate application to NPS 

units.

NPS scientists and policy analysts will participate with cooperating bureaus and agencies 

to evaluate the potential for carbon storage 

and sequestration on NPS lands. We will 

also consider the possible ecological consequences that may accompany direct efforts to 

increase biological carbon sequestration on 

park lands and the compatibility of sequestration options with the NPS mission.

Conceptual models, natural resource priority vital signs and the associated ecological 

monitoring framework, and other existing 

databases can be accessed to help identify the 

most important climate variables to inform 

decision making. 

Objective 2.2: Characterize the locations and 

severity of change expected for key climate attributes.

To the extent possible, managers need details 

regarding the spatial distribution of projected 

changes in key climate attributes along with 

information about which areas are likely to 

experience relatively rapid or severe changes. 

Evaluation and interpretation of these kinds 

of data are important to inform place-based 

management of park resources. 

Objective 2.3: Facilitate development of models that can be used by managers to plan for 

and adapt to climate change impacts. 

Ecological models can project effects of climate change on plants, animals, communities, and other systems and can be used by 

managers to understand how these effects will 

impact park resources. Through science partnerships the NPS can acquire the expertise to 

help design such models, ensure that NPS data 

and knowledge are incorporated into modeling activities, and evaluate the usefulness of 

modeling results toward decision making.

Goal 3

Inventory and monitor key attributes of 

the natural systems, cultural resources, 

and visitor experiences likely to be 

affected by climate change. 

Objective 3.1: Evaluate and enhance existing 

cultural and natural inventory and monitoring 

programs to address climate change and establish new programs as needed. 

Some individual park or network programs 

(e.g., Inventory and Monitoring) will be enhanced to monitor climate-sensitive indicators 

and selected natural and cultural resources, 

including ethnographic resources and infrastructure. Work with partners may include 

monitoring important vital signs by increasing 

the number of monitored sites, frequency of 

observations, or monitoring new variables. 

Objective 3.2: Monitor, evaluate, and report 

the status and trends of park resources to facilitate adaptation planning. 

Long-term monitoring of park resource conditions is necessary to understand the rate and 

DEFINITIONS

Adaptive management:

This is a process that promotes 

flexible decision making that 

can be adjusted in the face of 

uncertainties as outcomes form 

management actions and other 

events become better understood. 

Careful monitoring of these 

outcomes both advances scientific 

understanding and helps adjust 

policies or operations as part of 

an iterative learning process (CCSP 

2008).

Resilience:

Resilience is the ability of a social 

or ecological system to absorb 

disturbances while retaining the 

same basic structure and ways of 

functioning, the capacity for selforganization, and the capacity to 

adapt to stress and change (IPCC 

2007).

Carbon Footprint:

A carbon footprint is “the 

total set of greenhouse gases 

(GHG) emissions caused by an 

organization, event or product” 

(UK Carbon Trust 2010).

Carbon Sequestration:

The uptake and storage of carbon. 

Trees and plants, for example, 

absorb carbon dioxide, release the 

oxygen, and store the carbon. Fossil 

fuels were at one time biomass and 

continue to store the carbon until 

burned (EPA 2010). 
14 National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy

In the context of climate change, adaptation 

is an adjustment in natural or human systems 

that moderates harm or exploits beneficial 

opportunities in response to change. It may 

include a variety of social, economic, or ecological responses, some of which are triggered 

naturally and others that are planned. It is in 

this realm that science is applied and action 

taken. This is a critical arena for the NPS as 

the ability to identify and implement effective 

actions in anticipation of climate change effects may determine the continued existence 

of cultural and natural resources and infrastructure on both a local and regional basis. 

Adaptation will affect virtually all NPS operations. This section of the strategy is divided 

into four subsections (1) adaptation planning, 

(2) promoting ecosystem resilience, (3) preserving cultural heritage, and (4) protecting 

facilities and infrastructure.

Adaptation Planning

Adaptation planning and implementation will 

require collaboration and coordinated actions 

among and across many jurisdictions. Therefore, the NPS approach to climate change adaptation and planning, illustrated in Figure 2, 

emphasizes steps and activities that are multidisciplinary and cross institutional boundaries. The generalized planning framework is 

constructed in the form of a logic model that 

aligns with the six principles for effective decision making (outlined in an earlier section of 

the strategy) and identifies specific products, 

tools, and approaches (such as down-scaled 

climate models, vulnerability assessments, and

scenario planning) that can be developed 

for on-the-ground adaptation planning. This 

is an adaptive framework that incorporates 

current knowledge with tools for exploring 

future uncertainty. With an increased focus on 

adaptive management and scenario planning, 

the NPS will be better equipped to respond 

to the rapid pace of decisions demanded by 

climate change. 

Goal 5

Incorporate climate change 

considerations and responses in all 

levels of NPS planning.

Objective 5.1: Complete guidance for anticipating, evaluating, and addressing climate 

change in planning products and identify resources needed to fully implement new planning guidelines.

This will involve identifying, developing, and 

linking resource databases, scenario planning 

templates, and other planning aids in addition 

to training materials for NPS managers and 

staff.

Objective 5.2: Incorporate the DOI adaptive 

management framework into routine planning to facilitate flexible responses to climate 

change as new information arises.

In Yosemite National Park, the range of pika has contracted, and the lower elevation of their ranges has moved uphill by an average of 500 feet (Moritz 

et al. 2008).

It is in this realm 

that science is 

applied and action 

taken. 

Adaptation

DEFINITIONS

Scenario Planning: 

Scenarios are plausible and often 

simplified descriptions of how the 

future may develop, based on a 

coherent and internally consistent 

set of assumptions about driving 

forces and key relationships (IPCC 

2007). 
National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy 15

Objective 5.3: Evaluate legal and policy considerations for planning and climate adaptation and revise guidance where appropriate. 

Modification to existing laws and policies may 

be necessary to clarify roles, responsibilities, 

and authorities for enacting climate change response actions (see following section on Legal 

and Policy Considerations).

Objective 5.4: Conduct scenario planning to 

explore the range of potential conditions that 

parks may experience and the possible consequences associated with particular actions. 

Scenario planning can help managers explore 

assumptions, test hypotheses, and ultimately 

develop robust strategies and actions to manage the uncertainties of climate change.

Promoting Ecosystem Resilience

Many best-management practices for conventional ecosystem stressors also reduce the 

tendency of these stressors to intensify climate 

change effects. Therefore, one approach to 

adaptation is to reduce the risk of adverse 

outcomes by increasing the resilience of systems and supporting the ability of natural 

systems and species to adapt to change. The 

NPS will apply adaptation actions to support 

resilience in a scientifically rigorous manner 

(see Objective 3.3). By focusing on resilience, 

NPS ecosystem adaptation goals and practices 

reflect current understanding of ecosystem 

dynamics, which allows managers to accommodate and respond to emerging knowledge 

of climate change effects and alternative management strategies that can lessen the impacts.

Goal 6

Implement adaptation strategies that 

promote ecosystem resilience and 

enhance restoration, conservation, and 

preservation of park resources.

Objective 6.1: Collaborate with federal, state, 

and local partners and programs to acquire, 

evaluate, and develop tools, such as vulnerability assessments and scenario planning, to 

inform the development of adaptation plans at 

appropriate scales.

Vulnerability assessments and scenario planning are two tools for adaptation that are of 

considerable interest to the NPS and other 

managers. For many NPS resources and 

scales, methods to conduct vulnerability assessments and apply scenario planning techniques have not yet been established. NPS 

scientists and managers need to be engaged in 

developing and testing the appropriate methodologies. 

Objective 6.2: Develop methods to prioritize resources that are threatened by climate 

change using scientific assessments, policy, 

management capacity, and information from 

stakeholders.

Because the NPS cannot address all climate 

change impacts, multi-step and multi-scale 

(species, communities, ecosystems, and key 

ecosystem processes) prioritization is needed 

to efficiently allocate limited resources. All prioritization relies on best available science but 

must also consider legal mandates, stakeholder 

values, and other non-scientific attributes.

The Inupiat village of Shishmaref, Alaska, is surrounded by the 2.6-million-acre Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. Severe storms have been eroding 

the shoreline, and in July 2002, residents voted to relocate the community. ©Shishmaref Alaska Erosion and Relocation Coalition.

Resilience refers 

to “the amount 

of change or 

disturbance that a 

system can absorb 

without undergoing 

a fundamental shift 

to a different set 

of processes and 

structures.” 

—CCSP 2008, page 2
16 National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy

the strategy addresses the need for this guidance, including a rigorous evaluation of the 

scientific basis for these recommended actions 

(see Objective 3.3).

Preserving the Nation’s Heritage

The preservation and protection of cultural 

resources is a core part of the National Park 

Service mission. The 2006 NPS Management 

Policies define cultural resources as “archeological resources, cultural landscapes, ethnographic resources, historic and prehistoric 

structures, and museum collections.” The 

NPS fulfills its responsibility to preserve such 

resources by working beyond park boundaries 

with State Historic Preservation Offices, other 

preservation partnerships, and community 

assistance programs. Significant cultural resources are disappearing rapidly due to high 

rates of erosion, intense weather events, and 

other factors related to climate variability and 

change. Unlike plants and animals that may 

Figure 2. Conceptual approach for collaborative adaptation planning. This approach complements existing programs 

for acquiring science by effectively engaging partners and incorporating results from monitoring the effectiveness of 

actions as a routine part of park management.

Outputs

Outcome

Frame the Issue Science/Knowledge

Assessment

Scenario Development/

Risk Assessment

Action Plan/

Implement

• List relevant time 

and space scales

• List resources and 

decisions

• Agreement on key 

scale and issues

• Establish core 

interdisciplinary 

team

• Summary of 

literature

• Climate projections

• Vulnerability 

assessment

• Expanded core team

• Science-based 

foundation for 

decisions

• List primary drivers 

and impacts

• Influence diagrams

• Scenarios

• Management 

options

• Evaluate plausible 

futures

• Shared learning

• New science agenda

• 

• 

Priority actions 

and partnership

opportunities 

Planning and

compliance

docmentation

• Climate change 

adaptation actions

• Share information

with stakeholders

In Collaboration

Track Key Indicators, Evaluate Progress and Unintended Consequences

Objective 6.3: Collaborate to develop crossjurisdictional conservation plans to protect 

and restore connectivity and other landscapescale components of resilience.

Protecting and restoring corridors (passageways that connect habitat patches) and connectivity across landscapes will require strong 

collaboration with partners and programs 

to share knowledge, develop repositories of 

genetic resources, and, where appropriate, develop cross-jurisdictional conservation.

Objective 6.4: Establish management guidance for applying adaptation recommendations put forward by the U.S. Climate Change 

Science Program Synthesis and Assessment 

Product 4.4.

The CCSP SAP 4.4 makes numerous recommendations for adaptation options but there is 

little guidance about how these options might 

be implemented or whether they are consistent with management policies. This section of 
National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy 17

capacity should be utilized for this end.

Objective 7.2: Increase the capacity and utility 

of the NPS Museum Program to preserve and 

protect resources.

Museum collections provide unique data 

for understanding the genetic diversity of 

populations, past community and ecosystem 

structure, and past climate variability. Such 

information provides critical, cost-effective 

scientific evidence to guide management decisions.

Objective 7.3: Strengthen partnerships with 

traditionally associated peoples through consultation and civic engagement to ensure the 

preservation of ethnographically significant 

resources and continued access to these resources. 

Federal law, executive orders, and NPS policy 

recognize certain resources have special significance for traditionally associated peoples, 

and the NPS response to climate change must 

include consultation and civic engagement regarding such cultural resources

Objective 7.4: Expand NPS capacity to conduct inventory and monitoring of archeological sites in anticipation of climate change 

impacts and support curation of artifacts and 

associated documentation.

Archeological data provide insight into climatic changes over the long term as well as 

the human responses to such alterations. The 

NPS will work with partners to form strategies to document significant sites before their 

destruction and make the results available to a 

broad constituency.

In a warmer future, the Joshua tree may not be able to survive in much of its current range, including all or major parts of Joshua Tree National Park. 

Photo by Becky Augustine.

adapt to changing circumstances by migrating, 

many cultural resources are fixed in place on 

the landscape. Most cannot be moved except 

at great cost and by incurring severe damage and loss of integrity. Cultural resources 

are unique: they do not reproduce; once lost, 

they are lost forever. As leaders in cultural resource preservation, the NPS must contribute 

to a larger national effort to aggressively seek 

short- and long-term solutions to ensure the 

preservation of cultural resources most at risk 

to the adverse effects of climate change.

NPS resource adaptation decisions could 

particularly affect traditionally associated 

peoples, for whom there is little distinction 

between natural and cultural resources. Many 

natural resources—animals, plants, water, and 

air quality—are considered ethnographically 

significant resources to many people and play 

important roles in supporting social, cultural, 

and economic systems. Therefore, consultation with indigenous groups and partners is 

a critical element of any adaptation plan or 

strategy.

Goal 7

Develop, prioritize, and implement 

management strategies to preserve 

climate-sensitive cultural resources.

Objective 7.1: Use the best available science 

to develop and apply a process to prioritize 

cultural resource adaptation projects that 

combine established management tools with 

newer methods, such as vulnerability assessments. 

Management decision-making tools that 

consider long-term treatment options for archeological sites, historic structures, and other 

cultural resources to increase resilience and 

Consultation with 

indigenous groups 

and partners is a 

critical element of 

any adaptation plan 

or strategy.
18 National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy

Protecting Facilities and 

Infrastructure

Adaptation efforts for facilities and infrastructure will focus on (1) incorporating climate 

change science information into facilities decision processes, (2) enhancing collaborations, 

(3) inventory and risk assessment, (4) incorporating sustainable design and adaptation actions into new projects and major renovations, 

(5) taking actions to address park operations 

that contribute to climate change, and (6) 

ensuring all projects meet minimum sustainability standards. This will involve changing 

employee behavior. 

Goal 8

Enhance the sustainable design, 

construction, and maintenance of park 

infrastructure.

Objective 8.1: Consider climate change 

vulnerability assessments and scenarios in 

decision processes for project approval and 

funding.

The NPS will evaluate the best use of limited 

funds as an increasing number of buildings 

and structures are affected by climate change. 

For example, some critical structures must be 

protected, but managers may choose to defer 

major investments in infrastructure located in 

areas known to be the most vulnerable to the 

effects of climate change. 

Objective 8.2: Collaborate with federal, state, 

and local partners and programs to identify 

sustainability and adaptation designs for planning, design, and construction documents. 

Efforts will include maintenance of central offices as well as park facilities, concessions, and 

jointly managed resources. Particular attention 

will be paid to working with State Historic 

Preservation Offices, tribes, and preservation 

groups to develop technical guidance for increasing efficient, strategic, adaptive reuse or 

green rehabilitation techniques and materials 

and promotion of federal and state tax credits.

Objective 8.3: Inventory high-risk facilities, 

assets, infrastructure, and utilities servicewide; 

determine priorities for protection and adaptation; and implement actions.

Where appropriate and feasible, critical park 

infrastructure and operations vulnerable to 

the effects of climate change will be protected 

or relocated; where inappropriate, NPS will 

identify and implement alternative actions.

Objective 8.4: Incorporate sustainable designs 

in new construction and substantial restoration or rehabilitation of facilities where feasible.

Examples include decisions on climatevulnerable locations, design of movable or 

resilient structures, consideration of nontraditional operating schedules, non-structural 

alternatives to accommodate visitor and employee use or appreciation of the park, and 

co-location of facilities with gateway communities and other agencies or partners in more 

resilient locations.

Objective 8.5: Incorporate sustainability and 

climate change adaptation into the maintenance and operation of existing facilities and 

programs.

Review and revise all relevant NPS facilities 

operations, rehabilitation, and maintenance 

programs, practices and policies to consider 

increased climate variability and environmental events. 

Objective 8.6: Revise the Development Advisory Board (DAB) guidelines to require LEED 

(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification on all NPS projects. 

The Kaloko fishpond kuapä (seawall) of Hawai‘i is threatened by rising sea levels related to climate change.
National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy 19

Most NPS activities, decisions, and planning 

affect greenhouse gas emissions and storage. 

Therefore, responding to climate change begins with limiting NPS emissions and incorporating mitigation practices into all aspects of 

NPS management and operations. Reducing 

the carbon footprint of NPS operations can 

often be implemented through low-cost opportunities, such as efficiency and conservation measures that generate high returns on 

investment. Park managers and staff can take 

steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 

generated within park boundaries as well as 

through NPS activities outside park boundaries. The result will be to demonstrate leadership by example to park visitors, partners, and 

communities.

The NPS can also promote land management that enhances carbon storage and other 

ecosystem services, provided approaches are 

scientifically valid (see Goal 4) and remain 

consistent with NPS policies. The Energy 

Independence and Security Act of 2007 gave 

the DOI responsibility to assess the potential 

for geological (underground) and biological 

(within soil and vegetation) carbon sequestration to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. 

NPS Management Policies (2006) require the 

agency to “preserve naturally evolving ecosystems.” Therefore, management actions that 

sequester biological carbon on NPS lands 

must be linked to restoration or enhancement 

of ecological integrity. 

Goal 9

Substantially reduce the National Park 

System’s carbon footprint from 2008 

levels by 2016 through aggressive commitment to environmentally preferable 

operations.

Objective 9.1: Implement a servicewide 2008 

baseline inventory of greenhouse gas emissions that accounts for all National Park System activities within the parks and NPS activities outside the parks.

Greening the NPS extends beyond making 

park operations more sustainable. Central 

office activities, business travel by NPS staff, 

and myriad bureau activities that take place in 

communities across the nation will be inventoried as part of NPS greenhouse gas accounting.

Objective 9.2: Develop Climate Friendly Action Plans so that every park, park concession, 

and administrative office promotes energy 

and water conservation; supports alternative 

transportation, infrastructure, programs, and 

policies; and eliminates waste. 

Action plans will guide the NPS to use sustainable facility design and operation, behavior 

change, new technology, environmentally 

preferable procurement, recycling, and wastewater recovery and treatment—a whole systems approach—to guide the agency toward a 

climate-friendly National Park System.

One way that parks demonstrate their commitment to environmentally sustainable practices is through the use of hybrid vehicles, Great Smoky 

Mountains National Park, June 2007.

Mitigation

Park managers 

and staff can take 

steps to reduce 

greenhouse gas 

emissions generated 

within park 

boundaries as well 

as through NPS 

activities outside 

park boundaries.
20 National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy

tored into planning strategies and decision 

making at all levels. Develop direction for consistent evaluation through the NPS planning 

and environmental compliance process.

Objective 10.2: Mandate integration of greenhouse gas reduction strategies that are consistent with NPS resource stewardship responsibilities into current operational practices.

This will include all new construction, renovations, and the rehabilitation of historic 

buildings when it can be accomplished in conformance with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.

Objective 10.3: Integrate greenhouse gas 

reduction into Environmental Management 

Systems (EMS), procurement, design and 

construction contracts, and new commercial 

services contracts and agreements.

Automating EMS and energy reporting will 

allow the NPS to streamline reporting, track 

progress, increase accountability, and make 

better servicewide decisions for greenhouse 

gas management in park operations

Objective 10.4: Aggressively promote the 

expanded use of flexible schedule and telecommuting arrangements for NPS employees 

where it will save energy and improve productivity without compromising public services.

Goal 11

Promote biological carbon sequestration as a function of healthy ecosystems.

Objective 11.1: Leverage participation in 

the DOI Carbon Storage Project to evaluate 

the science, develop policies, provide technical guidance, and promote best management 

practices for carbon sequestration where it is 

consistent with NPS policies and mission (see 

Goals 4 and 6).

Objective 9.3: Participate in the Department 

of the Interior’s Carbon Footprint Project to 

develop and implement a unified greenhouse 

gas emission reduction program.

Objective 9.4: Support the development and 

application of renewable energy and the use 

of renewable energy technology in a manner 

consistent with the NPS mission.

Actively engage with neighbors and other 

stakeholders regarding renewable energy development where there is a potential benefit to 

NPS conservation. Develop guidance to assist 

NPS field managers in fulfilling the Secretary 

of the Interior’s commitment to transform the 

Nation’s energy system “in a thoughtful and 

balanced way.... that allows us to protect our 

signature landscapes, natural resources, wildlife and cultural resources” (Salazar 2009).

Objective 9.5: Investigate the effectiveness, 

applications, and verification for using carbon 

offset programs in NPS operations and visitor 

recreation.

Carbon neutrality for the NPS cannot occur without offsetting some greenhouse gas 

emissions. The NPS will support creative and 

effective greenhouse gas reduction projects in 

gateway communities and investigate the development of an internal “market” for carbon 

credits.

Goal 10

Integrate climate change mitigation 

into NPS business practices.

Objective 10.1: Identify and evaluate greenhouse gas reduction options in general 

management plans and other planning and 

environmental compliance documents and 

processes.

The greenhouse gas impacts of management 

alternatives need to be considered and facIn Glacier National Park ongoing efforts are reducing emissions of park and concessions operations and developing sustainable green practices.
National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy 21

Known internationally for excellence in 

communicating about natural and cultural 

resources and national park values, to more 

than 300 million visitors every year, the NPS 

is uniquely positioned to raise awareness of 

the effects of climate change on our parks. 

New information on climate science, ecological and social responses, adaptation planning, 

management strategies, and associated topics 

is proliferating rapidly. The volume, technical nature, and diversity of this information 

requires the NPS to lead a structured and coordinated effort to identify information most 

relevant to the NPS mission and make it accessible to all NPS employees, volunteers, partners, and gateway communities. To increase 

awareness, NPS communication professionals 

will learn effective strategies for conveying 

accurate climate change information to a 

wide range of audiences. Agency personnel 

will facilitate dialogue about possible climate 

change scenarios, encourage practices that 

support sustainability, and provide programs 

and services that enable individuals to achieve 

solutions.

Goal 12

Coordinate and distribute climate 

change information throughout the 

National Park Service.

Objective 12.1: Provide public access to the 

climate-related research and expertise of NPS 

staff and other agencies through a web-based 

portal and other appropriate communication 

methods. 

Objective 12.2: Collaborate with technical 

experts to produce and distribute summaries 

of relevant research on climate change and 

management response strategies. 

Objective 12.3: Develop capacity to communicate within the NPS about the impacts 

and significance of climate science and related 

aspects of natural and cultural resources.

Goal 13

Increase climate change knowledge 

and understanding within the National 

Park Service.

Objective 13.1: Train employees in climate 

change literacy to enhance leadership and 

decision making at all agency levels and with 

partners and the public.

Expand existing climate change education 

programs such as “Earth to Sky,” a collaboration between NPS interpreters and the scientists of the National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration (NASA) and develop new 

seminars and courses to provide information 

about climate change and its consequences for 

park management and staff.

Objective 13.2: Routinely emphasize and 

highlight climate change information in internal communications.

The NPS strives to raise public awareness about the implications of climate change for national parks.

Communication

“There is a great 

need at this time 

for messages that 

communicate the 

complexities of 

climate change and 

the actions that can 

be taken.”

—Jon Jarvis

Field hearing

at Joshua Tree, 

April 7, 2009
22 National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy

The NPS will leverage existing programs for 

science communication such as the Research 

Learning Centers to engage young people in 

climate change projects, greenhouse gas inventories, and other park-based communication activities. 

Goal 15

Model and communicate sustainable 

practices that lead by example.

Objective 15.1: Demonstrate how the public 

can reduce the impacts of climate change in 

their own lives and in national parks by interpreting NPS sustainable practices including 

agency operations, facilities, and use of technologies.

Through the Climate Friendly Parks Program 

an education campaign called “Do Your Part” 

has been initiated that encourages visitors to 

reduce their carbon footprint. Best practices 

can be communicated through this program to 

encourage action and resource stewardship.

Goal 14

Provide external communications 

about the implications of climate 

change and the National Park Service 

response 

Objective 14.1: Develop key agency messages 

about climate change and provide guidance on 

their use.

The complexities of climate change policy, 

science, and management challenge the ability 

to identify and communicate clear, consistent, 

and compelling messages. Messages based on 

best available science will help parks engage 

the public and develop media in collaboration 

with communities, tribes, and other stakeholders in ways that are consistent servicewide.

Objective 14.2: Create interpretive products 

and programs that educate general audiences 

about the impacts of climate change and climate friendly technologies and practices.

Objective 14.3: Create opportunities for 

teachers and students to learn about climate 

change in the national parks and how their 

actions make a difference in the parks and at 

home.

Key NPS messages: 

Climate change is 

happening and human activities are 

contributing to and 

accelerating it.

Changing climate 

has consequences 

for parks, people, 

and the planet. 

The NPS is responding with practices 

that address climate 

change. 

The choices we 

make now may help 

to avoid catastrophic 

impacts in the future.

NPS ranger interacting with a group of children at Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park.
National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy 23

Most resource protection laws with which the 

NPS must comply were not written considering a changing climate. As a result, it is necessary to reestablish servicewide consistency in 

interpreting the NPS mission and mandates 

within the context of climate change in order 

to uphold the mission and comply with all 

relevant laws and regulations while implementing response actions. Before committing 

to certain actions, especially with regard to 

climate change adaptation, several overarching 

questions must be addressed:

1. How does the NPS reconcile its definition 

of “natural” (absence of human dominance 

over the landscape) with the effects on resources resulting from climate changes that 

are understood to be caused, at least in part, 

by human activities? How does the NPS comply with mandates and policies for conservation and maintenance of natural conditions?

2. How does the NPS comply with mandates 

and policies for protection of cultural resources as climate change threatens the integrity 

and even existence of some resources?

3. How does the NPS respond in cases where 

climate change results in the loss of resources 

specifically listed in a park’s enabling legislation? Should the NPS change a park’s purpose 

as a result?

4. How does the NPS comply with the “no 

impairment” mandate when the geographic 

range and even existence of resources is 

threatened by climate change?

5. How will the NPS comply with laws and 

regulations that do not take into account climate change?

6. Under what circumstances is active manipulation/intervention (e.g., assisted migration or 

colonization) desirable or warranted to save a 

species?

7. How can managers design ecosystem restoration treatments in consideration of climate 

change?

8. What strategies (e.g., develop or purchase 

renewable energy, utilize carbon credits, receive carbon offset investments) and carbonaccounting methods can and should the NPS 

use to reduce its carbon footprint and/or 

achieve carbon neutrality in the future?

Present NPS management policies are probably sufficient to guide many potential climate change response actions, provided the 

best available science is used, decisions are 

transparent and carefully documented, and 

comply with all applicable legal requirements. 

As the number and variety of climate change 

response actions rises, however, increased 

importance will be placed on working within 

a legal and policy framework that ensures the 

legality, consistency, and appropriateness of 

management decisions in this context. 

Continued development of strategic, adaptive, 

and collaborative climate change responses 

to support the NPS mission remains a priority. Actions will promote strong cooperation 

and global leadership, and build on collective 

knowledge to create innovative solutions to 

protect resources and provide for the enjoyment of America’s national parks during this 

unprecedented global challenge. The NPS is 

committed now, more than ever, to protecting the Nation’s irreplaceable natural and 

cultural resources by providing leadership to 

reduce consumption of resources and provide 

outstanding educational examples as it approaches its centennial anniversary of successful stewardship in 2016.

Legal and Policy Considerations
24 National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy

Alternative fuel shuttle buses 

at Glacier National Park provide 

alternative transportation to 

park visitors and reduce traffic.
National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy 25

Conclusion and Next Steps

Stewardship takes on special significance within the National Park Service. 

Preserving and enhancing natural and cultural resources and maintaining 

and improving park facilities involves caring for a legacy—an inheritance 

that inspires people today and will stir the imaginations of future 

generations.

objectives are included that describe specific 

results and rationales defined by the National 

Park Service. This approach will be complemented by an additional implementation plan, 

developed over the following 18 months, that 

describes how the NPS will meet these goals 

through a collaborative and coordinated set of 

actions.

This National Park 

Service Climate 

Change Response 

Strategy articulates 

an ambitious plan 

to address the 

consequences of 

climate change for 

the National Park 

System through 

objectives based on 

science, mitigation, 

adaptation, and 

communication.

Strategic planning to address the effects of 

climate change requires careful consideration 

of how environmental factors affect long-term 

goals, objectives, and actions. This National 

Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy

articulates an ambitious plan to address the 

consequences of climate change for the National Park System through objectives based 

on science, mitigation, adaptation, and communication. Advanced outcomes and general 
26 National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy

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Program. 2010. Becoming a Climate Friendly 

Park. http://www.nps.gov/climatefriendlyparks/bcfp/bcfp.html (accessed July 2, 2010). 

National Research Council (NRC) 2009. Informing decisions in a changing climate. Panel on 

strategies and methods for climate-related 

decision support, committee on the human 

dimensions of global change. Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. 

National Academies Press, Washington, D.C. 

USA. p. S-1.

Salazar, K. 2009. Statement of Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior, before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, on 

energy development on the public lands and 

outer continental shelf, March 17, 2009. Department of the Interior. http://www.doi.gov/

ocl/2006/OCSEnergyDevelopment_031709.

htm (accessed June 23, 2010).

Schwartz, P. 1996. The art of the long view: Planning for the future in an uncertain world. New 

York, Doubleday. 

Secretarial Order 3289. 2009. Addressing the 

impacts of climate change on America’s water, 

land and other natural and cultural resources. 

14 September 2009.

UK Carbon Trust. 2010. Carbon Footprint. 

http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/cut-carbonreduce-costs/calculate/carbon-footprinting/

pages/carbon-footprinting.aspx (accessed August 15, 2010).

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. 2010. Landscape 

Conservation Cooperatives. http://www.fws.

gov/science/SHC/lcc.html (accessed July 1, 

2010).
National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy 27

Glossary

Adaptation: Adjustment in natural or human 

systems in response to actual or expected 

climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities. 

Various types of adaptation can be distinguished, including anticipatory, autonomous 

and planned adaptation: 

Anticipatory adaptation: Adaptation that takes 

place before impacts of climate change are 

observed. Also referred to as proactive adaptation.

Autonomous adaptation: Adaptation that does 

not constitute a conscious response to climatic 

stimuli but is triggered by ecological changes 

in natural systems and by market or welfare 

changes in human systems. Also referred to as 

spontaneous adaptation.

Planned adaptation: Adaptation that is the result of a deliberate policy decision, based on 

an awareness that conditions have changed or 

are about to change and that action is required 

to return to, maintain, or achieve a desired 

state. (IPCC 2007:869)

Adaptive management: A process that promotes 

flexible decision making that can be adjusted 

in the face of uncertainties as outcomes form 

management actions and other events become better understood. Careful monitoring 

of these outcomes both advances scientific 

understanding and helps adjust policies or 

operations as part of an iterative learning 

process. It also recognizes the importance of 

natural variability in contributing to ecological 

resilience and productivity. (CCSP 2008:1)

Carbon footprint: A carbon footprint is the 

total set of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions 

caused by an organization, event or product. 

(UK Carbon Trust 2010)

Carbon sequestration: The uptake and storage of carbon. Trees and plants, for example, 

absorb carbon dioxide, release the oxygen and 

store the carbon. Fossil fuels were at one time 

biomass and continue to store the carbon until 

burned. (EPA 2010)

Cascading effects: refer to a series of indirect 

effects triggered by an event or change. 

For example, warming temperatures have 

a direct effect on precipitation and soil 

moisture, which can in turn have cascading effects on many aspects of ecosystems, 

including wildfire, invasive species, and animal migration.

Climate change: Climate change refers to any 

change in climate over time, whether due 

to natural variability or as a result of human 

activity. This usage differs from that in the 

United Nations Framework Convention on 

Climate Change (UNFCCC), which defines 

‘climate change’ as: ‘a change of climate which 

is attributed directly or indirectly to human 

activity that alters the composition of the 

global atmosphere and which is in addition to 

natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods. (IPCC 2007:871).

Climate friendly action plan: A description 

of the actions—policies, programs, and measures—the park will take to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. (NPS Climate Friendly 

Parks Program 2010)

Climate Friendly Parks Program: The Climate 

Friendly Parks program provides parks with 

the tools and resources to address climate 

change. The program aims to provide national 

parks with comprehensive support to address 

climate change both within park boundaries 

and the surrounding community. (Climate 

Friendly Parks Program 2010)

Climate Model: A quantitative way of representing the interactions of the atmosphere, oceans, 

land surface, and ice. Models can range from 

relatively simple to quite comprehensive. (EPA 

2010)

Decision Support: Organized efforts to produce, disseminate, and facilitate the use of 

data and information in order to improve the 

quality and efficacy of climate-related decisions. (NRC 2009:S-1)

Ecosystem services: Ecological processes or 

functions having monetary or non-monetary 

value to individuals or society at large. There 

are (i) supporting services such as productivity 

or biodiversity maintenance, (ii) provisioning 

services such as food, fibre, or fish, (iii) regulating services such as climate regulation or 

carbon sequestration, and (iv) cultural services 

such as tourism or spiritual and aesthetic appreciation. (IPCC 2007:874)

Greenhouse gas: Greenhouse gases are those 

gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both 

natural and anthropogenic, that absorb and 

emit radiation at specific wavelengths within 

the spectrum of infrared radiation emitted 

by the Earth’s surface, the atmosphere, and 

clouds. This property causes the greenhouse 

effect. Water vapour (H2O), carbon dioxide 

(CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) 
28 National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy

and ozone (O3) are the primary greenhouse 

gases in the Earth’s atmosphere. As well as 

CO2, N2O, and CH4, the Kyoto Protocol 

deals with the greenhouse gases sulphur 

hexafluoride (SF6), hydrofluorocarbons 

(HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs). (IPCC 

2007:875)

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: 

The IPCC is the leading body for the assessment of climate change, established by the 

United Nations Environment Programme 

(UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). It is a scientific body that 

reviews and assesses the most recent scientific, technical and socio-economic information produced worldwide relevant to climate 

change. It is an intergovernmental body and 

thousands of scientists from all over the world 

contribute to the work of the IPCC on a voluntary basis. By participating in the review 

process and endorsing the IPCC reports, governments acknowledge the authority of their 

scientific content. (IPCC Organization 2010) 

Landscape Conservation Cooperatives: 

Landscape Conservation Cooperatives are 

management-science partnerships that inform 

integrated resource management actions addressing climate change and other stressors 

within and across landscapes. (USFWS 2010) 

Mitigation: An anthropogenic intervention 

to reduce the anthropogenic forcing of the 

climate system; it includes strategies to reduce greenhouse gas sources and emissions 

and enhancing greenhouse gas sinks. (IPCC 

2007:878)

Refugia: Physical environments that are less 

affected by climate change than other areas 

(e.g., due to local currents, geographic location, etc.) and are thus a “refuge” from climate 

change for organisms.(SAP 4.4)

Resilience: The ability of a social or ecological 

system to absorb disturbances while retaining 

the same basic structure and ways of functioning, the capacity for self-organization, and the 

capacity to adapt to stress and change. (IPCC 

2007:880)

Scenario: A plausible and often simplified description of how the future may develop, 

based on a coherent and internally consistent 

set of assumptions about driving forces and 

key relationships. Scenarios may be derived 

from projections, but are often based on additional information from other sources, sometimes combined with a ‘narrative storyline’. (IPCC 

2007:881)

Scenario Planning: Scenario planning is a vehicle for taking an imaginative look into the 

future by creating stories about several equally 

plausible futures. The purpose of scenario 

planning “is to make strategic decisions that 

will be sound for all plausible futures.” Scenarios are not predictions and the end result 

is not an accurate picture of tomorrow – but 

they can result in better decisions for the future. (Schwartz 1996:xiv)

Stewardship science: Stewardship science is 

place-based, mission-driven, disciplinary, 

multi- and interdisciplinary, often at landscape 

and ecosystem scale, and increasingly focused 

on coupled natural/human systems that include cultural and natural resources and that 

extend beyond individual park boundaries. 

(Machlis 2010)

Vulnerability: Vulnerability is the degree to 

which a system is susceptible to, and unable to 

cope with, adverse effects of climate change, 

including climate variability and extremes. 

Vulnerability is a function of the character, 

magnitude, and rate of climate change and 

variation to which a system is exposed, its 

sensitivity, and its adaptive capacity. (IPCC 

2007:883)
NPS, September 2010 

For additional Information, please contact the NPS Climate Change Response Program Office 

climate_change@nps.gov or visit the website at www.nps.gov/climatechange.

Climate Change Response Steering Committee:

Dick Bahr, Deanna Dulen, Mary Foley, Dave Graber, John Gross, Pat Kenney, Dan Kimball, Bob Krumenaker, 

Julie Thomas McNamee, John Morris, Don Neubacher, Shawn Norton, Daniel Odess, Tom Olliff, Mary Riddle, 

Margo Schwadron, Dan Sealy, David Vekasy, Leigh Welling (Chair)

Writing Team:

Ben Bobowski, John Gross, Kassandra Hardy, Bob Krumenaker, John Morris, Daniel Odess, Tom Olliff, Mary 

Riddle, Matt Rose, Melanie Wood

Layout and Design: 

Tami Blackford, Mary Ann Franke, Angie Richman, Janine Waller, Emily Yost

Editing Team: 

Tami Blackford, Mary Ann Franke, Diane Liggett, Virginia Reams, Angie Richman, Janine Waller, Leigh Welling, 

Emily Yost 
National Park Service

Climate Change Response Program

1201 Oakridge Drive

Fort Collins, Colorado 80525

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

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