Climate Change Action Plan 2012–2014

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Climate Change Response Program
Golden Gate National Recreation Area California, is one 

of many coastal parks experiencing rising sea level.

NPS photo courtesy Will Elder.

 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents

1

2

3

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR.................................... 4

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................ 6

CONTEXT FOR ACTION............................................ 8

National Directives ............................................. 9

A Servicewide Climate Change Response...................... 9

The Role of the NPS in a Changing Climate .................. 10

Flexible Planning .............................................. 11

IDENTIFYING NEAR-TERM PRIORITIES......................... 12

Criteria for Prioritization ...................................... 13

Eight Emphasis Areas for Action............................... 13

Table 1: NPS Commitments to 

High-Priority Actions .......................................... 20

PREPARING FOR NEW CHALLENGES 

AND OPPORTUNITIES ........................................... 28

What to Expect in the Next Few Years ........................ 29

The Road Ahead ............................................... 32

CONCLUSION ................................................... 34

National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan 2012-2014 
Letter from the Director

Almost one hundred years ago – long before “the greenhouse effect” or “sea level rise” or even “climate change” were common concepts – a two-page Congressional bill signed by President 

Woodrow Wilson christened the National Park Service (NPS). Two years later, a similarly brief letter 

from Interior Secretary Lane to NPS Director Stephen Mather framed the agency’s first management 

policies, prescribing a vision of national parks as areas “maintained in absolutely unimpaired form 

for the use of future generations as well as those of our own time...faithfully preserve(d) for posterity 

in essentially their natural state.” 

As we anticipate our upcoming centennial anniversary, the reality of change seems to shout from the 

land. How different the world is now from that of our founding in 1916 and how complicated is our 

charge to faithfully preserve all national park units for posterity. Yet meeting this responsibility could 

not be more important than it is today.

Over recent months, the National Park System Advisory Board’s Science Committee tackled critical questions regarding NPS 

resource management goals and policies in context of our changing world and landscapes. In the report Revisiting Leopold: 

Resource Stewardship in the National Parks is an important declaration, that to preserve ecological integrity and cultural and 

historical authenticity, NPS resource management should “steward NPS resources for continuous change that is not yet fully 

understood.” 

Continuous change and uncertainty – climate change embodies both. Yet these are not new facets of park management. Conditions 

change and decisions must always be made with some level of uncertainty. However, uncertainty is not the same as knowing 

nothing. Building on the NPS Climate Change Response Strategy, the Climate Change Action Plan guides us in incorporating 

uncertainty while moving forward with science-informed actions and engaging, amongst ourselves and with our visitors and 

partners, in a deeper, ongoing dialogue about how we continue meeting our stewardship responsibility in these new times. 

The Action Plan articulates the unique contribution the NPS can make at local, national and international levels in responding to 

climate change. Among the high-priority “no regrets” actions presented here are many that parks can pursue to support resilience 

and sustainability within their ongoing resource and facility management operations. These are not the only actions we should take, 

but they provide examples that may be emulated or built upon. The Action Plan provides criteria and areas of emphasis that help 

frame the priority actions we can collectively take now, while at the same time offering flexibility for innovation and ingenuity. It 

also acknowledges some of the changes on the horizon and begins to articulate ways we can prepare now to meet these changes.

4 LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
The actions we have already taken to address climate change and sustainability have prepared us well to continue to forge ahead. 

Our interpreters and educators have come a long way in becoming comfortable talking about climate change. We now know 

through social science conducted in parks that our visitors are looking to NPS staff for honest dialogue about this critical issue. 

We must continue to provide this service to our public by utilizing the tried and true interpretive techniques and embracing new 

approaches, like facilitated dialogue, to delve deeper into the conversation about climate change. The communication actions we 

take today are critically important in setting the tone for how the NPS will continue to reach out to visitors and our communities 

in the future. 

Looking back to the context of the prevailing, early 20th-century sentiments for development and prosperity, the vision of 

“setting aside” areas to conserve as national parks in an “unimpaired” condition was a remarkable, forward-thinking idea. It 

remains a humbling responsibility, and a challenging task, perhaps now more than ever. Our response to climate change must be 

equally forward thinking. With this Climate Change Action Plan, we continue that journey together to shepherd in a new century 

of management in the NPS.

 

 

 Jonathan B. Jarvis

 DIRECTOR, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

 November 2012

National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan 2012-2014 5
Urban landscapes of the National Mall 

and Memorial Parks, District of Columbia, 

experience changes to phenology and water 

levels. NPS photo.

6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Executive Summary

The National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan follows on the Climate Change Response Strategy, released in 2010, in providing guidance to help park 

managers and staff effectively plan for and respond to climate change today and in the years ahead. It is intended 

primarily for internal use by the National Park Service 

(NPS) workforce. At its core, the Action Plan articulates a 

set of high-priority no-regrets actions the NPS is currently undertaking, or is committed to undertake, in the 

next one to two years. The Action Plan also acknowledges 

how changing social and environmental conditions, 

including advances in science and information technology, will require new thinking and new approaches, and 

suggests ways in which the NPS might prepare to meet 

the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The Plan 

is divided into three sections. 

IN SECTION I: CONTEXT FOR ACTION, we identify federal and NPS-specific guidelines that direct and support 

implementation of climate change science, adaptation, 

mitigation, and communication actions. We also include a 

brief background on the establishment and organization 

of the Servicewide Climate Change Response Program. 

Two new NPS documents, A Call to Action and the Green 

Parks Plan, along with recommendations put forward in 

the recently released report, Revisiting Leopold: Resource 

Stewardship in the National Parks, offer opportunities 

to leverage the Climate Change Action Plan with other 

important, visionary initiatives. The NPS has important 

and unique responsibilities both inside and outside park 

boundaries that contribute to national and international 

solutions for climate change. We are setting examples that 

others can emulate. 

SECTION II: IDENTIFYING NEAR-TERM PRIORITIES

outlines criteria for immediate actions needed to begin to 

incorporate climate change considerations into all aspects 

of NPS operations. This is not a “do more with less” 

approach but provides a tool to identify cost-effective 

actions that deliver results. Table 1 displays high-priority 

actions, grouped according to eight emphasis areas, 

together with identification of the NPS programs responsible for the actions and how the actions are relevant to 

parks. Park and program managers will recognize many 

initiatives in which they are already involved or can play 

a role in implementing. The high-priority no-regrets 

actions represent a framework for building capacity and 

meeting on-the-ground needs for information and tools. 

They can be applied or expanded upon as appropriate to 

the circumstances of park or regional operations. 

SECTION III: PREPARING FOR NEW CHALLENGES 

AND OPPORTUNITIES describes how park and program 

managers might consider additional actions in anticipation of future conditions. New developments that unfold 

over the next several years and beyond will help shape 

our actions. While we cannot unequivocally know what 

the future may hold, we can be fairly confident of some 

dynamics and conditions that will emerge based on evidence we see today. 

Overall, the Action Plan aims toward building a flexible and coordinated NPS capacity to cope with climate 

change as it affects park resources and operations now 

and for decades to come. It articulates specific near-term 

actions, as well as developments on the horizon. It is 

meant to be flexible and, as such, will require frequent 

review and revision. The actions in the plan will be 

reviewed annually and a substantive revision conducted 

in 2014. We intend the Action Plan to provide guidance, 

inspiration, and motivation to act. 

National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan 2012-2014 7

A CALL TO ACTION

www.nps.gov/calltoaction/ 

CLIMATE CHANGE RESPONSE STRATEGY

www.nps.gov/climatechange/

GREEN PARKS PLAN

http://www.nps.gov/greenparksplan/ 
PREPARING FOR NEW CHALLENGES 

AND OPPORTUNITIES

1. A Service-wide Response

2. The Unique Contribution of the NPS

1

3. Flexible Planning

CONTEXT FOR ACTION

National Directives

A Servicewide Climate Change Response

The Role of the NPS in a Changing Climate

Flexible Planning

Warmer temperatures in Denali 

National Park, Alaska, and other 

mountain parks cause treeline to 

shift to higher elevations and reduce 

suitable habitat for alpine species. 

NPS photo.

8 CONTEXT FOR ACTION
NATIONAL DIRECTIVES 

The National Park Service (NPS) climate change response operates within several federal directives 

introduced since 2007 to reduce emissions of greenhouse 

gases (GHGs), achieve sustainability, and implement science and planning tools for adaptation. 

These directives invoke two fundamental tactics that 

address climate change: (1) mitigation (activities that 

either reduce GHG emissions or enhance their removal 

from the atmosphere) and (2) adaptation (activities that 

help people and natural systems better cope with climate change effects by moderating harm or exploiting 

beneficial opportunities). The 2010 NPS Climate Change 

Response Strategy, coupled with two implementation 

plans—this Climate Change Action Plan, and the recently 

released Green Parks Plan—put the federal directives for 

climate change adaptation and mitigation into practice for 

the NPS.

A SERVICEWIDE CLIMATE CHANGE 

RESPONSE

In 2007 the NPS Director established the Climate Change 

Response Program (CCRP) under the Natural Resource 

Stewardship and Science (NRSS) Directorate, with the 

charge of working with parks, regions, other directorates, 

programs, and partners to develop a cross-cutting, interdisciplinary approach to respond to the challenges of climate change. To facilitate servicewide input and explore 

the needs and issues of parks, several ad hoc working 

groups were formed beginning in 2008. A Climate Change 

Steering Committee, created in early 2009, consisted of 

park, regional, and Washington office representatives, to 

foster communication and guide the development of a 

servicewide strategy. The NPS secured base funding for 

the CCRP beginning FY2010, and the Climate Change 

Response Strategy was launched in September 2010.

The Strategy outlines a series of NPS goals and objectives 

nested within four major components: science, adaptation, mitigation, and communication. In the strategy, 

Director Jarvis created the Climate Change Coordinating Group (CCCG) to guide the servicewide program. 

The CCCG comprises four associate directors: Natural 

Resource Stewardship & Science, Cultural Resources & 

Science, Interpretation & Education, and Park Planning, 

Facilities, & Lands. Advising the group are the science 

advisor to the director, regional director of the Midwest 

Region, superintendent of Everglades & Dry Tortugas 

National Parks, and the Climate Change Response Program chief. With the release of the strategy and establishment of the CCCG, the NPS embarked on a servicewide 

vision and long-term commitment that reaches beyond 

traditional stovepipes to involve all levels of the NPS in 

addressing the issues arising from climate change.

Since publication of the Climate Change Response Strategy, two major NPS initiatives relevant to climate change 

were released: A Call to Action in 2011 and the Green 

Parks Plan in 2012. Additionally, the Science Committee 

of the National Park System Advisory Board put forward 

Revisiting Leopold: Resource Stewardship in the National 

Parks in August 2012. As the NPS prepares to enter its 

second century, A Call to Action provides an overarching commitment to expand our contributions to society 

through enhanced public engagement, sustainability, and 

adaptation to change through our workforce, policies, 

and collaborative relationships for conservation. The 

Green Parks Plan further provides a blueprint for reducing our carbon footprint, operating parks sustainably, and 

illustrating best practices to the public. And finally, Revisiting Leopold calls for new strategies that go beyond park 

boundaries and for the NPS to steward our resources “for 

continuous change that is not yet fully understood.” 

Download the Climate Change Response Strategy at: 

www.nature.nps.gov/climatechange/docs/NPS_CCRS.pdf

National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan 2012-2014 9

NATIONAL DIRECTIVES

Executive Order (E.O.) 13423 (Jan. 

2007), Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation 

Management, sets goals for improved 

energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable environmental and construction practices, and reduced emissions, 

fuel, and water consumption. 

E.O. 13514 (Oct. 2009), Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and 

Economic Performance, adds more 

specific requirements for federal agency 

energy, water, and waste reduction targets. It further requires federal agencies 

to (a) evaluate risks and vulnerabilities 

to manage short- and long-term effects 

of climate change on agency mission, 

programs, and operations, and (b) 

integrate climate change adaptation into 

agency planning, operations, policies, 

and programs. 

Congress, through the FY2010 Appropriations Act Conference Report calls 

for development of a government-wide 

approach for adaptation, resulting in 

the National Fish, Wildlife and Plants 

Climate Adaptation Strategy, scheduled 

for release winter 2012/2013.

Secretarial Order 3289 (amended, Feb. 

2010) establishes a science and adaptation strategy for the Department of the 

Interior (DOI) and requires bureaus to 

consider and analyze climate change 

impacts in planning and decision making, and in designing research agendas.
Many NPS parks, regional offices, and national programs 

began to take action years ago, working with their partners to reduce their carbon footprint and communicate 

about climate change and its impacts through interpretive programs and educational materials. Over the past 

several years, with the launch of the servicewide CCRP, 

the NPS established a core staff with expertise in science, adaptation, mitigation, communication, planning, 

and policy. The CCRP provides subject-matter expertise, 

guidance, and technical assistance to parks and NPS 

offices to implement a range of activities that support 

adaptation and mitigation actions at park and landscape 

scales. Major initiatives over the past three years include 

resource vulnerability and risk assessments, adaptation 

and scenario planning, collaboration across jurisdictions 

and organizations to promote shared conservation goals 

and values, policy guidance, communication and training, 

and initiation of an enhanced monitoring capability for 94 

parks to address rapid climate change. 

NPS employees at all levels of the organization contribute to the goals and objectives of the Climate Change 

Response Strategy. Individual initiative is a core strength 

of NPS staff, who provide innovation and commitment 

to action when it is needed most, and many of the actions 

identified in this Action Plan are the result of that individual initiative. At the same time, the scope, magnitude, and 

complexity of the changes and the tools needed to manage require a capacity that is beyond any individual park 

unit, program area, or even the NPS as a whole. Meeting 

the challenge of global climate change will require an 

unprecedented level of cooperation and collaboration 

within the NPS and with our partners. 

The NPS Climate Change Action Plan is meant to provide 

overall guidance to help park and program managers 

prioritize decisions so that, as a whole, high-priority NPS 

actions are coordinated, focused and integrated. The 

Action Plan’s primary audience is the professional NPS 

workforce. While the strategy highlights the overall components, principles, and vision for NPS efforts, the Action 

Plan describes near-term priority actions along with 

approaches to address climate change and its impacts in 

the medium to long term. The Action Plan encourages 

participation, innovation, and full engagement at all levels 

of the agency. 

THE ROLE OF THE NPS IN A CHANGING 

CLIMATE

The Climate Change Response Strategy describes a vision 

whereby “...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.” This is what 

we must achieve to continue meeting our mission in an 

era of change. Moreover, the NPS has a larger function in 

society as a role model and leader, setting examples that 

others can follow. 

Climate change affects landscapes, species, and the 

cultural and natural systems upon which civilizations 

depend. As a leading conservation organization the 

NPS serves an important role in demonstrating effective adaptation strategies and practices at local, national, 

and international scales. The geography and range of 

resource types in national parks offer many opportunities for exemplary and highly visible forms of adaptation, 

including coastal zone management, cultural and historic site preservation, and ecosystem restoration. Parks, 

wilderness, and other protected areas provide “natural 

solutions” for climate change, including biodiversity, ecosystem services, and connectivity across large landscapes. 

The NPS has an important and leading role in promoting 

ecosystem resilience and addressing impacts on natural 

10 CONTEXT FOR ACTION

Citizen scientists monitor vegetation change 

in Golden Gate National Recreation Area, 

California. NPS photo courtesy Will Elder.
and cultural resources, both within and outside of park 

boundaries. 

National parks also have immense and increasing value 

to the human environment as laboratories for basic 

research. In many cases these areas, especially wilderness 

areas, offer the best baselines from which to understand 

the complex ways in which climate change affects natural 

and cultural systems. Many special places within national 

parks host materials and practices that exemplify how 

living cultures interact with climate and how societies responded to variable environments in the past and 

illuminate linkages between cultural values and healthy 

ecosystems. Through research focused on our natural and 

cultural landscapes, national parks present many opportunities to learn from our past and apply that knowledge 

to our future. 

The “power of place” is one of the most valuable and 

characteristic contributions the NPS offers with regard 

to climate change. The reality of climate change seems 

distant and abstract to many people, making it difficult to 

connect the issue to their daily lives. With more than 300 

million visitors each year, the NPS has an unparalleled 

ability to tell compelling stories and connect people to 

places they care about. As a trusted organization known 

nationally and internationally for excellence in communicating about park resources and values, the NPS 

is uniquely positioned to raise awareness, illustrate the 

importance of reducing GHGs, and to build a stewardship ethic for this issue. Few organizations in the world 

have as powerful a position in which to make climate 

change real, immediate, and relevant for people.

FLEXIBLE PLANNING 

Through routine operations over the coming years, the 

NPS will undertake a range of activities that will have 

long-term consequences. We will deliver messages to 

youth and their families that help instill life-long stewardship values. We will maintain access for visitors to enjoy 

their favorite places for years to come. We will create 

plans to guide park decision making through decades 

ahead. We will collect and analyze data to assess how 

our landscapes are changing and use that information to 

protect park resources now, and fifty years from now. All 

of these activities offer opportunities to address the challenge of climate change by communicating and applying 

what we know and acknowledging areas of uncertainty 

where new information is needed. 

The NPS Climate Change Action Plan addresses issues of 

today while keeping the long view in mind. Many strategic and planning processes work to deliver certainty to 

an organization. With a vision of the future, most plans 

set goals and a series of actions to achieve them. This is 

a straightforward approach, resulting in a fixed plan that 

describes exactly what should be done and ideally when 

and by whom. The complexities and uncertainties that 

characterize climate change require a somewhat different 

approach—one that employs enough specificity to act in 

the short term but allows for an iterative, learning process. Therefore, this Action Plan is structured around five 

general characteristics (see sidebar).

Some of the actions identified in the Action Plan are 

underway, others are planned for the near future, and 

others target a longer time frame. Simultaneously, the 

Action Plan embraces the uncertainties and dynamic 

nature of climate change and acknowledges that new 

information, technologies, and ideas will emerge over the 

coming years. To implement a flexible plan and address 

changing conditions and needs, the NPS will review 

actions annually and will conduct substantive revisions 

to the Climate Change Action Plan on a two- to three-year 

time frame. The first revision will occur in 2014 through 

the staff and organization of the NPS servicewide Climate 

Change Response Program. 

National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan 2012-2014 11

FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF A 

FLEXIBLE ACTION PLAN

•	 Criteria to help prioritize near-term 

actions that can be taken under 

current conditions over the next 

one to two years

•	 A set of specific no-regrets actions 

that meet those criteria and also 

provide latitude for individual 

park- and program-level initiatives 

and innovation

•	 Flexible direction for expected 

future situations 

•	 Guidance for preparing to meet 

less certain long-term changes and 

circumstances

•	 Commitment to follow up, reporting, and re-evaluation of priorities 

Research in Indiana Dunes National 

Lakeshore, Indiana, helps managers 

understand how climate change is 

affecting populations of the Karner Blue 

Butterfly. NPS photo.
PREPARING FOR NEW CHALLENGES 

AND OPPORTUNITIES

1. A Service-wide Response

2. The Unique Contribution of the NPS

2

3. Flexible Planning

IDENTIFYING NEAR-TERM PRIORITIES

Criteria for Prioritization

Eight Emphasis Areas for Action

Table 1: NPS Commitments to High-Priority Actions

The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 

historical path that extends 444 miles 

through Alabama, Mississippi, and 

Tennessee. NPS photo.

12 IDENTIFYING NEAR-TERM PRIORITIES
CRITERIA FOR PRIORITIZATION

High-priority near-term actions to advance climate change science, adaptation, mitigation, and communication must reflect the realities of today’s economy 

and society. Growth prospects for the U.S. and global 

economies are currently subdued, and government 

spending is likely to remain constrained. Thus, to maintain momentum on this issue, the NPS must identify and 

implement actions over the next several years that can be 

accomplished within a limited budget and leveraged with 

many other competing issues and needs. 

At the same time, we cannot lose sight of the fact that climate change is a significant problem facing the world and 

will remain a relevant issue for park managers, the public, 

and stakeholders. Parks will continue to require climate 

change–related information and guidance, especially with 

respect to communication, vulnerability, and adaptation. 

The combination of limited resources and high expectations requires that we work smarter and more efficiently, 

prioritizing some actions over others, while keeping our 

overall mission and long-term responsibilities in mind. 

Given these circumstances, the NPS Climate Change 

Coordinating Group identified the following criteria to 

select high-priority no-regrets actions from the many 

potential actions that could be taken. The term “no 

regrets” signifies actions that can be initiated now and 

are beneficial regardless of how future conditions unfold; 

their benefits generally equal or exceed their costs. Highpriority climate change actions:

•	 Embed knowledge about climate change and how 

to address it within all parts of the organization such 

that we come to understand it as a routine part of 

doing business. Climate change will affect everything 

we do, and we must take every opportunity to educate ourselves and our partners about the effects and 

explore options for action.

•	 Work within the limits of existing staff and funding to achieve results. While a long-term, robust 

capacity to manage for climate change will likely 

require additional staffing and funds, in times of fiscal 

constraint, it is essential to identify and implement 

actions that do not require additional resources. 

•	 Result in multiplier effects that create momentum 

to benefit parks and society beyond the initial action 

and investment. Education, working with partners, 

and implementing short-term steps toward long-term 

goals are all examples of actions that fit this criterion.

•	 Deliver a unique contribution to the climate change 

arena. As a national and world leader in protecting 

our collective natural and cultural heritage, the NPS 

can and should deliver perspectives and approaches 

to climate change adaptation, mitigation, and communication that no other organization can. 

•	 Leverage selective partnerships and collaborations. 

National parks and wilderness are high-value areas 

within a broader landscape. By working with our 

partners, we have the opportunity to promote these 

values within a networked system of protected areas, 

and we also acknowledge that we cannot protect 

these high-value resources alone. 

EIGHT EMPHASIS AREAS FOR ACTION

Table 1 (page 20) lists the high-priority no-regrets actions 

to which the NPS is currently committed. Each action 

meets one or more criteria outlined above. These actions 

are a subset of potential actions identified through several 

working groups that met over a six-month period in 2011 

to articulate recommendations for the Action Plan. While 

it represents a subset, Table 1 is nonetheless an ambitious 

list with over 50 individual actions representing commitments across parks, regions, and national NPS programs 

over the next one to two years. 

National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan 2012-2014 13

EIGHT EMPHASIS AREAS FOR 

NPS CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION

•	 Enhance Workforce Climate 

Literacy

•	 Engage Youth & Their Families

•	 Develop Effective Planning 

Frameworks & Guidance

•	 Provide Climate Change Science

to Parks

•	 Implement the Green Parks Plan

•	 Foster Robust Partnerships

•	 Apply Appropriate Adaptation 

Tools & Options 

•	 Strengthen Communication

An NPS Ranger illustrates declining winter 

snow pack at Crater Lake National Park, 

Oregon. NPS photo.
To facilitate a logical presentation of the actions, they are 

grouped into eight distinct emphasis areas:

1) Enhance Workforce Climate Literacy

2) Engage Youth & Their Families 

3) Develop Effective Planning Frameworks & Guidance

4) Provide Climate Change Science to Parks

5) Implement the Green Parks Plan

6) Foster Robust Partnerships

7) Apply Appropriate Adaptation Tools & Options

8) Strengthen Communication

Each action in Table 1 is associated with at least one lead 

and generally multiple co-leads that are committed to 

its implementation. Many actions target more than one 

goal of the Climate Change Response Strategy and may 

also respond to the NPS A Call to Action. Additionally, 

some actions address interagency guidance, such as the 

National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation 

Strategy. To aid the reader in recognizing these mutual 

opportunities, actions in Table 1 cross-reference the latter 

three documents.

It is important to note that while the table of high-priority actions is ambitious, it is not exhaustive. Instead it 

provides a framework for building capacity and meeting on-the-ground needs for information and tools. The 

purpose is to convey a set of feasible, pragmatic actions 

that demonstrate commitment and integrate strategically, 

providing a structure to which regions, parks and programs can add. 

The following pages offer a brief description of each 

emphasis area and an example high-priority action from 

Table 1. 

1. Enhance Workforce Climate 

Literacy

Building a workforce that is literate about climate change 

effects and response options is fundamental to ensure 

that managers can address climate change as part of 

routine operations. The purpose of these actions is to 

provide cost-effective training and learning opportunities that complement other important priorities. For 

efficiency, a focus will be to design climate change topics 

and modules to fit into existing curricula and training 

programs rather than as separate, stand-alone training. It 

is also important to use communications technology, such 

as video and online training access, in an engaging way to 

enable larger numbers of people to benefit from the training resources and materials. 

EXAMPLE #1

New Superintendents’ Academy Modules

A prototype series of online training sessions for new 

superintendents launched in July 2012. Four superintendents who are leaders in the arena of climate 

change in the NPS illustrated case studies from their 

parks, addressing effective risk-taking, decision-making 

tools, lessons learned, and best practices. The series 

will be refined and continued in 2013 and beyond and 

will initiate a community of practice for park managers.

Left: NPS staff participate in climate 

change literacy training at an Earth to 

Sky workshop at the Goddard Space 

Flight Center, Maryland. NPS photo.

14 IDENTIFYING NEAR-TERM PRIORITIES
National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan 2012-2014 15

2. Engage Youth & Their Families

Younger generations are eager to be involved in initiatives 

around climate change. Engaging young people brings 

diversity, energy, and inspiration to the issue of climate 

change, encouraging innovative thinking and problemsolving. There are many benefits to these actions, 

including hands-on work experience, education, and 

training for tomorrow’s workforce and decision-makers; 

increased knowledge and information for the NPS and 

the general public about protecting park resources in a 

changing climate; and enrichment of interpretive programs, school outreach, and other aspects of public 

visitor experiences. Investing in youth and their families 

provides a tremendous multiplier effect by fostering a 

life-long connection to parks and instilling a stewardship 

ethic in the next generation.

3. Develop Effective Planning 

Frameworks & Guidance

Climate change requires us to rethink traditional planning 

processes in two main ways. First, the NPS and other 

bureaus are now required to consider climate change in 

all existing planning processes and documents. Second, 

the uncertainty of climate change effects and rapid development of climate change science make it imperative 

that we employ new, more flexible planning approaches. 

These actions address both requirements, while also 

delivering more targeted guidance and checklists. Actions 

are coordinated across many disciplines in the NPS. 

EXAMPLE #2

George Melendez Wright Youth Initiative 

The George Melendez Wright Climate Change Youth 

Initiative was initiated in 2010 to support diverse student internship and fellowship opportunities in parks. 

Fellows conduct independent climate change research 

in parks, and interns provide parks with science, 

adaptation, mitigation, and communication service 

and expertise. The program is collaborative with the 

University of Washington and provides a continuous 

“pipeline” for professional development and hands-on 

education of undergraduate and graduate students. 

EXAMPLE #3

Development Advisory Board (DAB) Project 

Review & Checklist 

The Project Review Report now includes a checklist 

requiring all projects presented to the DAB to address 

the impacts of climate change. The requirement 

applies to all parks in all areas including coasts, river 

corridors, deserts, high elevations and high latitude, all 

of which are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate 

change. Follow-up reviews of design and implementation documents confirm these requirements are met. 

Right: A George Melendez Wright 

climate change fellow monitors changes 

in lodgepole pine to inform adaptation 

strategies at Devils Postpile National 

Monument, California. NPS photo.
16 IDENTIFYING NEAR-TERM PRIORITIES

4. Provide Climate Change Science 

to Parks

It is essential that the NPS continues to encourage the use 

of parks as laboratories for basic and applied research and 

that we monitor for changing conditions. Basic information about park conditions as well as historical and 

projected climate change trends is required at park-relevant scales to inform planning and action. Additionally, 

a critical high-priority focus is to assess vulnerability of 

park natural and cultural resources. The Department of 

the Interior (DOI) requires all bureaus to report progress on this front. These actions use internal knowledge 

and expertise as well as leverage science partnerships to 

provide scientific information to park managers on the 

ground. 

EXAMPLE #4

Analyze Historical and Projected Climate Trends 

for All NPS Units 

Through a partnership with the University of Wisconsin, the NPS will deliver spatially explicit climate information to all parks (currently 397 units covering a total 

of 340,000 km2) as an input for vulnerability analyses, 

resource management planning, and development of 

climate change adaptation measures. 

Left: Scientists regularly monitor the 

rate of glacial change in the high 

country of North Cascades National Park, 

Washington. NPS photo by Jim McLeod.
National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan 2012 15

5. Implement the Green Parks Plan

“Go Green” (Action 23) in A Call to Action affirms the 

NPS commitment to reduce our carbon footprint and 

increase sustainability. Released in April 2012, the Green 

Parks Plan (GPP) details specific objectives that parks, 

regions, national program offices, and partners can 

meet. The primary way in which the NPS mitigates GHG 

emissions is by conserving energy, fuel, water, and other 

valuable resources. Many parks and offices have already 

made great strides to integrating sustainability and mitigation into their facilities and operations. Adopting a robust 

and integrated approach whereby each employee, office, 

and program can make valuable contributions will further 

advance these efforts. The specific actions listed in 

Table 1 are a subset of those articulated in the GPP, which 

is the primary source for the range of actions that can 

be taken to mitigate the cause of anthropogenic climate 

change by reducing GHG emissions. Mitigation actions 

leverage many partnerships to create multiplier effects 

that result in larger, long-term benefits for parks and 

society.

EXAMPLE #5

NPS Sustainable Buildings Implementation Plan

The NPS will finalize the Sustainable Buildings Implementation Plan as a roadmap to achieve compliance 

with the guiding principles for high performance and 

sustainable buildings and begin assessment at selected 

parks.

Right: Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska, 

received an Environmental Protection Agency 

Champions of Environmental Leadership and 

Green Government Award in 2008 for actions 

to achieve a zero net carbon footprint for 

park operations. NPS Photo.
18 IDENTIFYING NEAR-TERM PRIORITIES

Collaboration with organizations, communities, and 

other partners is one of the most important means to 

mitigate the cause of global climate change and adapt to 

its effects. The scale of climate change impacts far exceeds 

the ability of any one park, agency, or organization to 

effectively respond as a single entity. Integrated, cooperative adaptation strategies applied across large geographic 

areas will provide more informed, comprehensive, and 

successful results. The NPS participates in numerous 

existing partnerships among federal, state, tribal, private, academic, and non-governmental entities at local, 

regional, national, and international levels.

Many NPS partnerships predate the recent focus on 

climate change response. Existing relationships, which 

have evolved over time, are an ideal platform to support 

combined efforts towards mutual goals for climate change 

mitigation or adaptation. NPS participation in the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs) is an important 

mechanism for focusing partnerships on current issues 

like climate change. Additionally, new partnerships 

specific to climate change science and landscape conservation, such as the DOI Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) and Climate Science Centers (CSCs) and 

the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA) Regional Integrated Science and Assessment 

(RISA) teams, are beginning to work closely with park 

and program managers on a range of science and adaptation tools for decision making. 

Involvement of Native Americans and other stakeholder 

communities is another important key to development 

of cultural and natural resource adaptation tools that will 

support landscape-level collaboration for years to come.

In evaluating where to focus our time and commitment, 

it will be essential to identify what we hope to achieve 

through collaboration and partnerships with respect to 

climate change. Partners are essential to acquire new 

knowledge about climate change and its impacts, raise 

awareness regarding those impacts to places people 

care about, and evaluate and implement strategies and 

actions that require cooperation outside park boundaries. 

Investing in effective partnerships, or augmenting existing 

partnerships, is an example of actions the NPS can take 

now to provide multiplier effects into the future. 

EXAMPLE #6

Clean Cities NPS Partnership

The Clean Cities NPS Partnership is a collaboration with 

the Department of Energy (DOE) to support vehicleand fuel-replacement projects that increase NPS use of 

high-efficiency/ low GHG-emitting vehicles and reduce 

petroleum use.

6. Foster Robust Partnerships

Left: A visitor shuttle system reduces 

CO2 emissions in Sequoia National Park, 

California. NPS photo.
National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan 2012-2014 19 

8. Strengthen Communication

Many opportunities exist to communicate with and engage 

citizens of all ages in experiencing the wonders of national 

parks and witnessing the changes that are taking place. 

Through direct experience in natural classrooms or via a 

wide range of interpretative and educational media, the 

public can come to understand how climate change is 

affecting the planet’s resources and how they may adapt 

their behavior to mitigate the cause of climate change and 

promote resource stewardship. Communication via the 

web provides a tremendous opportunity to connect with 

visitors, the broader public, and park employees in new 

ways. This set of actions emphasizes the importance of 

civic engagement and place-based citizen science as tools 

to empower the public to contribute to the body of knowledge through field and web-based learning activities. In 

addition to embedding climate literacy as a central element 

for NPS internal training, these actions incorporate climate 

change into interpretation and education with the public 

and partners. 

EXAMPLE #8

Interactive Interpretive Exhibits

Interpretive exhibits are being developed to allow visitors to use smartphones to connect climate change 

effects in one park (e.g., sea level rise, phenology) to 

similar effects in national parks across the country. Visitors are able to understand the widespread changes 

that are occurring and explore both the drivers of 

those changes and related effects through supplemental online resources that promote resource stewardship 

and climate change literacy.

7. Apply Appropriate Adaptation 

Tools & Options

Healthy parks, wilderness, and other protected areas 

are essential in helping ecosystems, species, and human 

communities adapt to climate change. Many near-term 

adaptation tools and options focus on promoting resilience—the capacity for systems to withstand change and 

still retain their vital characteristics. In the long term, as 

climate continues to change, effective adaptation will 

require new thinking about conservation goals and the 

features and processes our decisions aim to protect. 

Adaptation is not only about natural systems. Human 

and cultural systems and the built environment are also 

affected. As a leader in cultural resource protection, the 

NPS is well positioned to understand and help shape 

human interactions with the environment. Near-term 

priority actions in this arena will establish risk criteria and 

consistent frameworks to link together adaptation tools, 

such as vulnerability and risk assessments, and climate 

change scenarios to adaptation planning frameworks that 

can inform specific management decisions. 

Right: A portion of Fort Jefferson is already 

underwater at Dry Tortugas National 

Park in Florida and is highly vulnerable to 

continued rising sea level. NPS photo.

EXAMPLE #7

Develop Risk Screening Tool & Adaptation Guide 

for Coastal Resources 

A high-level risk screening tool is under development 

for facilities, historic structures and other resources in 

coastal parks. This will provide an initial “triage” tool 

to characterize vulnerability and identify parks with 

assets most at risk. Two case studies will test the tool, 

considering sea level rise and storm-related coastal 

inundation and erosion. A complementary project will 

provide guidance for coastal adaptation options. 
ACTIONS WHO HAS A ROLE

EMPHASIS AREA #1 – ENHANCE WORKFORCE CLIMATE LITERACY CCRS GOAL 13; C2A #23, #30, #31; NFWPCAS STRATEGY 3.1

Conduct vulnerability and risk assessment training 1 I&M lead with CCRP support;

Parks may request onsite training or take course at National Conservation Training Center

Develop framework for Interpreting Climate Change competency; make broadly available online 2

Collaboration between CCRP, I&E, L&D incorporating natural and cultural content; 

Parks may submit technical assistance requests; 

online training available in 2013

Identify existing NPS training curricula; develop and insert appropriate climate change and 

sustainability content (e.g., superintendents, resource professionals, interpreters) 2

Collaboration between CCRP and L&D; 

Park staff may contact their training manager or career field academy for opportunities; 

Regions, parks, program offices can incorporate climate change into local training programs

Create innovative videos and online training modules for use in numerous training forums 2, 3

Collaboration among Mather Training Center, Eppley Institute, Colorado State University, 

CCRP and participating park staffs;

Prototypes will be available online in 2013;

Parks and regions can create their own case studies

Conduct Green Procurement Training for parks 4 SOCC leads as part of the GPP;

Regions and parks may request training

EMPHASIS AREA #2 – ENGAGE YOUTH & THEIR FAMILIES CCRS GOAL 13; C2A #2, #7, #18, #20, #36; NFWPCAS STRATEGY 6.2

Continue George Melendez Wright climate change fellowship and internship opportunities to 

support park high priority needs 3

CCRP leads;

Parks are encouraged to submit internship proposals and encourage young researchers to 

seek funding for park research through the fellowship program

Leverage climate change through other youth and diversity programs (i.e., the Student Conservation 

Association (SCA), webrangers, diversity program) 3 Collaboration across multiple program areas

Provide mentorship opportunities for youth interested in climate change management and policy 

issues 3 Parks, regions, and national program offices

20 IDENTIFYING NEAR-TERM PRIORITIES

Above: Harbor seals rest on the ice in Johns Hopkins Inlet, Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska. NPS photo.

Table 1: NPS Commitments to High-Priority Actions

Contacts for each action, identified by superscript numbers, and a list of acronyms are given at the end of the table on page 27.
ACTIONS WHO HAS A ROLE

EMPHASIS AREA #3 – DEVELOP EFFECTIVE PLANNING FRAMEWORKS & GUIDANCE CCRS GOALS 2, 3, 5, 8; C2A #23, #30; NFWPCAS STRATEGIES 2.1, 4.2

Require all projects submitted to Development Advisory Board (DAB) address climate change 

impacts; provide reviews 5

CPMD sets requirement, CCRP reviews;

Parks identify how they have considered climate change in proposed projects

Implement climate change guidance for Long-Range Transportation Plans (LRTPs); conduct 

prototypes 6

Collaboration among PFMD, CCRP, and participating regions and parks

Prototypes in SER, NER, AKR and Cape Cod NS and a national LRTP underway

Conduct prototypes for incorporating climate change into a range of park planning processes and 

stewardship activities (e.g. GMPs 7, RSSs 8, FMPs 9, LRIPs 2) 

Collaboration among PPSS, DSC, CCRP, WRD, and participating parks (e.g. Assateague Island 

NS, Pinnacles NM, Sequoia & Kings Canyon NPs, Catoctin Mountain Park, Joshua Tree NP); 

All park planning processes should consider climate change effects and responses

Review all GMPs to ensure climate change is being considered and appropriately addressed 7

Collaboration between PPSS, DSC and CCRP;

Parks conducting GMPs should consider climate change and may submit technical assistance 

requests to CCRP for support

Provide scenario planning guidance and training; maintain “community of practice” 10, 14 CCRP, WRD collaborate with other directorates, divisions and regions;

Parks and regions may submit technical assistance requests

Develop guidance and incorporate climate change into Foundation Documents (FDs) 7 PPSS collaborates with CCRP and parks;

All parks should consider historical and projected climate change in their FDs

Create regional climate change strategies 11 Regional coordinators and teams work together to share approaches (e.g. PWR, AKR, NER, 

MWR); Parks become familiar with regional climate change strategy to identify their role

Develop and implement strategy for cultural resource climate change core program 12 CR adaptation coordinator collaborates with Desert Southwest CESU, CR, regions, and parks

Provide guidance for considering climate change under the National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) 19

NRSS leads in releasing interim guidance that parks can implement while the Council on 

Environmental Quality develops and establishes final policy guidance

National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan 2012-2014 21

Above: Erosion of beach habitat from sea level rise and storms may add stress to the survival of green sea turtle hatchlings in the Gulf Coast. NPS photo.

Table 1: NPS Commitments to High-Priority Actions, continued

Contacts for each action, identified by superscript numbers, and a list of acronyms are given at the end of the table on page 27.
ACTIONS WHO HAS A ROLE

EMPHASIS AREA #4 – PROVIDE CLIMATE CHANGE SCIENCE TO PARKS CCRS GOALS 1-3, 6-8; C2A #28; NFWPCAS STRATEGIES 4.2, 5.2, 5.3

Monitor change and resource condition at parks 1 Vital Signs monitoring conducted through I&M networks includes climate change drivers and 

effects; CR collaborate with I&M to improve linkage to cultural resource condition assessment

Participate in international and national climate change science and adaptation synthesis and 

assessment studies (i.e., Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC], the National Climate 

Assessment [NCA]) 13

NPS scientists (e.g., CCRP, GRD, CR, I&M, AKR) collaborate with partners

Analyze historical and projected climate trends for NPS units; link to park planning and provide 

guidance for how to use the reports 13, 14

CCRP collaborates with PPSS, the University of Wisconsin, and park planners;

Online access will be provided to park-specific downscaled information and synthesis reports

Incorporate climate change into State of the Parks reporting 10 NRSS leads; 

Park-specific climate information included in State of the Parks database

Assess vulnerability of park resources and ecosystems 13 Servicewide Comprehensive Call (SCC)–funded climate change projects reported as part of 

the DOI High Priority Performance Goals; list available on climate change intranet site

Establish vulnerability assessment framework for consistency and comprehensive coverage for 

NPS units 13

CCRP (I&M, CR, GRD, and others) collaborate with park and regional scientists;

Interested parks may request technical assistance

Research and communicate how past cultures adapted to changing climates 12 CR will collaborate with parks, regions, and program offices (e.g., BRMD, I&E, I&M)

22 IDENTIFYING NEAR-TERM PRIORITIES

Above: Brown Pelicans along the Gulf Coast face ongoing threats from offshore oil and wind development, sea level rise, and hurricanes. USFWS photo.

Table 1: NPS Commitments to High-Priority Actions, continued

Contacts for each action, identified by superscript numbers, and a list of acronyms are given at the end of the table on page 27.
ACTIONS WHO HAS A ROLE

EMPHASIS AREA #5 – IMPLEMENT THE GREEN PARKS PLAN (SELECTED ACTIONS) CCRS GOALS 9-11; C2A #23, #25; NFWPCAS STRATEGY 7.2

Increase the number of Climate Friendly Parks (CFP)

These actions are being implemented largely through park and regional initiatives;

Coordination is conducted through the Sustainable Operations and Climate Change Branch of PPMD 

as part of implementing the Green Parks Plan 4

Use the Climate Leadership In Parks (CLIP) tool to assess greenhouse gas operational emissions

Conduct energy audits at parks and implement Energy Conservation Measures (EMCs)

Conduct water audits at parks and implement Water Conservation Measures (WCMs)

Pursue Fleet Optimization opportunities to “right-size” NPS fleet

Finalize NPS Sustainable Buildings Implementation Plan; begin assessment at selected parks

Issue “no idling” policy for non-law enforcement or emergency vehicles

Use Energy Star Portfolio Managers to understand and improve energy efficiency for highconsumption parks and facilities

Deploy “My Green Parks” web tool to facilitate sustainable practices at each employee’s worksite 

National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan 2012-2014 23

Above: Chesler Canyon. Canyonlands National Park, Utah, preserves one of the last relatively undisturbed areas of the Colorado Plateau. NPS photo.

Table 1: NPS Commitments to High-Priority Actions, continued

Contacts for each action, identified by superscript numbers, and a list of acronyms are given at the end of the table on page 27.
ACTIONS WHO HAS A ROLE

EMPHASIS AREA #6 – FOSTER ROBUST PARTNERSHIPS CCRS GOALS 6, 12; C2A #1, #11, #22, #26; NFWPCAS STRATEGIES 3.2, 5.1, 6.3

Strengthen regional partnerships with DOI Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) & Climate 

Science Centers (CSCs) to ensure NPS climate change science and adaptation needs are addressed 10

Regional staffs provide adaptation coordinators to four LCCs (Great Northern, Pacific Islands, 

South Atlantic and North Atlantic);

Regional staff, I&M staff, and park superintendents engage with LCC technical or steering 

committees

Engage NOAA Regional Integrated Science and Assessment (RISA) teams in science and adaptation 

planning for parks 10

CCRP leads;

Parks and regions may apply for new RISA project funding opportunity targeting NPS 

scenario planning

Coordinate Clean Cities NPS Partnership with the Department of Energy to fund transportation 

efficiencies 4 Actions from GPP

Maintain and strengthen relationships within the air quality community (state, federal and tribal 

regulators; industry; interest groups; air quality science community) to influence GHG emission 

reductions 20

ARD leads

Build communities of practice with gateway communities in cooperation with non-profit 

organizations 3

Pilot projects conducted through CCRP in collaboration with the National Parks Conservation 

Association and participating Research Learning Center staff in parks (i.e., Kenai Fjords and 

Glacier National Parks and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore)

Expand new relationship with Department of Education to include climate change literacy 15 I&E in collaboration with the Department of Education 

Identify landscape conservation goals and adaptation strategies with adjacent jurisdictions 10, 12 Collaboration among BRMD, CR, CCRP, university, and other partners; CR provides assistance 

to LCCs in developing landscape-scale approaches to cultural resources

24 IDENTIFYING NEAR-TERM PRIORITIES

Above: One of North America’s largest wading birds, a great blue heron, is about to eat a frog dinner. USFWS photo.

Table 1: NPS Commitments to High-Priority Actions, continued

Contacts for each action, identified by superscript numbers, and a list of acronyms are given at the end of the table on page 27.
ACTIONS WHO HAS A ROLE

EMPHASIS AREA #7 – APPLY APPROPRIATE ADAPTATION TOOLS & OPTIONS CCRS GOALS 3, 5-8, 12; C2A #21; NFWPCAS STRATEGIES 3.3, 4.2

Create director’s memo to provide management guidance on policies related to the effects of 

climate change on cultural resources 12 Cultural Resources & Science Directorate

Create director’s memo to provide management guidance on policies related to the effects of 

climate change on facilities 5 Park, Planning, Facilities & Lands Directorate

Conduct “listening sessions” with NPS employees on Revisiting Leopold recommendations and 

next steps 10 CCCG collaborates with the Science Committee of the NPS Advisory Board

Pilot adaptation planning processes and actions that connect vulnerability assessments and 

scenarios to park planning; report to DOI and communicate widely 10

CCRP leads; adaptation actions reported to DOI High Priority Performance Goals (posted on 

the CCRP SharePoint site);

Parks may submit examples

Complete Renewable Energy Installation Siting Guidance 17 Collaborative with PFMD, ARD and GRD

Initiate decision framework for navigating various resource adaptation options and practices 10 Collaboration across natural and cultural resources and facilities;

Parks can get involved through the adaptation review team

Create risk screening tool for assessing risk to facilities; extend to cultural resources 4, 10, 12 Collaboration across natural and cultural resources and facilities;

Selected park prototypes

National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan 2012-2014 25

Above: Red Sockeye salmon at Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, Alaska, face potential consequences from changes in streamflow and water temperatures. NPS photo.

Table 1: NPS Commitments to High-Priority Actions, continued

Contacts for each action, identified by superscript numbers, and a list of acronyms are given at the end of the table on page 27.
ACTIONS WHO HAS A ROLE

EMPHASIS AREA #8 – STRENGTHEN COMMUNICATION CCRS GOALS 5, 6, 8, 12-14; C2A #3, #14, #17, #19; NFWPCAS STRATEGIES 6.1, 6.2

Link new interpretive exhibits using social networking tools to present climate change issues 

common to many parks (e.g., sea level rise; phenology) 2

Collaboration among Harpers Ferry Center, CCRP, and participating park staffs;

Prototype waysides can be used as templates by interested parks

Include climate change in national social media strategy 18 I&E leads;

Parks serve as innovative examples and implement approaches in their local communications

Create a “network of champions” throughout parks to share compelling stories and messages of 

hope to empower other parks and visitors to take action 2

Cross-cutting effort involving L&D, CCRP, CR, ARD, and park leaders;

Parks are encouraged to find and share their examples

Disseminate successful internal communication products to public audiences 2 Parks and regions identify and share best practices with the public

Continue regular climate change webinars for employees 16 CCRP collaborates with other divisions, directorates and regions (e.g., AKR, WRD, CR, SOCC)

Parks and regions are encouraged to submit topics of interest

Develop internal website to share planning, adaptation, and communication guidance and products; 

include park stories and an online forum to support communities of practice 2 CCRP collaborates with other divisions and directorates (e.g., WRD, CR, BRMD, GRD, ARD)

Develop and release a national interpretive plan for climate change 2, 15 I&E collaborates with CCRP, regional, and park staff

Coordinate climate change and cultural resource community of practice 12 CR adaptation coordinator leads conference calls and online community, with participation 

and support from CR, other directorates, regions, and parks

26 IDENTIFYING NEAR-TERM PRIORITIES

Above: Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) members enjoy the view at Yellowstone National Park. NPS photo.

Table 1: NPS Commitments to High-Priority Actions, continued

Contacts for each action, identified by superscript numbers, and a list of acronyms are given at the end of the table on page 27.
Above: Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years. NPS photo.

ACRONYM LIST:

AKR Alaska Region ARD Air Resources Division BRMD Biological Resource 

Management Division

C2A A Call to Action CCCG Climate Change Coordinating 

Group

CCRP Climate Change Response 

Program

CCRS Climate Change Response 

Strategy

CPMD Construction Program 

Management Division

CR Cultural Resources & 

Science Directorate

DOI Department of the 

Interior

DSC Denver Service Center FMP Fire Management Plan

GMP General Management 

Plan

GPP Green Parks Plan GRD Geologic Resources 

Division

I&E Interpretation & 

Education Directorate

I&M Inventory & Monitoring 

Division

IMR Intermountain Region

L&D Learning & Development 

Directorate

LRIP Long Range Interpretive Plan MWR Midwest Region

NCR National Capital Region NER Northeast Region NFWPCAS National Fish, Wildlife and 

Plants Climate Adaptation 

Strategy

NRSS Natural Resource 

Stewardship & Science 

Directorate

NIFC National Interagency Fire 

Center

PFMD Park Facility Management 

Division

PPSS Park Planning and Special 

Studies

PWR Pacific West Region RSS Resource Stewardship 

Strategies

SER Southeast Region SOCC Sustainable Operations & 

Climate Change

WASO Washington Support Office

WRD Water Resources Division

National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan 2012-2014 27

Table 1: NPS Commitments to High Priority Actions, continued

Contacts for each action, which were identified by superscript numbers in previous sections of the table, and a list of acronyms are given below.

CONTACT LIST FOR ACTION ITEMS:

1 

John Gross

CCRP (I&M)

John_Gross@nps.gov

2 

Angie Richman

CCRP

Angie_Richman@nps.gov

3 

Tim Watkins

CCRP

Tim_Watkins@nps.gov

4 

Shawn Norton

SOCC

Shawn_Norton@nps.gov

5 

Mike LeBorgne

DSC

Mike_LeBorgne@nps.gov

6 

Kevin Percival

DSC

Kevin_Percival@nps.gov

7 

Patrick Gregerson

DSC

Patrick_Gregerson

@nps.gov

8 

David Vana-Miller

WRD

David_Vana-Miller@nps.gov

9 

Jeff Manley

NIFC

Jeff_Manley@nps.gov

10 

Cat Hawkins Hoffman

CCRP

Cat_Hawkins_Hoffman

@nps.gov

11 

Regional climate change 

points of contact

12 

Marcy Rockman

CCRP (CR)

Marcy_Rockman@nps.gov

13 

Patrick Gonzalez

CCRP

Patrick_Gonzalez@nps.gov

14 

Don Weeks

CCRP (WRD)

Don_Weeks@nps.gov

15 

Julia Washburn

I&E

Julia_Washburn@nps.gov

16

Melanie Wood

CCRP

Melanie_Wood@nps.gov

17 

Julie Thomas McNamee

ARD

Julie_Thomas_McNamee

@nps.gov

18 

John Tobiason

HFC

John_Tobiason@nps.gov

19

Bruce Peacock

EQD

Bruce_Peacock@nps.gov

20

Susan Johnson

ARD

Susan_Johnson@nps.gov
PREPARING FOR NEW CHALLENGES 

AND OPPORTUNITIES

1. A Service-wide Response

2. The Unique Contribution of the NPS

3

3. Flexible Planning

PREPARING FOR NEW CHALLENGES 

AND OPPORTUNITIES

What to Expect in the Next Few Years

The Road Ahead

Conclusion

28 PREPARING FOR NEW CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

The Cape Lookout Lighthouse, Cape 

Lookout National Seashore, North 

Carolina, is vulnerable to sea level 

rise as current projections indicate 

seas may rise more than two feet over 

the next fifty years. NPS photo.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS 

I

n addition to implementing the near-term, priority actions in Table 1, the NPS should keep in mind ongoing 

and emerging situations that are likely to play out over the 

next several years, which could affect decision options 

around climate change. Expected developments over 

the next two to five years include ongoing advances in 

communications technology and media, availability of 

new climate change research and synthesis reports, and 

continued impacts from climate variability and change, 

including extreme events and disasters. By being mindful 

of new developments, and considering what strategies 

and actions would be most effective in those situations, 

we are better prepared for new challenges and more able 

to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves. Many of the priority actions from the previous section will help the NPS prepare for the future. Additional 

strategies and actions suggested in this section are good 

investments should funding, staff, or partnership opportunities become available to implement them. 

Advances in communication technology

The next few years likely will be a time of continued rapid 

advancement in data availability and communications 

technology. Technological advances profoundly change 

the ways in which organizations and individuals communicate, connect, and solve problems. The result will be a 

future in which local park issues and decisions may be far 

more visible than ever before. The NPS is likely to have 

more informed remote audiences with high expectations 

for data and information to be widely available. While 

challenging our current capacity in this arena, these 

advancements offer tremendous opportunities for parks 

to connect with visitors, stakeholders, and staff in unprecedented ways. 

National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan 2012-2014 29

PREPARE NOW

•	 Create climate change information for park websites.

•	 Train and mentor staff in social media technologies and commit to their application for interpretation, outreach, and internal communications.

•	 Use social networking options for reaching new 

and diverse audiences.

•	 Link parks through social media and other evolving tools to demonstrate common climate change 

issues and facilitate shared learning. 

•	 Employ citizen science techniques to connect 

youth and their families to climate change and 

stewardship activities.

•	 Continue to invest in efficient data management 

systems and staffing.

Right: A project to control invasive 

species connects students to the values 

of protected areas in Great Smoky 

Mountains National Park, Tennessee and 

North Carolina. NPS photo.
Release of new climate change research 

and assessments reports

Climate change is an active area of research, and new 

results and scientific advances are constantly appearing 

in the published literature. Two major climate science 

synthesis efforts will produce reports beginning in 2013. 

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 

fifth assessment report is underway with components to 

be released beginning in fall 2013 through spring 2014. 

The report will likely provide more compelling and 

conclusive evidence of climate change and its effects at 

global and broad regional scales. Additionally, the U.S. 

Global Change Research Program will release its National 

Climate Assessment (NCA) in 2013, including a series of 

regional climate synthesis reports of relevance to parks. 

This information will have important implications for 

park policy and decision making. It will be critical for 

the NPS to incorporate new findings into planning and 

adaptation efforts, anticipating that new evidence, new 

feedback loops, and new consequences may challenge 

commonly accepted resource management practices or 

decisions. 

Additionally, we must expect a high degree of public and 

political interest in climate change following release of 

these reports, along with intense media coverage. Parks 

should be prepared to discuss how their resources and 

infrastructure are being affected by climate change and 

what actions are being taken to protect them. Alternatively, parks should prepare to explain why it may not 

always be in the public interest to continue some practices, such as rebuilding roads that will consistently wash 

out or armoring coastlines that will be inundated by sea 

level rise in the coming decades. New opportunities may 

arise to “lead by example” through NPS adaptation and 

mitigation actions that promote resilience and other natural solutions to climate change impacts. 

30 PREPARING FOR NEW CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

PREPARE NOW

•	 Provide examples of adaptation and mitigation 

actions on park and regional websites.

•	 Identify clear “entry points” in planning documents and processes to accommodate new 

information and implications for decision 

making.

•	 Implement citizen science initiatives to gain 

new information and engage the public.

•	 Develop local climate change science communication plans with specific talking points for 

interacting with the media. 

•	 Engage opportunities for local and regional 

partnerships to promote park science, adaptation, mitigation and communication efforts.

•	 Create “information clearinghouses” that 

enable sharing of data and reports with partners.

Left: Traditional Native American canoes 

on display at Grand Portage National 

Monument, Minnesota.

Right: A ranger surveys a destroyed 

campground following a “rain on snow” 

storm event in 2006 that resulted in 

widespread damage to park facilities 

in Mount Rainier National Park, 

Washington. NPS photos.
Continuing extreme events and disasters

Severe weather events and natural disasters are costly and 

have enormous impacts on communities and populations, 

natural systems, and cultural resources. As global climate continues to warm, we can expect dynamics of the 

physical environment to continue to change. Events that 

might be expected to increase over time include drought 

in the West, storms along the east coast, fire in many parts 

of the West and Alaska, and flash flooding in the Pacific 

Northwest. Scientists already have detected increases in 

extreme precipitation and heat events throughout the 

United States, and the trends are projected to continue. 

While it is not possible to attribute a given heat wave or 

torrential rainstorm to climate change, it is legitimate to 

say that a warming climate increases the odds of extreme 

weather events. 

Health and safety for staff and the public are prime considerations during an extreme event or disaster, bringing 

more pressure on parks to respond to emergencies and 

putting competing issues on the back burner. The public 

may see protecting park ecosystems, or allowing systems 

to change, as less relevant than rebuilding or restoring 

structures and infrastructure after a storm or fire moves 

through an area. There may be high expectations that the 

federal government protect personal property, access, 

and services in gateway communities.

Parks can be proactive in preparing for these situations. 

Some of the management tools under development for 

climate change adaptation, such as storm and hazard risk 

assessments, climate change vulnerability assessments, 

and tools for scenario and contingency planning, are 

useful in the face of any kind of natural hazard or disaster. Parks can help prepare their employees to effectively 

respond to extreme events and disasters by incorporating 

emerging assessments and contingency planning tools 

into routine planning processes. 

Extreme events and disasters also provide opportunities 

for the NPS to communicate climate literacy, including 

the differences as well as linkages between weather and 

climate. Park staff can begin now to learn more about 

these topics and to develop communication products and 

talking points that present clear, accurate, and consistent 

information to local media, communities, and the visiting 

public. This in turn will strengthen public-private relationships and trust, which resilient communities depend 

on to adapt and rebuild sustainably. 

National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan 2012-2014 31

PREPARE NOW

•	 Conduct risk and hazard assessments for assets 

in areas prone to extreme events, including 

cost-benefit analyses for restoration, repair, or 

rehabilitation of significant structures.

•	 Conduct ecosystem and species vulnerability 

assessments and analyses of associated ecosystem services that may be lost due to climate 

change.

•	 Incorporate contingency and scenario planning techniques into routine planning.

•	 Maintain a strong climate science program and 

equip leaders with climate literacy through 

training. 

•	 Enhance climate change-related monitoring 

efforts and report on status and trends.

•	 Develop close media relationships to manage 

messaging when events strike.

•	 Provide tangible, place-based examples that 

illustrate science meaningfully and keep messages relevant
THE ROAD AHEAD 

Climate change and sustainability are moving from the arena of evidence and public awareness to that 

of action, prompting us to reframe and reinvent aspects 

of how we live, act, and adapt in the short and long 

term. Institutions and individuals increasingly recognize 

climate change as a persistent global issue, and many seek 

novel solutions. For instance, a growing number of startup companies, backed by successful venture capital firms, 

now focus on ambitious clean technologies and climate 

change mitigation solutions. 

The private sector is not alone in driving innovation 

in climate change initiatives. From university research 

groups, to national laboratories, to entrepreneurs’ 

garages, many different players continue to push the 

envelope. We can anticipate initiatives around adaptation and sustainability to become more prevalent over 

the next decade and beyond, driving developments and 

opportunities in the climate change arena to occur even 

more rapidly, with new players and interests represented. 

Moreover, with cross-cutting effects influencing multiple 

sectors such as public health, human migration, security, 

food, water, and energy, climate change will become an 

increasingly complex policy issue. 

The NPS must be prepared to thrive in a more connected, 

transparent marketplace of ideas and actions around 

climate change, both at national and international levels. 

In this rapidly changing world, expanded communication will be absolutely essential so that varied organizations and regions of the nation and the world learn from 

each other about novel, successful approaches to climate 

change mitigation and adaptation for protected areas. By 

heightening the knowledge and understanding among 

our workforce, and sharing what works and what doesn’t, 

we will consistently improve our response to this fundamental challenge. Thus, a dynamic and vibrant training, 

communication, and education program is imperative as 

we move forward. 

As climate changes, national parks, wilderness, and other 

protected areas will need to communicate their relevance 

in a future in which more people will contend for fewer 

resources. National parks are natural laboratories for 

research and education, and they provide a wide variety 

of recreational opportunities and solace. Maintaining a 

healthy system of networked parks and protected areas 

is even more critical in a climate-altered future. Parks 

are centerpieces of conservation and public engagement 

that can lead to the protection of biodiversity, cultural 

values, and ecosystem services. The ecological, social, and 

economic services provided by national parks include 

clean water, genetic reservoirs, soil stabilization, disaster 

mitigation, and carbon storage as well as hiking, wildlife 

viewing, fishing, boating, and simply escape from everyday stress—all of which will be important in a changing 

climate.

The NPS also has an important role to play nationally and 

internationally with partners that engage the interests and 

efforts of non-governmental entities and other stakeholder communities. Indeed, successful conservation 

now and into the future requires that park managers work 

collaboratively at much larger scales to promote effective 

management of protected area networks in North America and worldwide. Parks, linked to other protected areas 

across large landscapes, can be among the most effective 

tools for adapting to climate change by providing greater 

resilience for species to adapt and reducing vulnerability 

of the environment to catastrophic events. A well-managed network of parks and protected areas will require a 

comprehensive, bold vision that sees beyond the current 

system of lands to identify and connect key features and 

processes through additional protection measures that 

32 PREPARING FOR NEW CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
include climate refugia, corridors, and buffer zones. Such 

national and international collaborations will enable better management of parks, and strong participation by the 

NPS to promote effective management of protected areas 

networks worldwide. 

Conserving biodiversity and ecosystem function as species and habitats adapt to climate change will require 

high-quality scientific information and flexible planning 

tools as well as a workforce that is trained to use that 

information. Parks provide immense and increasing value 

to civilization as laboratories for serious basic research, 

often representing some of the most pristine, least-modified lands as the best baselines from which to understand 

complex environmental interactions. In fact, the recently 

released report Revisiting Leopold: Resource Stewardship 

in the National Parks, advises that in order to meet the 

challenge of the future “...the NPS must materially invest 

in scientific capacity building.” This includes investing in 

research partnerships but also “...as a scientific leader 

in documenting and monitoring the conditions of park 

systems...” Therefore, as climate change evidence and 

impacts become more apparent, the NPS must continue to advance robust agendas for research, enhanced 

monitoring, and integrated data systems plans, as well as 

strategies to fully inventory cultural and natural resources 

and document change. 

Throughout our history, with successive generations and 

evolving knowledge about our world, the NPS has considered and applied a deeper understanding of our mission in context of current scientific understanding and 

social values. We will do so with climate change, working 

across boundaries, evaluating and embracing appropriate 

new technologies, advancing our knowledge, and considering new, progressive conservation goals, practices, and 

policies. Through maintaining a clear, full vision of our 

role in climate change response, and the steps to fulfill 

that role, the NPS will be equipped to seize the opportunities that unfold over the next decade and beyond.

National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan 2012-2014 33

Left: Interpretive programs encourage the 

use of sustainable transportation practices 

in the National Capital Region parks, 

Washington, D.C. NPS photo.

Right: National parks protect ecosystem 

services, like clean water and disaster 

mitigation, and provide recreation and 

solace in an increasingly hectic world. 

Point Reyes National Seashore, California. 

NPS photo courtesy Melanie Wood.
34 CONCLUSION

Cascading effects of climate change, 

including changing streamflow 

and water temperatures, will affect 

organisms along entire food chains, such 

as cold-water salmon species and this 

brown bear at Brooks Falls in Katmai 

National Park, Alaska. NPS photo.
Conclusion

The National Park Service has an important leadership role to play in understanding and communicating 

about climate change and in responding with effective 

adaptation and mitigation actions. The Climate Change 

Action Plan provides guidance to fulfill that role in both 

the near and long term. It is designed to focus near-term 

efforts on a coordinated set of actions while promoting 

flexibility to incorporate new knowledge, new initiatives, 

and changing circumstances as the future unfolds. 

The Action Plan will reside in an electronic version on the 

NPS internal website (www1.nrintra.nps.gov/climatechange) along with companion documents, tools, and 

guidelines that result from the actions underway. New 

materials and perspectives will emerge continually, thus 

our commitment to timely review and revision of the plan 

will be important to stay current and to gauge the success 

and effectiveness of our activities. In the coming months 

Climate Change Response Program staff will engage with 

regions and major program areas to present key concepts 

and priorities of this Action Plan and gain input on how 

the plan can evolve to more fully represent all levels of the 

agency. We expect to review the status of high-priority 

actions annually and conduct a substantive revision every 

two to three years through the staff of the servicewide 

Climate Change Response Program. The first full revision 

is targeted for 2014, following release of new information 

about climate change and its impacts through the upcoming National Climate Assessment and the IPCC reports. 

Regardless of flexible intent, a written document remains 

static words on a page, expressed at a particular moment 

in time. People who are committed to initiate, follow 

through, connect, and communicate about their ideas, 

successes, and failures are the key to creating a “living 

plan.” This is not about individual divisions, programs 

or offices, but rather a learning, and growing community 

of practice. The immediacy of this threat to the integrity 

of our resources demands that we develop and embrace 

a culture of risk taking. There are no silver bullets or 

easy answers to climate change. As stewards of America’s greatest national treasures, we must draw on our 

strengths and join with our partners to meet this challenge over the long term. 

Start where you are—let’s get going. 

National Park Service Climate Change Action Plan 2012-2014 35

Right: An NPS scientist measures coral 

bleaching caused by warming oceans in Dry 

Tortugas National Park, Florida. NPS photos.
National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

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

climate_change@nps.gov or visit the intranet site at www1.nrintra.nps.gov/climatechange

NPS Climate Change Coordinating Group:

Jon Jarvis, Bert Frost, Stephanie Toothman, Julia Washburn, Vic Knox, Gary Machlis, Michael Reynolds, Dan Kimball, and Leigh Welling

Writing & Editing Team:

Global Business Network, a member of the Monitor Group (GBN): Jonathan Star and Judy Cheng

NPS: Leigh Welling, Cat Hawkins Hoffman, Angie Richman, Melanie Wood, Patrick Gonzalez, and Virginia Reams 

Layout and Design: 

Global Business Network, a member of the Monitor Group (GBN)

NPS: Angie Richman

Front Cover

Sunrise at Effigy Mounds, Iowa

NPS photo