Zion National Park Warming Faster than Most of Earth

A new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization says that Zion National Park and the Colorado river basin is warming at a faster pace than any other spot on the planet outside the arctic.  The report says that will affect snow and water levels and possibly lead to the loss of plants and wildlife in the area.  All of Utah’s national parks are in danger, though Zion faces the most immediate problems.

Warmer temperatures are melting glaciers at alarming rates, causing sea levels to rise and threatening coastal parks such as Acadia, Cape Hatteras and Everglades.  But the repercussions don’t end there.  Hotter and drier conditions, and extreme storms and flooding, put plant communities everywhere at risk.  With habitats and food sources devastated, wildlife are already struggling to survive.

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