• Approximately 1,500 black bears live in the national park.

    Great Smoky Mountains

    National Park NC,TN

Dispatches from the Field: Air & Sky

Looking west from Look Rock.
Prevailing winds from the west bring weather and air pollution to the Smoky Mountains.
NPS photo.

Resource Roundup: Highlights of scientific projects and findings for Fall, 2009

Meet the Managers: Understanding air pollution

Focus On… the air & sky of the Great Smoky Mountains

  • NPS Profile: Air above & beyond the Smokies 
  • Partner Profile: NPS Dark Skies Initiative
  • Links to information about air quality, further research, and volunteering opportunities
  • And for those in school information about education & experience needed to become an expert in air quality monitoring

Return to the Dispatches from the Field issue index.

 

 

Did You Know?

Visitors can often spot bears in trees at the edges of forests.

Approximately 1,500 black bears live in the park. This equals a population density of approximately two bears per square mile. Bears can be found throughout the park, but are easiest to spot in open areas such as Cades Cove and Cataloochee Valley.