Toolkit: Understand Your Story and Science

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To communicate climate change effectively, it's important to know how your park's story connects to climate change. For some parks this might be a story of science, and for other parks it might be a story of people. It might even be both! There are countless sources available online to learn about climate change, so here you will find selected sources specifically related to national parks to provide a good start. Browse by theme and subject below or check out the regional impacts page for resources focused on a specific park or region rather than impact.

You are welcome to submit new resources that you think would make a great addition to the toolkit.

Climate Science Overview

Big Picture
Climate change is happening and its impacts are being seen in our national parks. The consensus among climate scientists is strong and human activities are perceived as being a primary global driver for the changes that are occurring.

Find Your Science Story

Disappearing Ice

Warming in the Arctic and elsewhere (melting glaciers, melting and thinning sea ice, and variable snow fall) has significant consequences and worldwide implications.

Atmosphere

Changes in the atmosphere are having impacts on regional and global scales.

Fire

Wildland fires are forecast to increase in frequency, duration, and range by as much as 80% over the next century.

Wildlife

The diversity, range, and distribution of many wildlife species are changing and altering their availability, populations, and habitat.

Vegetation

Vegetative zones are shifting in numerous ways, causing wide-ranging impacts. There will be winners and losers in these changing regimes.

Oceans and Coasts

Coastal areas are having increased exposure to storms, increasing sea level, and ocean acidification which have consequences for living things on both land and sea.

Find Your Human Story

Find Your Human Story
Climate change and human stories are interconnected in many parks. Some tell the story of the origins of modern climate change, while others offer lessons in change from past societies. Other parks showcase changes to human lifeways, experiences, and our material world.

Taking Action

What We Can Do Together
In order to avoid catastrophic impacts in the future, actions can be taken now to reduce the effects and adapt to the consequences of changing climate.