Project Profile: Assess and Address Vulnerability of Fish Species to Climate Change in Eastern National Parks

Underwater shot of Eastern brook trout.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Inflation Reduction Act
Resilience | FY24 $1,840,000

The National Park Service (NPS) will develop a conservation plan and decision-making framework for brook trout and cold-water streams across multiple parks in multiple regions. The current status and future vulnerability of brook trout to climate change will be assessed through rapid and long-term monitoring. Park managers and experts in brook trout ecology and climate change will develop park specific management approaches.

Why? Brook trout are an iconic resource with high recreational, cultural, and ecological value. However, the impacts of climate change, specifically rising temperatures, threaten their well-being. In Shenandoah National Park alone, two thirds of streams have faced an estimated 50% decline in brook trout abundance over the last 25 years, and several populations have disappeared completely. Without action, it is likely that the brook trout will become extinct in many park habitats. To fulfill the NPS mission, it is essential to develop a robust approach to conserving this vulnerable species.

What Else? Currently, individual parks are developing and implementing brook trout conservation strategies. This project will help unify conservation efforts and create a strong decision framework to be applied service wide. Additionally, the project will be implemented by early career scientists, developing the next generation of national park stewards.

About the Inflation Reduction Act

The Inflation Reduction Act provides the National Park Service with an historic opportunity to address critical ecosystem resilience, restoration, and environmental planning needs. Projects funded in national parks represent broad-scale and impactful resource investments across every corner of our nation—from Alaska to Florida to Maine.