Series: Observing Change in Alaska's National Parks

Capturing the effects of change on cultural and natural resources at these two coastal park areas, and hearing about the effects on the human connection to those resources allows audiences to gain first-hand understanding of a changing environment and provides the opportunity to draw comparisons between two distinct regions of Alaska.

• Article 1: Conversations About Change

  

  Observing Change in Alaska's National Parks contains oral history interviews with long-time residents of Skagway, Alaska talking about their observations of environmental change in and around Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, and with National Park Service employees and residents of Nome, Alaska discussing the changing environment in and around Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. Read more

• Article 2: Weather

  

  Alaskans are keenly aware of the weather. Many favorite activities, including gardening, hunting, fishing, traveling, or recreating take place outdoors, and are all greatly affected by temperature, wind, rain, snow, and ice. Read more

• Article 3: Seasonal Change

  

  The first blooms of spring. The first frost. The first dusting of snow. The signs and timing of the seasons is a finely tuned natural process. The interplay of temperature and daylight activates these changes and the subsequent plant and animal responses. A slight shift in any of these may mean that vegetation will no longer grow in a certain location or appear at a different time of year. Read more

• Article 4: Ice Conditions

  

  Winter conditions often last over six months in parts of Alaska. Ice and snow dominate the landscape, greatly influencing the natural world. Plants and animals have adapted to this frozen world, and so have the humans who depend on these resources. Read more

• Article 5: Permafrost

  

  Many parts of Alaska have a hidden underground world of frozen ground. The depth and extent of this “permafrost” varies by location, depending on average air temperatures, soil types, topography, and surface vegetation. Read more

• Article 6: Vegetation

  

  It is easy to see change in your local environment by looking at the plants and trees that grow around you. Plants, whether wild or planted in your garden, are highly adapted to specific conditions. Read more

• Article 7: Wildlife

  

  Whether predator or prey, animals have adapted distinct diets to survive in habitats where they can most easily get their preferred food. As weather and landscapes change, the location of animals may also shift. Read more

• Article 8: What Do These Changes Mean for Life in Coastal Alaska?

  

  Major changes to ice, sea level, flora, and fauna have happened in Alaska for thousands of years. The difference now is that the changes are happening faster—fast enough for people to see and feel them. Read more

• Article 9: Climate Change and Alaska's National Parks

  

  With climate change occurring throughout the north, immense changes are happening to landscapes, wildlife, habitat, and human lifestyles in all of Alaska’s national parks. Read more

• Article 10: Climate Change and You

  

  It’s important to understand that climate change isn’t just an academic issue for scientists and resource managers. Firsthand experiences with climate change can be dramatic, life-changing, and sometimes life-threatening for people who work, live, and travel amid such changes. Read more

• Article 11: Meet the Project Participants

  

  Meet the people from Skagway, Nome and the National Park Service who shared their time, memories, observations and thoughts about the changing climate in Alaska. Read more