Air Quality

NPS photo

Southeast Alaska is known for its fresh air.

The Southeast Alaska Inventory and Monitoring Network (SEAN) monitors airborne contaminants throughout national parks in Southeast Alaska including; Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Sitka National Historical Park, and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.

The Airborne Contaminants monitoring program is designed to monitor contaminants every decade using a variety of methods, including measuring amounts of nitrogen, sulfur, and metals such as mercury. This is done by collecting lichens (which absorb elements in the atmosphere) and collecting rain water.

Additionally, the National Park Service partners with the Skagway Traditional Council to track continuous air quality at locations throughout the municipality. See current conditions and monthly data reports at the Skagway Air Monitoring Program website.

 

View south from Dyea on a busy summer day, with haze visible over Skagway (in the valley behind the ridge to the southeast, or upper left).

NPS Photo