Aquatic Ecosystems

Aquatic ecosystems connect the ecosystems and history of parks in the North Coast and Cascades Network, from the Cascade and Olympic mountain glaciers through rivers to the lagoons and intertidal zones of Olympic National Park, San Juan Island National Historical Park, Ebey’s Landing National Historic Reserve, and Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. In the past, waterways were important modes of travel and food for Native Americans and early settlers. Today, we monitor mountain lakes, glaciers, the ocean, and other waterbodies for signals of changing climates, pollutants, and introduced species to interpret the ecological integrity of aquatic ecosystems.