Pulitzer prize-winning author Wallace Stegner called national parks “the best idea we ever had.” He said, “Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst.”
We began with Yellowstone in 1872, and now have 58 national parks, in addition to national seashores and other areas under the umbrella of the National Park Service. The ecosystems and the plants and animals that inhabit them are intended to be protected so that current and future generations of Americans can enjoy them.
We’ve done a good job maintaining the natural areas inside park boundaries, but we can’t control external impacts. Some of our national parks have a major smog problem. At the top of the list is Sequoia National Park in California, home to the giant redwoods.
Last year, the park had 87 days when ozone levels violated the Clean Air Act. The major north-south highways and railroads in the nearby San Joaquin Valley are the source of the pollution, along with diesel tractors and food processing plants associated with the agricultural industry there. Forest fires also contribute.
The pollution—which can be as bad as in urban areas—diminishes views and endangers the health of park guests. On high-ozone days, visitors are warned not to hike.
There are also concerns that the smog might threaten Sequoia National Park’s main attraction: the giant redwoods. Already, some species of resident pines are showing a yellowing that indicates that they are absorbing ozone instead of carbon dioxide.
It would be a shame if the damage extended to the majestic, ancient redwoods.
Photo, taken on August 14, 2010, courtesy of Gordon Wrigley via Flickr.