Glacier National Park

The second Climate Friendly Parks workshop was held at Glacier National Park in June 2003. The glaciers in Glacier National Park are shrinking. Today, the park's largest glaciers are only about a third of the size they were in 1850, and many small mountain glaciers have disappeared completely during the last 150 years. Being the site of such notable climate change impacts made Glacier National Park an appropriate choice to be the second Climate Friendly Park workshop. In addition, Glacier National Park's status as a Biosphere Reserve helps visitors understand the importance of the park's climate change mitigation actions along with its other efforts in the areas of sustainability and ecological stewardship.

Examples of how the park plans to reduce emissions include such innovative ideas as the use of "Red Bicycles" for employees to commute between out-buildings, the expansion of the famous "Jammers" (aka "red buses") shuttle system along the Going to the Sun Road, and a collaboration with historical preservation specialists to achieve maximum energy efficiency in the park's many historical buildings.

The Glacier Criteria Air Pollutant (CAP) and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventory (PDF 631 kb) was developed to provide an understanding of park emission sources and a baseline by which future emission reductions can be measured. The Glacier Climate Action Plan, as incorporated into the Environmental Management Plan, identifies the strategies by which the park intends to achieve those reductions.