How inaction on climate change threatens your local public lands recreation
Whether in the sun or the snow, climate change is impacting your recreation on public lands
A crisp mountain sunrise. The rush of the wind in your face and clean air filling your lungs. Trout tugging at your line, or deep powder days in the winter. Our public lands are for everyone, and outdoor recreation is one of the most popular ways to enjoy them. In the West, public lands see over 290 million visits each year; maybe you’re one of them.
But did you know that climate change is already threatening public lands recreation?
Mounting climate change impacts can be felt across the country. Just a few of those impacts include lengthened and more intense wildfire seasons that create poor air quality, decreased snowpack and ski season length, impacts on wildlife and fish populations, and decreased water recreation access. It gets worse: research shows that many of our public lands are being impacted more rapidly than the rest of the country.
However, there’s still time to save recreation on public lands by working to combat climate change. Learn about how climate change is impacting your local public lands recreation with our fact sheets, and take a look at how our public lands can also be part of the climate change solution.
For more information, visit westernpriorities.org. Sign up for Look West to get daily public lands and energy news sent to your inbox, or subscribe to Go West, Young Podcast.
