Vintage Photos of Glacier National Park Compared to Recent Images Tell a Troubling Story
Glacier National Park, located in Montana, USA, is well-known for its beautiful landscapes, including huge mountains, bright blue lakes, and dense forests. The park is home to many huge glaciers, a wide variety of wildlife, and some of the most scenic trails in the country, making it a haven for hikers, photographers, and nature lovers. However, in recent news, photographs of Glacier National Park from the 1900s are being compared to those of modern-day pictures of the park, raising fresh concerns about how the natural wonder is being affected.
As reported by The Travel, the United States Geological Survey has been photographing the massive glaciers present in the Glacier National Park since 1997 as part of the Repeat Photography Project. By clicking a photograph from time to time, they compare the old and new photos, analyzing how the glaciers and landscapes have changed over the years, and sadly, there's a clear difference. As per the data, the national park has lost a massive amount of ice over the years. Between 1966 and 2015, its glacier-covered area shrank by around 34%, and it may have become worse in the years thereafter. The before-and-after photos were shared on the National Park Service website.
Back in September 2020, Glacier National Park shared an official X (formerly Twitter) post, featuring two side-by-side images of the same location. In the caption, they wrote, "Image one: Jackson Glacier in 1913. A black and white photo of a mountain covered in snow and ice with a man pointing in the foreground. Image two: Jackson Glacier in 2020. Similar to image one but in color and with much less snow and ice." The difference was clear. They added, "Repeat photography, photographs of the glaciers taken from the same vantage points, confirm a reduction in area and also illustrate a decrease in thickness and overall mass."
Image one: Jackson Glacier in 1913. A black and white photo of a mountain covered in snow and ice with a man pointing in the foreground.
— Glacier National Park (@GlacierNPS) September 15, 2020
Image two: Jackson Glacier in 2020. Similar to image one but in color and with much less snow and ice. (1/8)#GlacierMovingForward pic.twitter.com/2ZytHMMKQ5
The park also highlighted that melting glaciers will also affect the nearby ecosystem. For instance, the rivers nearby, which are dependent on the glaciers, can dry up, reducing water availability in the region. Additionally, cold-water species, like certain fish and insects, may struggle to survive, leading to an imbalance in the underwater ecosystem. Moreover, rising sea levels can flood the coastal regions, too. Speaking of the future, the national park stated, "What is harder to know is what will happen next. We do know the park in 2100 will be different from it was in 1900, and to some extent, we can work toward a future we want."
To fight against this concerning scenario, the national park is dedicated to improving its environment by promoting sustainable practices. It has come up with various eco-friendly practices aimed at lowering its carbon footprint. To help fight climate change and rapidly rising temperatures, the park uses solar and hydro power, runs various recycling programs, and even encourages both visitors and staff to walk or use a bike instead of driving a car in the area, as reported by CNN. While it is already too late to save the iconic glaciers, as the global temperatures have already risen by 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit, it's always better late than never.
More on Green Matters
Before and After Photos Captured by Travelers Depict the Harsh Reality of This Dying Swiss Glacier