GRSM AIR QUALITY MONITORING

America’s national parks, because of their unique, protected resources, are particularly vulnerable to climate change. As knowledge about climate change and its effects has accumulated, it has highlighted the need to maintain park resources through practicing not only good stewardship of the flora and fauna within parks’ boundaries but also active protection of the natural environment on regional and global scales. Perhaps the greatest potential for national parks to help address climate change is to provide the millions of annual visitors with the tools to understand and address their individual contributions to climate change. Understanding current and historical climate trends is essential for interpreting ecological conditions and changes in national parks, and for determining associated management strategies and actions. Access to climate data, especially in light of climate change, is fundamental to our understanding of the status of ecosystems and species and their response to climate variability. In addition, weather and climate profoundly influence everyday park operations such as fire management, search and rescue, visitor services, and maintenance of park infrastructure. The corresponding Integration of Resource Management Applications (IRMA) NPS Data Store reference is Great Smoky Mountains National Park Air Quality Monitoring Stations.