Mission to the Rockies I received an exciting email today The Mountain Research Group wants to know how the ecosystems in the Rocky Mountains are being affected by Earth’s warming temperatures They have asked me to travel across the entire range The mountains stretch along the western coast of Canada and the United States My report will cover the mountain range’s many different landscapes resources plants and animals Mountain ranges have different ecosystems The types of plants and animals change from the foothills to the peaks Valleys are usually grasslands On the slopes of the mountains are pine forests At the top there are only a few hardy trees Scientists face many challenges protecting each of the different areas 4
Protecting the Rocky Mountains means protecting the animals and plants and their habitats But people also rely on mountains for their drinking water recreation and resources We have to find a balance between the activities of people and the needs of wildlife and plants It means making sure that companies that take and sell resources such as trees and minerals do it without using them all up or harming the ecosystem Rules about how all this should be done have to be agreed across state provincial and even international borders My job is to find out what we are doing well and where we need to do more work Bears are just one of the many animals I’m likely to see on my trip through the Rockies 5
Field Journal Day 1 Elk in the Rocky Mountain National Park Boulder Colorado to Rocky Mountain National Park The first stop on my journey is Rocky Mountain National Park This is one of many national parks in the Rocky Mountain range The park system protects many different ecosystems Each ecosystem supports a mixture of plant and animal life I hiked through a section called Horseshoe Park exploring the river valley and meadows Then I climbed the mountain slopes which were covered in trees such as lodgepole pines 6
In 1976 UNESCO gave Rocky Mountain National Park a special title It was named one of the first World Biosphere Reserves These reserves are protected areas The park managers try to find a balance here The goal is to protect but still use the park Many activities are allowed Visitors can hike camp and fish These activities raise money to pay for programs but they also bring more people This can cause damage to the fragile ecosystem Special rules for visitors help protect the animals and plants that live there I kept my eyes open for bobcats They make their home in the edges of the forests in this area The rise in number of national parks in the Rocky Mountains 14 12 10 8 6 4 No. of national parks in the USA and Canada 2 0 Yellowstone 1880 Banff Yoho 1890 1900 Jasper Glacier Wind Cave 1910 Kootenay Mountain Rocky 1920 Grand Teton 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 Badlands Theordore Roosevelt 1980 1990 Black Canyon Gunnison 2000 Great Sand Dunes 2010 Years 7
