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Rising sea levels, longer wildfire seasons, and other climate change impacts are already affecting many homes and jobs. But climate change will also affect the Statue of Liberty, American beginnings at Jamestown Island, archaeological sites and communities on the Bering Land Bridge, and other sites that define American identity. Take this quiz to test your knowledge of climate change impacts on these and other iconic American places.

How Much Do You Know About The Impacts Of Climate Change On Iconic American Historic Sites?

Spruce Tree House at Mesa Verde National Park.

While approximately 20% of national park sites have observed climate change impacts to their landscapes or structures, the National Park Service reports that approximately 96% of its landholdings are in areas with recorded warming patterns in the past century. This means almost all of our American heritage within the park service system may be at risk from future climate change impacts.

20%, or 1 in 5 of our National Parks!

At how many national park sites (by percentage) can you already see the impacts of climate change on landscapes or structures?

Approximately 1,000 historic structures in New Orleans were destroyed directly by Hurricane Katrina. After the storm, an additional 3,000-5,000 structures were destroyed because they had sustained irreparable damage or because the resources to repair these structures were not available.

4,000-6,000 historic structures

Approximately how many historic structures in New Orleans were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005?

Wildfire approaches Bass Lake in California

Climate change is already raising temperatures and increasing the risk of large and devastating wildfires in the western United States, causing damage to historic and archaeological sites. Nearly half of Mesa Verde’s 52,000 acres burned in 2000. In 2011, 160,000 acres of Bandelier National Monument were destroyed in the Las Conchas Fire, the second-largest fire in New Mexico’s history. The 116-acre property and historic structure at the newly designated César E. Chávez National Monument has not been affected yet, but increased wildfires threaten the livelihood and safety of farm workers, whose rights Chávez championed.

All Three Sites!

Which national park sites have already been affected by increased wildfires?

Jamestown, home to important Native American, Anglo-American, and African-American sites, is located on a sediment river system that is quickly eroding due to sea level rise, storm surge, and groundwater flooding. So far, two archaeological sites on Jamestown have disappeared due to climate change and another 24 sites are being submerged or eroded. By 2065, approximately 95% of National Park Service archaeological sites on Jamestown will likely be lost. While we may not be able to reverse this climate process, we can make intentional and informed decisions about how to recover data and memorialize these sites now.

By 2065, what percentage of National Park Service archaeological sites will likely be lost due to sea level rise and erosion on Jamestown Island at Colonial National Historical Park?

We think of metal as a hardier building material than wood, brick, or adobe. However, in salty conditions metal fittings can corrode. At Fort Jefferson, iron shutters were fitted to open when soldiers were firing their cannon, then close again to protect soldiers from enemy shot. As the metal fixtures corrode, they expand, causing surrounding walls to crumble. The brick used to build Fort Jefferson and similar coastal forts is also susceptible to damage from storm surge, inundation, and sea level rise.

Metal Components

Which construction materials that make up Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas, are most susceptible to rising sea levels, increasing storm activity, and salt exposure?

In 1999, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was moved approximately 3000 feet inland due to encroaching shoreline. Although the move protected the structure, the lighthouse is no longer in its original location or on the shore. While Cape Hatteras Lighthouse could be partially preserved in this way, other sites with extensive brick and/or earthworks such as Fort McHenry, sites with important natural features such as the Grand Canyon, or sites that are defined by the place and archaeological materials such as Gettysburg Battlefield cannot be moved. These sites may be exposed to longer wildfire seasons, more intense precipitation events, drought, sea level rise, and other factors linked with climate change.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, North Carolina

Which historic landscape feature has already been relocated to prevent climate change damages?

To date, three native villages in Alaska - approximately 1300 residents in total - have voted to relocate. Rising sea levels and erosion disproportionately affect coastal Indigenous communities, which were once mobile but now depend on built infrastructure such as schools and power plants. Residents of Shishmaref, located on a small island north of the Bering Strait, voted to relocate in August 2016 due to shoreline loss. The village of Kivalina no longer forms enough sea ice to protect the population from winter storms and Newtok is under threat from erosion. According to the Arctic Institute, 31 Alaskan villages face imminent destruction, which will also impact cultural practices.

1300

Approximately how many Indigenous Alaskans are in the process of relocating due to climate change?

As warming waters force America’s favorite crustaceans further north, American dinner plates will experience changes. No longer will Baltimore restaurants be able to source their crab cakes with Chesapeake blue crab or will Californian families be about to use local dungeness crab for their popular fish stew. These local culinary traditions will be altered because of ocean acidification, rising temperatures, and drought conditions.

All Three

Which iconic American seafood dish is becoming difficult to source locally due to climate change?

Digitization can conserve heritage such as art, written stories, spoken word, images, music, and digital architectural data that may be affected by climate change. This is especially important in places where entire communities are forced to relocate, such as in Alaskan native villages. In order to digitize and preserve information, cultural heritage institutions and repositories will need to manage and enhance their capacity for digital collections. These institutions are working to write digital collections policies to account for the increase in digital materials.

Digitization is one way we can conserve cultural resources that are threatened by climate change. In a recent survey, what percentage of cultural heritage institutions have written digital collections policies?

Fort Monroe and Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monuments are already being damaged by sea level rise and coastal erosion. However, inland and urban sites such as the César Chávez and Stonewall Inn National Monuments are not immune. These sites are crucial to telling more inclusive stories, and social justice will have to be considered as we address the impacts of climate change on our cultural sites.

2, so far...

Of the 23 national parks and monuments designated by President Obama since 2009, seven are dedicated to the histories of people of color, women, and the LGBT community. Of these, at least how many are already being impacted by climate change?

You are engaged and interested in how climate change will affect historic preservation, and there is a lot to learn. Read the Union of Concerned Scientists’ “National Landmarks at Risk” report, linked on the image result, for more in-depth discussion of topics covered here.   

So what can you do? Keep up to date on the latest issues! Check out the US/ ICOMOS Climate Change and Heritage online Knowledge Exchange and the Keeping History Above Water news page as a starting point.   
  

Next, get in touch with your town planning office to see how they are preparing historic properties and important places in your town for climate change. Engage with your neighbors, co-workers, and local officials to hear their stories. You can even get involved in the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “This Place Matters” campaign. Together, you all know best which artifacts, sites, and histories need to be protected from climate change to preserve the heritage of your community.

Climate History Student

You know quite a bit about how climate change will affect historic landmarks, and are on the right track to becoming an expert. Read the Union of Concerned Scientists’ “National Landmarks at Risk” report, linked on the image result, for more in-depth discussion of topics covered here. In your local community, partner with local organizations, professionals, and individuals with diverse backgrounds, and interests to protect both built and intangible heritage.   

Last but not least, keep up to date on the latest issues! Check out US/ ICOMOS’ Climate Change and Heritage online knowledge community and Keeping History Above Water’s news page along with your favorite sources.   
Last but not least, keep up to date on the latest issues! Check out the US/ ICOMOS Climate Change and Heritage online Knowledge Exchange and the Keeping History Above Water news page along with your own favorite sources.

Climate History Buff

You know exactly how climate change will affect our national historic sites and landscapes - now is the time to get involved! Read the Union of Concerned Scientists’ “National Landmarks at Risk” report, linked on the image result, for more in-depth discussion of topics covered here. In your local community, partner with local organizations, professionals, and individuals with diverse backgrounds, and interests to protect both built and intangible heritage. You can also get involved with the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s online historic preservation and climate change community for more research and to post your own ideas.   

Last but not least, keep up to date on the latest issues! Check out the US/ ICOMOS Climate Change and Heritage online Knowledge Exchange and the Keeping History Above Water news page along with your own favorite sources.

Climate History Guru

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How Much Do You Know About The Impacts Of Climate Change On Iconic American Historic Sites?

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