The Melting “Crown of the Continent”: Visual History of Glacier National Park

Authors

Abstract

Located in northwest Montana, US, Glacier National Park sits high among the mountains, home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. Known as the “Crown of the Continent,” the park has seen dramatic changes over time in both its management strategies and environment. Today, the park is known as the poster child for climate change within the Park Service and acts a prime example of the rapid rate of glacial retreat. From over 150 glaciers to 25 today, park scientists have modeled future changes to the park and suggest that glaciers could no longer be present in Glacier National Park as early as 2030.

Author Biographies

Dori Gorcyzka, U.S. National Park Service (NPS), USA

Dori Gorcyzka works as a park ranger for the National Park Service. Currently she is stationed at the Everglades National Park in Florida. She was employed at Glacier National Park as a student intern during the summer of 2013, when she embarked on her senior honors thesis regarding climate change communication.

Salma Monani, Gettysburg College, USA

Salma Monani is Associate Professor at Gettysburg College. She is an environmental humanist, with a research focus in visual media and ecocriticism. (Her publications are available at: www.salmamonani.org/research.)

Sarah Principato, Gettysburg College, USA

Sarah Principato is Associate Professor at Gettysburg College. She is a glacial geologist, with a number of geological publications: http://sarahprincipato.sites.gettysburg.edu/.

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Published

2018-08-30

Issue

Section

Summer