Saturday, Feb. 2, 7:00 p.m.
Learning About Management Across International Borders Through Sister Park Agreements
Rocky Mountain National Park has joined a world wide network of parks who have joined together as sister parks to pursue cooperative projects of mutual benefit. In September of 2007, Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) representatives visited the Tatra National Park, Slovakia (TANAP) and the Tatra National Park, Poland (TPN). Our visit was part of a reciprocal relationship between RMNP, the TANAP and TPN. The three parks share mutual issues and concerns involving the conservation, preservation, and management of national parks. TANAP and TPN already share a reciprocal relationship, as the border between Slovakia and Poland unites the parks. A Sister Park Arrangement was signed by all three parks on Sept. 12, 2007. We expanded relations and collaborated on management issues of mutual concern to include visitor use management, natural resource management (forest health, air quality, wildlife management), interpretation and education including youth programs, volunteer programs, and commercial visitor services. Join members of the RMNP travel team for highpoints of this enlightening trip.
Saturday, February 9, 7:00 p.m.
Save Our Snow: Climate Change in the Rocky Mountains
Mountains, like polar regions, are likely to experience the effects of global warming before lowland sites. Seasonally snow-covered areas are like canaries in a coal mine: early warning systems that climate change is occurring. Small increases in air temperature can cause snowfall to change to rainfall. A reduction in snowfall will decrease water availability. A warmer climate could potentially push alpine tundra off the tops of mountains as treeline moves uphill. Mountains make their own weather. Predicting future climate in mountain areas is very difficult. Dr. Mark Williams of INSTAAR at CU Boulder will walk us through strategies to predict future climates to Rocky Mountain National Park, how changes in climate may change our snow resource, and how those changes may affect water availability, water quality and ecosystem processes.
The Lyceum schedule runs from January 26 through May 17, 2008. Financial support for the lyceum series is provided by the park’s nonprofit partner, the Rocky Mountain Nature Association. Programs are free and open to the public.
For more information about Rocky Mountain National Park please call (970) 586-1206.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
