Climate Change: Sea to Trees at Acadia National Park

Help researchers add to over 120 years of data, revealing how our reliance on fossil fuels is affecting one of America’s most beautiful places.

The granite mountains and craggy coasts of the islands that make up Acadia are famous for their beauty and their wildlife. This is classic, unspoiled New England. Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, our partner, is based near the tip of Schoodic Point, feet away from the crashing surf.

Acadia is home to a stunning diversity of wildlife. It is on a bird “superhighway,” a route heavily traveled by birds that migrate between Canada and South America. Researchers have recorded 23 species of warblers alone here. Additionally, the park’s lakes and coastal waters provide a home for 30 species of fish and a wide array of invertebrates, such as sea stars and urchins.

But global change–like warming temperatures and ocean acidification–are having significant impacts on the park, threatening the diversity of wildlife within. Acadia’s scientists have compiled over 120 years of detailed natural history observations to compare current patterns to. On this expedition, you'll help collect similar data that can be compared to this extended time-series data-set, revealing how Acadia is being influenced by a changing climate. Few places in the country have such a rich pool of observations to draw from and make comparisons to.

Help scientists tell the story of how humans are reshaping Acadia, which they hope will inspire management actions that will help safeguard this iconic National Park.