Grand Canyon facing environmental challenges

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK — Despite its protected status as a national park, a host of environmental challenges facing Grand Canyon threaten to complicate management of the park's vast resources — challenges that a new report says will only continue to escalate.

"Stresses on this iconic American national park are numerous," a new report by the National Parks Conservation Association says, pointing to the need for $6.2 million in funding to support resource protection and visitor services.

"As the second-most visited national park in the system (Great Smoky Mountains National Park is first), park service staff experience significant pressure in trying to preserve resources and provide high-quality visitor services," according to the report released Monday.

More than 4.5 million people visit the park annually, taking advantage of a 1.2 million acre playground with spectacular vistas carved by the waters of the Colorado River.

Although legislation has been enacted to correct degradation of resources and improve visitor experience, the report notes that the legislation has often been unsuccessful.

The publication calls on the need to recognize and avert a variety of challenges posed to the park, including:

Management of the Colorado River system that fails to adequately adopt strategies for the protection and restoration of native animals, as well as cultural resources and wildlife habitat.

Threats from future mining development adjacent to the park and remediation of historic mining activities that occurred within its boundaries. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar last year announced a two-year moratorium on new mining claims on 1 million acres surrounding the park. The conservation association says that does not mean the threats have abated.

Sound pollution caused by scenic and commercial flights over the park.

Air pollution the report says is just miles away, threatening to not only obscure scenic vistas but damage the overall health of park employees and park visitors.

Threats of damage posed by other uses in areas adjacent to the park such as water development, grazing and the presence of nonnative plants and animals.

Increased need for backcountry management, an area of the park that despite its infrequent visitation, still hosts thousands of people each year.

Climate-change impacts — some of which the conservation association says are already apparent and impacting park resources.

"The Grand Canyon is unique, awe-inspiring treasure, which requires and deserves strong stewardship efforts," the report says.

The conservation association is an advocacy organization that seeks continued protections for national parks and resists any weakening of the laws that may protect them. It was founded in 1919, three years after the establishment of the National Park Service.

To view the full report on the Grand Canyon, go to www.npca.org/stateoftheparks/grand_canyon/

e-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com