Devils Postpile National Monument

Photographer Ansel Adams is renowned for his black-and-white images of western American landscapes. His name conjures iconic images of national parks, particularly his beloved Yosemite. Although his 1941 mural project for the US Department of the Interior (DOI) is better known, Adams also worked with the National Park Service (NPS) to create a series of six posters. These affordable versions of Adams’ art provided priceless publicity for national parks.

A lot of articles have been written about the history of the National Park Service (NPS) arrowhead emblem. Many recycle the same content and outdated information that has largely come from the NPS itself. Challenging the traditional story has revealed new sources of information—and two previously overlooked arrowhead designs—that rewrite the arrowhead origin story.

Birds occur across a wide range of habitats and their sensitivity to change makes them good indicators of ecosystem health. The Sierra Nevada Network partners with The Institute for Bird Populations to monitor breeding-bird species. Population trends between 2011 and 2019 are summarized by species and park, and in relation to mean spring temperature and amount of snow. Learn which species were increasing or declining at network parks during this period.

The Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago [MYA] through today) is the "Age of Mammals." North America’s characteristic landscapes began to develop during the Cenozoic. Birds and mammals rose in prominence after the extinction of giant reptiles. Common Cenozoic fossils include cat-like carnivores and early horses, as well as ice age woolly mammoths.

Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios.

Genny Smith worked tirelessly to protect the High Sierra Nevada’s natural beauty. She was a pioneering environmental activist and author who raised public awareness and organized multiple campaigns toward that end.

A recent NPS Geological Resources Division report for Sierra Nevada Network parks highlights geologic features (or “stratotypes”) of parks that serve as the standard for identifying geologic units. Stratotypes are important because they store knowledge, represent important comparative sites where past knowledge can be built up or re-examined, and can serve as teaching sites for students. Learn more about Sierra Nevada geology and the stratotypes that help characterize it.

Found mainly on public lands, whitebark pine is one of America’s most threatened and ecologically valuable tree species. A multi-agency alliance is using innovative strategies based on science to help it avoid extinction. Recent federal funding is helping.