What Will America's Iconic Parks Look Like in 2050?

Americans love the national parks. According to a 2016 survey, 77 percent of American voters feel the country benefits either “a great deal” or “a fair amount” from the parks, with similar responses from Democrats (81 percent) and Republicans (75 percent). Whether that’s because of fond memories of camping in Yellowstone, hiking in the Grand Canyon, or rock climbing in Joshua Tree, Americans across the political spectrum value these natural landscapes—even while it feels increasingly difficult for us to agree about anything else.

But recent events may give us pause about their future. Between the proposed increase in park entry fees and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s recommendation to increase oil drilling underneath certain monuments, the parks could become very different from the places we know today.