Climate Change Signs Removed from National Parks

Fort Sumter was built in 1829 as part of a coastal defense program authorized by Congress after the War of 1812, designed to hold 650 soldiers and 135 artillery pieces. It became the site of the first battle of the Civil War on April 12, 1861. Today, the fort faces a different kind of threat. Charleston Harbor sea levels have risen approximately 9–10 inches since 1950, and tidal flooding in some areas has increased by 75% since 2000. The removed sign cited projections that a 4-foot rise would leave the historic parade ground "constantly submerged."

A 2016 NPS vulnerability assessment found that two-thirds of Fort Sumter's historic structures are highly vulnerable to coastal hazards, with an estimated replacement cost of $1.1 billion. The sign that explained these risks to 800,000 annual visitors is now gone.

The removed sign referenced the concept of "climate refugia" — geographic areas buffered from climate change where rare plant species can persist. Acadia's mountain summits, with their cooler microclimates and coastal fog, are among the last strongholds for subalpine species being pushed northward. The Gulf of Maine has warmed faster than 99% of the world's oceans — approximately 3°F over the past century, with 2°F of that in just the last 30 years.

The Wabanaki peoples — Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, and Mi'kmaq nations — have inhabited this region for at least 10,000 years. They call Cadillac Mountain "Wapuwoc," meaning "the first light white mountain," because it is the first place in the country where the sun's light hits each morning. Signs telling this story were removed alongside the climate signs. Ten state representatives from Maine wrote a letter demanding their return. See also: Indigenous History Censorship for more on the Wabanaki context.

The climate threat to coast redwoods is direct and measurable. Redwoods depend on fog for roughly 40% of their water intake, absorbing moisture through their needles. Fog frequency at Muir Woods has declined by approximately one-third since the early 20th century. As fog retreats, redwoods lose a critical water source they've relied on for millions of years. The sign that explained this to over 2 million annual visitors has been removed.

Note: A separate historical exhibit at Muir Woods, "Saving Muir Woods," was also flagged for review. That sign — which covered the monument's founding by William Kent and President Roosevelt — had been annotated by park staff in 2021 with additional context about Indigenous history and the legacy of John Muir. The sticky-note annotations were ordered removed. That exhibit is tracked separately under General Historical Content.

Glacier National Park is perhaps the most visible example of climate censorship. All five flagged entries have been confirmed removed, making it the only park with a 100% removal rate. The removed materials include four interpretive signs — "Climate Change Affects National Parks," "Blame It on the Grain," "Fire on the Rise," and "Symbol of Controversy" — along with episodes of the park's Headwaters podcast that covered climate science.

Officials also removed brochures showing glaciers retreating, a video documenting glacier disappearance, and descriptions of how climate change is contributing to glacial loss. The "Blame It on the Grain" sign, located near the Sherburne Dam in Many Glacier, quoted NPS founder Stephen Mather calling the dam "a glaring example of what is to be avoided in national parks" — language that was flagged as potentially disparaging a past American.

A sign about the mass slaughter of the Piegan Blackfeet was also ordered removed, showing how climate censorship and Indigenous history erasure often overlap at the same parks. View on map →