20 American Treasures to See Now—Before They Disappear

Montana is warming at a rate that's twice as fast as the national average. Rising temperatures and an increasingly early onset of spring threaten to thaw the giant glaciers that have made this 1 million acre park a scenic destination for hiking, fly-fishing, and cross-country skiing. According to The Guardian, only 26 of 150 glaciers that were present in the park in the 19th century remain today, and all the remaining ice formations are expected to melt within a few decades.

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Beachgoers flocked to Maui's shores in record-breaking numbers in 2017, but it's not all sunshine on Hawaii's second-largest island. Rising sea levels threaten to submerge 3,130 acres of the beachfront by 2100, according to The Maui News, while ever-increasing human-wildlife interactions endanger green sea turtles, monk seals, tree snails, and other island fauna.

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The twin troubles of climate change and the invasion of non-native species have wreaked havoc on this 1.5 million acre wetland preserve. According to the National Park Service, as sea levels have risen over the last 50 years, salt water has encroached on fresh water and imperiled the plants and animals that depend on it. At the same time, newly introduced flora and fauna continue to outcompete—and may eventually drive out—vulnerable native species.

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From spotted knapeweed to mute swans, a number of non-native plant and animal species have been released into this 71,187-acre-park, jeopardizing the native species. As well, high rates of tourism, spurred on by the popular lakeshore campgrounds, have led to reduced air and water quality.

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Imposing as the two active volcanoes at this park may appear, the real threat to the tropical rainforest that sits alongside them is something altogether different. The real menaces? Drought, increasing temperatures, introduced feral animals, and invasive plants endanger the hardy flora and fauna that have long lived beneath the forest canopy.

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Home to the highest elevation in the contiguous United States, this 400-mile mountain range is a must-see for its stunning peaks, ancient trees, and majestic mountain lions. Given that temperatures are expected to increase by 7 to 10 degrees by the end of the century, according to Phys.org, the landscape and the organisms that dwell in it are at risk of vanishing as a result of mudslides, dehydrated vegetation, or uncontrollable wildfires.

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The energizing sights, sounds, and smells of this 1.34-square-mile neighborhood between Broadway and Bush Street have comforted and nourished immigrants for more than a century and have more recently attracted foodies the world over. The area's popularity is a double-edged sword, however, as the boost in tourism has been accompanied by more than four decades of gentrification. Locals fear that the resulting displacement of longtime residents and the buyout of once prominent businesses will undercut the cultural value of the famous enclave.

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The enduring appeal of this 3,500-square-mile national park, the first in the nation to be established, may not hold forever. According to National Geographic, a recent increase in human-wildlife interaction stemming from the more than 4 million annual visitors to the park has had the effect of frightening animals out of their habitats, and has even led to the inadvertent harming or killing of animals. 

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Hurricane Sandy's tidal surge did a number on Lady Liberty in 2012, damaging rails, docks, and walkways along the 305-foot copper statue while flooding three-fourths of the island on which it stands. While the 12-acre monument reopened in 2013, rising sea levels may one day close it permanently. Sea levels are expected to rise 49 feet by 2500, which would be enough to partially submerge the statue, according to The Weather Channel.

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This presidential monument has gone green in recent years, but not in the way the term normally implies. Acid rain has caused the bronze sculpture, which was originally brown, of former President Ulysses S. Grant to take on a greenish tinge. Conservation detergent and a microcrystalline wax have been applied to the sculpture to eliminate the discoloration, but the threat of future corrosion remains.

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Global warming may put a cork in the production of Cabernet Sauvignon and other vinos that wine aficionados flock to Napa Valley to sip and savor. If temperatures continue to rise at current rates, grape output in the vineyard-rich 789-square-mile region could be cut by two-thirds by 2050, according to the Napa Valley Register.

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The government designated this 171,000-acre region a national monument in 1992 to protect it from overzealous oil and gas exploration that poses a menace to native plants and animals. But while the issuance of new oil and gas leases has largely ceased since 1986, new troubles threaten these protected lands, namely vandalism and overgrazing of the landscape.

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