20 American Treasures to See Now—Before They Disappear

The diverse blend of biomes found in this 6 million acre park and preserve make it a truly unique swath of America. Unfortunately, along with the forest, taiga, and tundra that you'll encounter at various elevations, there are also glaciers and snow at risk of receding as a result of reduced annual snowfall, earlier snow melt, and a thawing permafrost, according to USA Today. Excessive tourism, which carries in its wake an uptick in litter, harmful emissions, trampled vegetation, and hunting, has only hastened the deterioration of this once pristine habitat.

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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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George Washington and his troops enjoyed a victory over British forces at the Battle of Princeton, yet recently a fresh battle was waged over this very site. Preservationists put up their fists when the Institute of Advanced Study (IAS) set out to construct faculty housing on the historic site. But in the end, no blood was shed. As CentralJersey.com reports, the IAS settled for building a number of smaller housing units, leaving the battlefield preserved. Locals can only hope that this will be a lasting peace. 

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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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This remote national preserve is the last remnant of the land bridge, now almost entirely submerged, that allowed humans from East Asia to pass into North America more than 10,000 years ago. Now, rising temperatures near the preserve, which are projected to increase by 10 degrees over the next 70 years according to the National Park Service, threaten to further diminish the awe-inspiring arctic landscape by causing shoreline erosion, the melting of ice formations, and the demise of sensitive species.

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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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Ironically, erosion, the very force that forged this rock formation 4,228 feet above sea level, has led to its deterioration. Because of weathering, the spire that stands atop the structure is believed to be roughly 30 feet shorter than it was in the 1800s, and the names carved into the rock by pioneers who passed by along the Oregon Trail have largely been erased.

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Designated a national monument in 2013, this 25,000-acre marshland, including large swaths of the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, was the same treacherous terrain Harriet Tubman crossed as she guided slaves to freedom in the 1850s. But with sea levels expected to rise by two to five feet by the end of this century, the culturally significant landscape may one day be underwater, according to WTOP.

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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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General Sherman, the largest tree on the planet, has long entranced visitors to this sprawling forest. Global warming, however, and the resulting drought and reduced snowpack may dry out the mountain soil in which these giants grow and promote fungal diseases that could make the ancient trees merely a memory.

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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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