Climate Change in Montana

Montana’s Crown of the Continent is a natural laboratory for scientists to study climate change, and the region’s natural diversity makes it more resilient to climate impacts.

Changes in our climate have impacted the Crown from the valley bottoms to the mountaintops. Its glaciers, snowfields, forests and wildlife species tell the story of warming temperatures and drier conditions throughout this landscape.

What is climate change?

Changes to the things we care about – land, water, wildlife and the people who depend on them – demand that we better understand and face climate change.

Evidence and impacts

Over eighty percent of the glaciers in Montana’s Glacier National Park have been lost since 1850, and the few remaining are expected to disappear within 15 years.

Case studies and success stories

Montana is filled with examples of people who are finding ways to address climate change - both individually and with their neighbors and co-workers.

The Crown, climate change and you

Protecting the Crown from the impacts of a changing climate will take the efforts of all of us.

  • A support letter for H.R. 908/S. 404, the Green Mountain Lookout Heritage Protection Act, introduced in February by Reps. DelBene and Larsen and Sens. Murray and Cantwell.

  • Dear Representative Gosar:

    On behalf of the National Association of Counties (NACo), I am writing to express our support of the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act (H.R. 596). This landmark legislation would extend royalties and lease income from solar and wind projects developed on Federal lands to home states and counties.

  • Dear Representative Gosar:

    We are writing to express our support for sharing with states and counties renewable energy royalty revenues from federal lands. The language contained in the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act (HR 596) which you have introduced in the House would enact such revenue sharing.