JOSHUA TREE – (INT) - A new air and climate report ranks the Joshua Tree National Park among the worst parks in the nation for air quality.

The National Parks Conservation Association examined three air quality categories — unhealthy air, harm to nature and hazy skies. The report also considered climate change-related threats of drought, sea level rise, wildfires and invasive species.

The air and climate report also gave low marks to Sequoia-Kings Canyon, Mojave and Yosemite parks. All have unhealthy air more than any other parks in the nation.

On a wider scale, the report declared that San Bernardino County, which includes Joshua Tree National Park, ranked as the worst in California with the highest average of high-ozone-level days recorded.

“California’s parks face pollution from a wide range of sources, with some of the most damaging being vehicles and industrial sources like petroleum refineries or cement plants,” said Mark Rose, the National Parks Conservation Association’s Sierra Nevada program manager.

Story Date: March 29, 2024