By: Alexis C.

In

On January 26th 1915 The Rocky Mountains National Park was finally established by an act of Congress. The creation of the Rocky Mountains National Park is closely linked to the work of Enos Mills, a miner and naturalist. His enthusiastic writings helped convince congress to preserve the area for the protection of wildlife an for the enjoyment of visitors

How was the park formed?• In the Rocky Mountains, deeply buried sea sediments were subjected to intense pressure and heat about

1.7 billion years ago when crustal plates moved, resulting in the creation of metamorphic rocks called schist and gneiss. About 70 million years ago an era of uplift began, thrusting upward giant blocks of ancient crystalline and younger sedimentary rocks. Erosion at the same time carved the mountains and created streams and rivers. About 25 million years ago, volcanic deposits of younger igneous rock were deposited on top of the older formations. Faulting and upwraping continued to lift the Rocky Mountains. By two millions years ago the present day height of the Mountains had been attained. While uplifts and volcanoes provided the major geologic building blocks of the park, glaciers sculpted the landscapes seen in the park.

In the Rocky Mountains, deeply buried sea sediments were subjected to intense pressure and heat about 1.7 billion years ago when crustal plates moved, resulting in the creation of metamorphic rocks called schist and gneiss. About 70 million years ago an era of uplift began, thrusting upward giant blocks of ancient crystalline and younger sedimentary rocks. Erosion at the same time carved the mountains and created streams and rivers. About 25 million years ago, volcanic deposits of younger igneous rock were deposited on top of the older formations. Faulting and unwrapping continued to lift the Rocky Mountains. By two millions years ago the present day height of the Mountains had been attained. While uplifts and volcanoes provided the major geologic building blocks of the park, glaciers sculpted the landscapes seen in the park.

How was the park formed?

• Crystalline, schist, gneiss igenous

• sedimentary rocks Many different types of rocks are found in the Rocky Mountain National Park such as Crystalline, Schist, Gneiss, Igneous and many types of sedimentary rocks.

What types of ro

cks can be

found inside your the Park?

What Special landforms or features are inside your park?

One of the main landforms are the Mountains and their (Mountain) Ranges. The Rocky Mountains also has water (rivers, lakes, streams etc), hills, mountains canyons and valleys.

How is the land inside your park currently changing?

What environmental issues are affecting your park?

Global Warming is one of the main environmental issues that is effecting my park.

What environmental issues are affecting your park?

Global Warming is one of the main environmental issues that is effecting my park, global warming is causing the glaciers in my park to melt. Global is also affect everything else in the World so it definitely affecting my park. Serious problems have arisen as a result of timber harvesting, grazing, oil exploration, mining, and reservoir operations in the Rocky Mountains. Logging and oil exploration have been responsible for accelerated slope erosion, both from the operations themselves and from the access roads built to reach them. Erosion has stripped away the often thin soil cover and caused serious silting of streams. Trace quantities of harmful metals have been released into streams and groundwater from mining operations, particularly from the leaching of mill tailings. Reservoir operations have disrupted fisheries by altering the temperature and flow patterns of streams.

How is technology used to help preserve and maintain your park?

How is the land in your park currently changing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDkUcUCeduA

Bibliography • Box, Checking This. "Rocky Mountains (mountains, North

America) :: Environmental Concerns -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia." Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia. Web. 24 May 2010. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/506418/Rocky-Mountains/39936/Environmental-concerns>.

• Geology of the Rocky Mountains." MountainNature.com - The Field Guide For The Next Millennium. Web. 24 May 2010. <http://www.mountainnature.com/geology/>.

• Rocky Mountain National Park: Home. Web. 24 May 2010. <http://rockymountainnationalpark.com/>.