Countless autumn travelers have trekked to New England when, as Rudyard Kipling once noted, the hillsides are "set afire" in a sea of crimson and gold. Unfortunately, however, increasing evidence shows that because of global warming future generations may never have a chance to experience these wonders. But instead of looking the other way, a group of policymakers from across New England has banded together in an effort to make sure this day never comes.
Because of global warming, widespread and costly impacts could hit the region hard. According to researchers at the University of New Hampshire, New England could experience a 10-30 percent increase in precipitation and an overall temperature increase of 6-10 degrees by 2090 - a greater climate variation than any the region has seen over the past 10,000 years.
In this drastically different climate of tomorrow, maples would fade from our hillsides as oak and hickory trees became the dominant species. The pride of farmers for generations, New England pure maple syrup could become a memory if global warming remains unchecked. And like the sugar maples, seasonal leaf peepers would also increasingly migrate north to Canada as the fall frosts so vital in creating the fiery hillsides immortalized by Kipling, Thoreau and others become a thing of the past.
Although a few might miss the traditional winds and snows that have made New England winters so famous, New Englanders surely would miss the annual tourist dollars. Not counting the adverse economic impact of climate change on New England's agriculture, conservative estimates show that a 50 percent drop in fall tourism could cost the region nearly 20,000 jobs alone. Unfortunately, though, this is only the tip of the iceberg.
http://bangornews.com/news/templates/?a=123219
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