EcoAdapt -::- Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change

The committee, announced by recently appointment DOI Secretary Sally Jewell, will advise the Department of Interior’s climate change adaptation science initiatives. The twenty-five committee members, selected from... [show full news item]

The committee, announced by recently appointment DOI Secretary Sally Jewell, will advise the Department of Interior’s climate change adaptation science initiatives. The twenty-five committee members, selected from a pool of over 100 nominees, represent federal, state, tribal, and local governments, as well as academia, nonprofits, and the private sector. The committee will have its inaugural convening this summer.

"It's both an honor and a great responsibility to be invited to be a part of this committee," said Lara. "The decisions we make today in terms of climate have long-term ramifications for society and the environment we live in. It is my hope that as advisers we can guide the best decisions possible to support a robust future in the face of climate change."

For more on the committee click here!

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Unlike the weather, about which it has been complained that much is said but nothing ever done, there is action underway to address the effects of climate change in our communities and ecosystems across the country. The State of Adaptation in the United States, a synthesis commissioned... [show full news item]

Unlike the weather, about which it has been complained that much is said but nothing ever done, there is action underway to address the effects of climate change in our communities and ecosystems across the country. The State of Adaptation in the United States, a synthesis commissioned and supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and undertaken by EcoAdapt, the Climate Impacts Group at the University of Washington’s College of the Environment, the Georgetown Climate Center at Georgetown University, and the University of California-Davis, provides examples of societal responses to climate change in our planning and management of cities, agriculture and natural resources. These examples include regulatory measures, management strategies and information sharing.

Read more about the report here! (Note: Best viewed with Explorer and Google Chrome)

But we can’t rest on our laurels just yet! The State of Adaptation in the United States also identifies the gaps that need to be filled to better prepare society for climate change, as well as actions that could fill those gaps. Recommended next steps include:

The Inaugural National Adaptation Forum: Action Today for a Better Tomorrow. Being held this week in Denver! It will serve as a capacity-building opportunity and has a meeting flow designed to increase cross-sectoral linkages among adaptation practitioners. Participants include >500 governmental, NGO, academic, and private sector representatives.
The American Society of Adaptation Professionals (ASAP). Launching in 2013, this society aims to organize and support the needs of climate change adaptation professionals – in academia, public, and the private and non-profit sectors – working on adaptation from national to local scales and within or across multiple sectors. This group plans to use the National Adaptation Forum as an opportunity for its first public convening.
Take stock of existing guidance: direct people to what is already available through websites such as the Adaptation Clearinghouse (georgetownclimate.org/adaptation/clearinghouse) and the Climate Adaptation Knowledge Exchange (cakex.org), assess the efficacy of the tools, and create what is still needed.
Climate change adaptation marketing. Most people don’t know what adaptation is by name and many don’t know what it is even when you explain it. It needs to be made understandable, approachable, and embraceable.
Kick-start adaptation implementation (especially at the state and local level). Provide incentives to implement more challenging or experimental approaches that include mechanisms for assessing efficacy through monitoring and evaluation.
Identify Pathways for Success. This includes an analysis and synthesis of technical mechanisms (including project, process, and monitoring design), legal mechanisms, and metrics of success for effective adaptation. From this good replicable models of successful adaptation can be developed.
Move the climate change agenda beyond its current perception as being an environmental issue. Make it central to good planning and management for social and economic sustainability and well-being. This includes efforts to broaden the scope of climate change adaptation to show cross-sectoral linkages and the synergies that evolve through multi-sectoral cooperation.

Read the whole thing for yourself!

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Use the color coded Adaptation Ladder of Engagement to help guide you to each rung to appropriate symposiums, working groups, and trainings to get you to the next step. Download the Climate Savvy National Adaptation Forum Agenda.
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Use the color coded Adaptation Ladder of Engagement to help guide you to each rung to appropriate symposiums, working groups, and trainings to get you to the next step. Download the Climate Savvy National Adaptation Forum Agenda.

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Watch the Moore Foundation's grantee video and learn more about EcoAdapt's efforts to integrate climate change into existing place-based coastal and marine spatial planning (CMSP) processes from Alaska down into California.

Extra! Extra! Curious what EcoAdapt is up to? Read all about it! EcoAdapt is excited to announce the release of our first quarterly newsletter! Stay up-to-date on EcoAdapt news and events as wells as our latest programmatic successes. Check out our February newsletter to... [show full news item]

Extra! Extra! Curious what EcoAdapt is up to? Read all about it!

EcoAdapt is excited to announce the release of our first quarterly newsletter! Stay up-to-date on EcoAdapt news and events as wells as our latest programmatic successes.

Check out our February newsletter to learn more about our work in the Great Lakes, the Adaptation Starter Kit (ASK), climate savvy monitoring in California, and a new CAKE case study! Read more here!

Find future issues in the library under Newsletters!

Click here to sign up now!

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It is with great sadness and giddy anticipation that EcoAdapt announces the upcoming departure of Jennie Hoffman. While we are sad to lose her as an EcoAdapt staff member, we look forward to her continued engagement and collaboration in the world of climate change adaptation. She will be leaving... [show full news item]

It is with great sadness and giddy anticipation that EcoAdapt announces the upcoming departure of Jennie Hoffman. While we are sad to lose her as an EcoAdapt staff member, we look forward to her continued engagement and collaboration in the world of climate change adaptation. She will be leaving EcoAdapt at the end of February.

Jennie says “I am so proud to have helped bring EcoAdapt into being, and amazed at how we have grown and what we have accomplished in just a few short years. The organization is at a great point in terms of stability and accomplishments, and I want to take advantage of this opportunity to explore options for the next phase of my adaptation work.”

Everyone at EcoAdapt wishes Jennie success in her next adventure and is thankful for all she has done to help create climate-savvy adaptation practitioners around the globe. Keep up the excellent work!

All our best,

The EcoAdapt Team

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EcoAdapt is pleased to announce the release of a new report The State of Climate Change Adaptation in the Great Lakes Region. This report details the efforts of EcoAdapt to survey, inventory, and assess (where possible) climate change adaptation efforts for freshwater resources in the Great Lakes.... [show full news item]

EcoAdapt is pleased to announce the release of a new report The State of Climate Change Adaptation in the Great Lakes Region. This report details the efforts of EcoAdapt to survey, inventory, and assess (where possible) climate change adaptation efforts for freshwater resources in the Great Lakes. Over 100 examples of adaptation initiatives from the natural and built environments are provided, along with 57 case studies of select projects and programs.

The report and case studies provide useful information on climate change adaptation in the region for both novice and experienced practitioners. Readers can learn about different types of adaptation strategies, find real world examples of how others in similar disciplines or regions are incorporating climate change into their own work, and locate the people and tools needed to help move their adaptation efforts forward.

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Wanna know what EcoAdapt did in 2011? Check out our new Annual Report! Relive the exciting events of 2011, including the ever exciting EcoAdapt Index. Visit EcoAdapt's 2011 Annual Report to learn more.Stay tuned for 2012!

Learn more about how you can support the National Adaptation Forum: Action today for a better tomorrow. The Sponsorship and Exhibitor Prospectus is here, please take a moment to review the diverse and affordable opportunities to support the National Adaptation Forum. We... [show full news item]

Learn more about how you can support the National Adaptation Forum: Action today for a better tomorrow. The Sponsorship and Exhibitor Prospectus is here, please take a moment to review the diverse and affordable opportunities to support the National Adaptation Forum.

We have several sponsorships levels: support the opening ceremonies Meet and Greet, or an evening Poster Session and Exhibitor Networking Reception, perhaps you would like to be the Platinum Sponsor helping us ensure the success of the forum.

As an Exhibitor, you will have the opportunity to interact directly with the adaptation community. The forum is targeting mangers, planners, scientists, engineers, sectoral interest groups, private sector and policy makers actively involved in developing preparation and responses to climate change for improved long-term outcomes. Consider teaming up with another organization and share an exhibit booth.

If you are interested in supporting the National Adaptation Forum, but don't see a sponsorship opportunity that meets your needs, please feel free to contact me and I will be happy to work with you and create a customized a sponsorship plan. wendykay@ecoadapt.org

To learn more please visit: Sponsorship and Exhibitor Prospectus

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We are pleased to announce that EcoAdapt's proposal to facilitate a collaborative, multi-stakeholder effort to develop a large scale vulnerability assessment and adaptation strategies for focal resources of the Sierra Nevada was one of eight projects selected for funding from the California... [show full news item]

We are pleased to announce that EcoAdapt's proposal to facilitate a collaborative, multi-stakeholder effort to develop a large scale vulnerability assessment and adaptation strategies for focal resources of the Sierra Nevada was one of eight projects selected for funding from the California Landscape Conservation Cooperative (CA LCC). Funded projects range from regional invasive plant management to predicting sea level rise impacts on tidal wetlands.

Project partners include the US Forest Service, Conservation Biology Institute and Geos Institute. Specific project objectives include assessing the vulnerability of the Sierra Nevada focal resources to climate change, using spatial analysis and expert input to prioritize conservation areas or actions, and identifying implementable management response to climate change in the Sierra Nevada. Scientists, land managers, and conservation practitioners will be invited to provide input throughout this project with the goals of creating a more integrated assessment, of building buy-in and capacity across a range of stakeholders, and of ensuring that both the scientific and managerial viewpoints are integrated throughout.

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The report Between a Rock and a Hot Place: Climate Change Adaptation and Resource Management for the Sky Island Region is now available online. This workshop was the second in a three part Climate Adaptation Workshop series convened by Sky Island Alliance and EcoAdapt in April of... [show full news item]

The report Between a Rock and a Hot Place: Climate Change Adaptation and Resource Management for the Sky Island Region is now available online. This workshop was the second in a three part Climate Adaptation Workshop series convened by Sky Island Alliance and EcoAdapt in April of 2011. The focus was on biology, vulnerabilities, and adaptation strategies specific to the Sky Island Region with the goal to develop individual and collective actions to address climate change impacts.

Additional collaborative partners for the workshop series include: University of Arizona Institute of the Environment and School of Natural Resources and the Environment, Climate Assessment for the Southwest, Sonoran Joint Venture, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Coronado National Forest, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the Udall Foundation Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution.

For more information on the Sky Island Alliance Climate Adaptation Workshop series, please go to: http://www.skyislandalliance.org/adaptationworkshops.htm.

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With the support of the Sierra Club, EcoAdapt and the Geos Institute partnered to create climate-informed "blueprints" for Western Washington in order to highlight and prioritize areas and actions likely to increase the success of conservation efforts in a rapidly changing... [show full news item]

With the support of the Sierra Club, EcoAdapt and the Geos Institute partnered to create climate-informed "blueprints" for Western Washington in order to highlight and prioritize areas and actions likely to increase the success of conservation efforts in a rapidly changing climate. The report titled A Climate-Informed Conservation Blueprint for the Greater Puget Sound Ecoregion includes maps which identify areas that have particular ecological value and are predicted to have greater ecological stability or instability under changing climate conditions. This information may be used to suggest priority areas and stategic conservation actions that, when combined, may provide species and ecosystems with a greater likelihood of persistence and function throghout the rapidly changing climate over the next 75 years.

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New to climate adaptation? Need more resources and information to get you started? Check out EcoAdapt's new Climate Adaptation Starter Kit. The Starter Kit includes a list of resources, tools, and examples to get you started in thinking and implementing on the ground adaptation activities.... [show full news item]

New to climate adaptation? Need more resources and information to get you started? Check out EcoAdapt's new Climate Adaptation Starter Kit. The Starter Kit includes a list of resources, tools, and examples to get you started in thinking and implementing on the ground adaptation activities. Click here for your Climate Adaptation Starter Kit: http://ecoadapt.org/programs/awareness-to-action/climate-starter-kit.

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We are conducting surveys on how individuals and organizations are incorporating climate change into their work in the Great Lakes and the western U.S. and Canadian states, provinces, and territories. To fill out a survey on work in the Great Lakes, click here. To fill out a survey on work in the... [show full news item]

We are conducting surveys on how individuals and organizations are incorporating climate change into their work in the Great Lakes and the western U.S. and Canadian states, provinces, and territories. To fill out a survey on work in the Great Lakes, click here. To fill out a survey on work in the Western U.S. and Canada, click here. By participating, you will be providing critical input for our effort to assess the state of climate change adaptation in these regions. For more information on our efforts, please visit our State of Adaptation page.

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Marine ecosystems are a major focus of concern regarding the potential impacts of anthropogenic climate change. While “alerting signals” and recommendations for monitoring resilience to climate change exist for coral reefs, in temperate marine ecosystems relatively little guidance exists for... [show full news item]

Marine ecosystems are a major focus of concern regarding the potential impacts of anthropogenic climate change. While “alerting signals” and recommendations for monitoring resilience to climate change exist for coral reefs, in temperate marine ecosystems relatively little guidance exists for developing feasible approaches to monitor climate change effects. In California, a statewide network of marine protected areas (MPAs) is being implemented to, among other things; protect ecosystem structure, function, and integrity. Monitoring plans for these MPAs are being developed, creating a timely opportunity to build in an early warning system and measure the resilience of temperate marine ecosystems to climate change.

To address this issue, EcoAdapt collaborated with the California MPA Monitoring Enterprise to explore the thoughts of the marine monitoring community and to develop a monitoring framework for California MPAs.

Focus Group

The two-hour focus group entitled Monitoring resilience to climate change in temperate marine ecosystems occurred at the International Marine Conservation Congress in Victoria, British Columbia in 2011. It included participants from around the world who shared their thoughts on the challenges, opportunities and ideas for developing a temperate monitoring framework. Complete details can be found here: Monitoring Resilience to Climate Change in Temperate Marine Ecosystems.

Monitoring Framework

Building on the insights shared at this focus group and additional research, EcoAdapt and the MPA Monitoring Enterprise used the model of existing monitoring frameworks being employed in California to envision a climate change monitoring framework. The result was a suggested framework for augmenting MPA monitoring efforts in order to inform our understanding of climate change effects and increase the effectiveness of adaptive MPA management in light of climate change.

The full report, Monitoring Climate Effects in Temperate Marine Ecosystems is a supplement to California's MPA monitoring that can track climate change effects on habitats and species. This innovative approach to monitoring contains recommendations for efficiently incorporating climate change monitoring following a three-tiered design in order to provide scalable implementation options for managers that can track climate change impacts and provide ‘alerting signals’ for California’s marine ecosystems.

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Greetings EcoAdapt friends and fans, We hope this message finds everyone well and ready for the New Year. It's that time of the year again when the days start getting longer here in the Northern Hemisphere. We welcomed the Solstice with enthusiasm and know it won't be long before we'll be... [show full news item]

Greetings EcoAdapt friends and fans,

We hope this message finds everyone well and ready for the New Year. It's that time of the year again when the days start getting longer here in the Northern Hemisphere. We welcomed the Solstice with enthusiasm and know it won't be long before we'll be making plans for the summer. We send our best wishes to you and yours for a wonderful 2012. May all of your conservation dreams come true!

The EcoAdapt team

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While we always find it challenging to briefly summarize EcoAdapt’s diverse and important contributions to the nascent field of adaptation, we hope our 2010 Annual Report provides a representative sampling of our diverse activities and accomplishments. We continue to set the bar high for... [show full news item]

While we always find it challenging to briefly summarize EcoAdapt’s diverse and important contributions to the nascent field of adaptation, we hope our 2010 Annual Report provides a representative sampling of our diverse activities and accomplishments. We continue to set the bar high for ourselves and work to bring more adaptation partners into the fold as we continue to incorporate the realities of climate change into conservation, resource management, and all other activities underway by society today. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did bringing it to fruition!

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We are happy to announce that we have received funding from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to expand our State of Adaptation survey to the Great Lakes region. EcoAdapt has undertaken one of the most comprehensive adaptation surveys to date, with over 1,900 practitioners contacted and over 225... [show full news item]

We are happy to announce that we have received funding from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to expand our State of Adaptation survey to the Great Lakes region. EcoAdapt has undertaken one of the most comprehensive adaptation surveys to date, with over 1,900 practitioners contacted and over 225 case studies (and counting!) from the salty coasts of North America and the terrestrial and freshwater environments of the western U.S. states and Canadian provinces and territories. With this new funding, we can use our established interview and survey methodology to investigate and document how people are preparing for or responding to climate change in the Great Lakes region, create case studies of different adaptation projects and programs, and synthesize the results in a white paper. In addition, we plan to share our results through the Climate Adaptation Knowledge Exchange (CAKE) and conduct regional climate-focused workshops and webinars.

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Congratulations to the authors of "Scanning the Conservation Horizon: A Guide to Climate Change Vulnerability" who were awarded the Department of the Interior Partners in Conservation Award! They were nominated by USGS and received the award because the "...guidebook is being used... [show full news item]

Congratulations to the authors of "Scanning the Conservation Horizon: A Guide to Climate Change Vulnerability" who were awarded the Department of the Interior Partners in Conservation Award! They were nominated by USGS and received the award because the "...guidebook is being used across Department of the Interior (DOI) bureaus and the Landscape Conservation Cooperatives to guide standardized vulnerability assessment of the resources it manages..."

More on the announcement can be found here: http://www.doi.gov/news/ pressreleases/loader.cfm? csModule=security/getfile& pageid=259351

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The EcoAdapt Staff are heading off to their annual retreat to review the last year, make plans for an exciting 2012 and have some fun too! Stay tuned for our annual report when we share our goals, challenges and success. Thank you for partnering with us over the last year as we work to create a robust future in the face of a changing climate.

Check out our latest publication. It takes climate change adaptation down to the practical level for folks working on Great Lakes restoration.

See the following press release sent out by our partners at NWF.

Ann Arbor, MI (June 15, 2011)

Climate... [show full news item]

Check out our latest publication. It takes climate change adaptation down to the practical level for folks working on Great Lakes restoration.

See the following press release sent out by our partners at NWF.

Ann Arbor, MI (June 15, 2011)

Climate change is bringing new challenges to the Great Lakes region and changing the way communities think about conservation. The National Wildlife Federation and EcoAdapt are working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) to reduce the vulnerability of the Great Lakes area by developing methods to ensure that coastal planning and restoration projects are "climate-smart." Today, these conservation partners are releasing an innovative new guidance, Restoring the Great Lakes' Coastal Future, which factors in regional climate change impacts and provides key recommendations to enhance the durability of Great Lakes restoration.

"Our region has 20 percent of the world's freshwater reserves and a rich collection of fish and wildlife, all of which could be devastated by the impacts of climate change, " said Melinda Koslow, regional campaign manager for the Great Lakes Regional Center for the National Wildlife Federation. "This guidance provides us with a powerful tool to plan for the future and protect our resources."

"What's particularly exciting about this guidance is the focus on concrete action," said Jennie Hoffman, Program Director for EcoAdapt. "It shows how we can use our understanding of climatic changes to strengthen our work in the Great Lakes."

"Effective conservation requires consideration of climate change impacts on habitats." said Pat Montanio, Director of the Office of Habitat Conservation at NOAA. "This guidance is a great tool to help ensure that coastal restoration projects in the Great Lakes will endure as the climate continues to change."

Applying a climate-smart restoration framework to future restoration projects in the Great Lakes region will greatly benefit people, wildlife, and the environment. You can view the Restoring the Great Lakes' Coastal Future: Technical Guidance for the Design and Implementation of Climate-Smart Coastal Restoration Projects in the Great Lakes Region by visiting the National Wildlife Federation's Global Warming page and clicking on Climate-Smart Conservation.
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On behalf of co-authors Lara Hansen and Jennifer Hoffman, we would like to thank Eagle Harbor Books for hosting a reading of Climate Savvy on April 21, 2011. We would also like to take a moment to thank the attendees for their wonderful questions about climate change adaptation and the steps they... [show full news item]

On behalf of co-authors Lara Hansen and Jennifer Hoffman, we would like to thank Eagle Harbor Books for hosting a reading of Climate Savvy on April 21, 2011. We would also like to take a moment to thank the attendees for their wonderful questions about climate change adaptation and the steps they can take to address it in their own back-yards. Ironically, during the reading of Climate Savvy, Dr. Hansen referenced a current challenge taking place in the Alligator River of North Carolina. This morning, NPR ran a story about sea level rise in the area and the climate change adaptation efforts taking place there now. Check it out:

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/25/135407972/losing-but-slowly-in-struggle-to-fight-back-the-sea
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Whew! It’s here! Welcome!

It has been a long process in the making. Our website has developed along with our organization. We have come a very long way from our initial placeholder site in 2008, to our site designed via an online site builder which was up from 2009 to a few days ago,... [show full news item]

Whew! It’s here! Welcome!

It has been a long process in the making. Our website has developed along with our organization. We have come a very long way from our initial placeholder site in 2008, to our site designed via an online site builder which was up from 2009 to a few days ago, and now to our very our professional website!

We are so excited to share it with you and hope you find it both informative and motivational! We have tried to make it representative of EcoAdapt and our collective personality. We certainly hope you will enjoy it.

Please explore our Team page and read all about the wonderful staff at EcoAdapt. Don’t forget to stop by the Programs page to find out more about what EcoAdapt does and how we can engage with you in the future.

Also, please come back often as we have plans to leave fun tidbits or ‘easter eggs’ around the site for our friends to find (there may or may not already be one in the Library!).

We hope you enjoy your visit!
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We're happy to announce the release of our report: The State of Marine and Coastal Adaptation in North America: A Synthesis of Emerging Ideas . This is the culmination of a nearly 18 month effort to survey adaptation projects, programs, and activities in the marine and coastal areas of the... [show full news item]

We're happy to announce the release of our report: The State of Marine and Coastal Adaptation in North America: A Synthesis of Emerging Ideas . This is the culmination of a nearly 18 month effort to survey adaptation projects, programs, and activities in the marine and coastal areas of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Make sure you check it out on CAKE, along with all the case studies detailed in the report.
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Climate change experts Drs. Lara Hansen and Jennifer Hoffman consider the implications of climate change for key resource management issues of our time—invasive species, corridors and connectivity, ecological restoration, pollution, and many others. How will strategies need to change to facilitate... [show full news item]

Climate change experts Drs. Lara Hansen and Jennifer Hoffman consider the implications of climate change for key resource management issues of our time—invasive species, corridors and connectivity, ecological restoration, pollution, and many others. How will strategies need to change to facilitate adaptation to a new climate regime? What steps can we take to promote resilience?

Climate Savvy offers a wide-ranging exploration of how scientists, managers, and policymakers can use the challenge of climate change as an opportunity to build a more holistic and effective philosophy. Based on collaboration with a wide range of scientists, conservation leaders, and practitioners, the authors present general ideas as well as practical steps and strategies that can help cope with this new reality.
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