Informing adaptation and mitigation actions through the Adaptation Workbook

Authors: PETERSON, COURTNEY - Colorado State University; Elias, Emile; SWANSON, CHRISTOPHER - Us Forest Service (FS); NAGLE, LINDA - Colorado State University

Submitted to: American Geophysical Union
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/4/2021
Publication Date: 12/17/2021
Citation: Peterson, C., Elias, E.H., Swanson, C., Nagle, L. 2021. Informing adaptation and mitigation actions through the Adaptation Workbook. American Geophysical Union. Proceedings.

Interpretive Summary: Land management agencies and organizations are under increasing pressure to integrate climate change considerations into planning and implementation activities. The Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science (NIACS), the USDA Northern Forests and Southwest Climate Hubs, and our partners have been working to tailor climate adaptation tools to meet the diverse needs of resource managers working collaboratively across multiple spatial scales using a tool called the Adaptation Workbook. The Adaptation Workbook is a multi-step process paired with “menus” of adaptation strategies and approaches to help land managers design and implement site-specific climate change adaptation actions, both of which combined fit within the Climate Change Response Framework (CCRF). This framework provides usable information and resources regarding climate change science and adaptation, and facilitates application of this information through on-the-ground management to achieve local goals and objectives and reduce vulnerability to climate change impacts. Initially the tool focused on forested ecosystems, however collaborators quickly became interested in developing topic-specific menus for other systems. Starting with forests in 2012, these tools are now being used by natural resource professionals who manage an array of ecosystems and approach management with varied goals and values, focusing on forested watersheds, urban forests, wetlands, wildlife habitat, recreation areas, coastal ecosystems, carbon stewardship, fire adaptation, and tribal perspectives. These menus can be modified to fit different sector-specific planning needs, while using a common decision-support process. This presentation will cover the Adaptation Workbook process and highlight an example of the how managers in the Southwest have used the Adaptation Workbook to design on-the-ground actions and reduce risk.

Technical Abstract: Land management agencies and organizations are under increasing pressure to integrate climate change considerations into planning and implementation activities. The Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science (NIACS), the USDA Northern Forests and Southwest Climate Hubs, and our partners have been working to tailor climate adaptation tools to meet the diverse needs of resource managers working collaboratively across multiple spatial scales using a tool called the Adaptation Workbook. The Adaptation Workbook is a multi-step process paired with “menus” of adaptation strategies and approaches to help land managers design and implement site-specific climate change adaptation actions, both of which combined fit within the Climate Change Response Framework (CCRF). This framework provides usable information and resources regarding climate change science and adaptation, and facilitates application of this information through on-the-ground management to achieve local goals and objectives and reduce vulnerability to climate change impacts. Initially the tool focused on forested ecosystems, however collaborators quickly became interested in developing topic-specific menus for other systems. Starting with forests in 2012, these tools are now being used by natural resource professionals who manage an array of ecosystems and approach management with varied goals and values, focusing on forested watersheds, urban forests, wetlands, wildlife habitat, recreation areas, coastal ecosystems, carbon stewardship, fire adaptation, and tribal perspectives. These menus can be modified to fit different sector-specific planning needs, while using a common decision-support process. This presentation will cover the Adaptation Workbook process and highlight an example of the how managers in the Southwest have used the Adaptation Workbook to design on-the-ground actions and reduce risk.