Building Climate Readiness into Your

Project

Melinda KoslowRegional Campaign ManagerClimate Change Adaptation SafeguardsGreat Lakes Regional Center September 24, 2010

Why is climate change is a concern?

• Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern

• Invasive Species• Nearshore Health and

Nonpoint Source Pollution• Habitat and Wildlife

Protection and Restoration

How will species respond to climate change?

• Specialized habitat or microhabitat requirements;• Narrow environmental tolerances or thresholds that

are likely to be exceeded under climate change;• Dependence on specific environmental triggers or

cues that are likely to be disrupted by climate change (phonological responses – e.g., rainfall or temperature cues for migration, breeding, or hibernation);

• Dependence on interactions between species that are likely to be disrupted;

• Inability or poor ability to disperse quickly or to colonize a new, more suitable range.

(Foden et. Al 2008)

What is Climate Readiness?

Efforts to cope with and prepare for the impacts of climate change.

Integrating climate science into actions or decision making.

What Federal Agencies (EPA, NOAA) will expect from an

application

• Climate ready practices protect the government’s investment

• How big of a piece of the proposal is it?

NWF In-the-Field Assistance

Freshwater Future

(restorationadvisors)

NWF(climate-smart

advisors)

Groups funded by GLRI to do on-the-ground

restoration

NOAA Climate Service(climate science

advisors)

Climate-Smart Restoration!

Healing Our

Waters (HOW)Technic

al Assistan

ce Informs policy

Protects our Future

Reduces Costs

Tool to talk or write about climate readiness

• Cope

• Deal

• Resiliency

• Acclimatization

• Safeguard

• Protect

• Climate-smart

• Survive and Thrive

Climate Ready Terms sheet will help!

Two Approaches to Climate Ready Implementation

Climate Impact Approach

If the work you are doing is focused on cases where climate predictions are readily available and perhaps even already occurring, then this approach may help you to guide restoration targets based on climatic changes.

Restoration Goal Approach

If the work you are doing is focused on cases where the climate predictions may not be as clear, but experts have very clear restoration goals, then this approach may help you to guide climate-ready response options to climatic changes.

Climate Impact Approach

1. Identify Impact of Climate Change

2. Identify Localized Impacts

3. Prioritize Restoration Targets

4. Identify & Evaluate Climate Ready Options

Climate Impact Approach –EXAMPLE

Southern Lake Superior Nearshore Restoration

1. Warming water temperatures

2. Larger sea lamprey invaders, decline in water quality

3. Identify partners (eg. DNRs or Tribal nations) to boost resources and efforts

4. -Expand the area of natural filters (water quality)-Increase sea lamprey control efforts

-Increase the amount of shaded vegetation (to reduce temps)

Restoration Goal Approach

1. Identify Restoration Goal

2. Identify Climatic/Environmental Influences

3. Identify Likely Changes Due to Climate Change

4. Compile & Evaluate Climate Ready Response Options

Restoration Goal Approach – EXAMPLEThousand Island Northern Pike Populations

1. Expanding wetlands for northern pike spawning habitat

2. Water level fluctuations, temperature

3. Long-term water level decline, early onset of warm temperatures (..good) followed by freeze

4. -Build up wetlands and vegetation at varying elevations to allow for water level changes

-Use vegetation that “holds” springtime water -increase habitat so that they may avoid anoxic or high

temp conditions, restore nearby tributaries-prevent phragmite invasion as much as possible

NOAA National Climate Service: A Tool for planning and implementation

www.climate.gov

Thank you!Questions?

Melinda Koslowkoslowm@nwf.org

734-887-7129