Presentation from the 2015 Connecticut Land Conservation Conference by Maria Janowiak. Climate change creates substantial uncertainty about the future, but it is certain that there will be substantial effects on natural ecosystems. This session will help to begin a discussion of how climate change information can be integrated into conservation activities in Connecticut, with an emphasis on terrestrial ecosystems and land management. Through a workshop with land trusts and conservation organizations, we discussed key climate change impacts and ways to enhance the ability of ecosystems to cope with changing conditions.

1. CONSIDERING
CLIMATE CHANGE IN LAND
CONSERVATION & STEWARDSHIP
www.forestadaptation.org
Maria Janowiak, mjanowiak02@fs.fed.us
Scientist, Climate Change Adaptation
& Forest Carbon Management

2. How do we respond?

3. Workshop Outline
 Introduction
 A Few Key Adaptation
Ideas
 Adaptation Workbook:
“Turbo” version
• Example from CT/NY
• Your lands & projects
(Choose Your Own Adventure)

4. Adaptation Resources
 Designed for a variety of land
owners with diverse goals and
objectives
 Tailored to eastern forest types;
the first version is now in revision
 Does not make recommendations
 Menu of adaptation strategies and
approaches for forest ecosystems
 Being expanded and developed
into an online tool!
Swanston and Janowiak 2012; www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/40543

5. www.forestadaptation.org Click ‘Demonstration Projects’
Adaptation Demonstrations

6. Adaptation
Adaptation is the adjustment of human or
natural systems in response to climate
change.
Parry et al. 2007, SCBD 2009, Groves et al. 2010

7. Adaptation
Adaptation is the adjustment of human or
natural systems in response to climate
change.
Parry et al. 2007, SCBD 2009, Groves et al. 2010
Adaptation complements mitigation by
sustaining healthy, functioning ecosystems

8. What actions can be taken to
enhance the ability of a system to
cope with change
and
meet conservation goals and
objectives?

9. Adaptation Actions
Climate Change Filter = Intentionality
 Actions specifically address climate change
impacts & vulnerabilities in order to meet
climate-informed goals/objectives.
 Actions might be the same/similar to what
you’re already doing, but its necessary to
explore potential modifications to address
climate change.

10. Swanston and Janowiak 2012; www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/40543
1. DEFINE area of
interest, management
objectives, and time
frames.
2. ASSESS climate
change impacts and
vulnerabilities for the
area of interest.
3. EVALUATE
management objectives
given projected impacts
and vulnerabilities.
4. IDENTIFY and
implement adaptation
approaches and tactics .
5. MONITOR and
evaluate effectiveness
of implemented
actions.
Adaptation Process

11. Adaptation Process: Deciphered
1. Where are you
and what do you
care about?
2. How is that
particular place
vulnerable to
climate change?
3. What challenges
or opportunities
does climate
change present?
4. What actions
can help systems
adapt to change?
5. How can you
know whether
those actions were
effective?
Swanston and Janowiak 2012; www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/40543

12. Adaptation Actions
Manage for Persistence:
Ecosystems will still be recognizable
as being the same system (character)
Manage for Change:
Ecosystems will fundamentally
become something different

13. When you might emphasize…
Persistence (Same/Similar)
 High ecological value or
unique/rare condition
 High social value associated
with current condition
 Inherent ability to buffer
changes
 Highly vulnerable, but place
represents best chance of
success
Change (Future-adapted)
 High likelihood that current
conditions will fail, making
change is necessary
 Changes are already
occurring, and can be
enhanced
 Good opportunity to try
something new

14. There isn’t a single answer.
Each decision is unique and will vary based upon:
 Place: Location & Ecology
 Purpose: Conservation Goals & Objectives
 People: Values, Culture, & Resources

15. Workshop Format
Adaptation Workbook: “Turbo” version
 For each step:
• Individual thinking time
• Example (via H2H)
 Discussion at end

16. Hudson to Housatonic
Conservation Initiative (H2H)
 Inter-state collaboration of 25+
local and regional conservation
organizations and municipal
partners
 Southwestern Connecticut and
adjacent New York counties
 Led by Highstead Foundation,
Fairfield County Regional
Conservation Partnership,
Westchester Land Trust,
Mianus River Gorge, and
Housatonic Valley Association.
December
Workshop

18. H2H Conservation Goals
1) Sustain and enhance water resources and wildlife
habitat and quality
2) Adapt these resources to climate change in ways
that support state open space and watershed
objectives:
• Identify key parcels for acquisition
• Ensure that forests continue to mitigate and
adapt to climate change
• Protect high quality watershed and riparian areas

19. H2H Focal Areas
 13 Focal Areas
• High ecosystem resilience
• Important for water
 Identify key parcels
 Engage landowners in
stewardship activities

20. 1. WHERE ARE YOU AND WHAT
DO YOU CARE ABOUT?

21. 1. WHERE ARE YOU AND WHAT
DO YOU CARE ABOUT?
H2H
Primary: Protect and enhance water resources
Also:
• Maintain & improve wildlife habitat
• Maintain & improve forest/ecosystem health
*acquisition is a means to achieve these goals

22. 2. HOW IS THIS PARTICULAR
PLACE VULNERABLE TO
CLIMATE CHANGE?

23. Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments
2. HOW IS THIS PARTICULAR PLACE
VULNERABLE TO CLIMATE CHANGE?

24. 2. HOW IS THIS PARTICULAR PLACE
VULNERABLE TO CLIMATE CHANGE?

25. Climate Change Impacts
Regional Ecosystem Impacts
1) Less Snow, More Rain
2) Potential for Summer Drought
3) Rising Sea Levels
4) Longer Growing Season
5) Changes in Suitable Habitat
6) Invasive Plants
7) Extreme Events
8) Forest Pests and Diseases
Specific to H2H Landscape
• Varied by Focal Area
• Biggies:
1) Extreme Precipitation
(runoff, erosion, flooding)
2) Other Extreme Events
3) Invasive Species

26. 3. WHAT CHALLENGES OR
OPPORTUNITIES DOES
CLIMATE CHANGE PRESENT?

27. 3. WHAT CHALLENGES OR OPPORTUNITIES
DOES CLIMATE CHANGE PRESENT?
H2H Challenge Examples
• Rapidly changing environment – feel overwhelmed!
• Funding diverting to addressing impacts and not
prevention (treating symptoms, not cause)
• Increased cost of land maintenance
• Increased need for expertise
• Increased frustration with owning property/home

28. 3. WHAT CHALLENGES OR OPPORTUNITIES
DOES CLIMATE CHANGE PRESENT?
H2H Opportunity Examples
• Green infrastructure becomes cost effective
• Areas resilient to climate change = higher property
values
• Increased interest/membership in land trust
• Increased forethought or action planning
• Raise awareness among homeowners (what to do)

29. 4. WHAT ACTIONS CAN HELP
SYSTEMS ADAPT TO CHANGE?

30. 4. WHAT ACTIONS CAN HELP SYSTEMS
ADAPT TO CHANGE?
H2H Conservation Practices
• Compiled a starter list of practices from watershed
plans and NRCS conservation practices
• Focal groups identified top 10 and evaluated 3

31. Conservation Practices – Most beneficial in light of climate change

32. Practice Benefits? Drawbacks or barriers?
Buffer
zones along
waterways
• Prevents erosion
• Improves water quality
• Reduces risk from extreme
events
• Restores habitat
• Cost
• Landowners like lawn
• Landowners want access to
water
• Landowner resistance
Remove
invasives
• Slows expansion
• Favors native species
• Cost
• Getting message to owners
Improved
lawn care
practices
• Lower carbon impact
• Improves water quality
• Cost
• May not like look
• Adoption by lawn service
Examples of practices evaluated for conservation + adaptation

33. Practice Benefits? Drawbacks or barriers?
Woods
walks &
forums
• Gets message out to diverse
groups of landowners
• Promotes changes in
values/culture to conservation
• Doable (time/money)
• Implementation (can be
done poorly) – need right
size and balance
• Requires careful planning
• Adequate attendance?
Forest plan
for wildlife
habitat
• Increases forest health and
resilience
• Helps protect water downstream
• Cost
• Landowner
apathy/resistance
Permeable
surfaces
• Reduces impact of extreme rain
(flooding, runoff)
• Protects wetlands
• Cost
• May not like look
• Adoption by lawn service
Examples of practices evaluated for conservation + adaptation

34. H2H: Up Next
 Further refine lists of practices
• Likelihood/ease of implementation
• Funding from NRCS or other sources
• Conservation impact
• Landowner willingness
 Tools for Engaging Landowners Effectively (TELE)
 Go out and talk to people!

35. 5. HOW CAN YOU KNOW
WHETHER THOSE ACTIONS
WERE EFFECTIVE?

36. 5. HOW CAN YOU KNOW WHETHER
THOSE ACTIONS WERE EFFECTIVE?
H2H Monitoring
Didn’t discuss at workshop (too early)
Examples might include things like
• Water quality, runoff, erosion following extreme
rainfall (areas with vs. without practices)
• Forest/tree stress and mortality
• Understory composition (future-adapted,
desirable, or invasive)

37. What actions can be taken to
enhance the ability of an ecosystem
to cope with change
and
meet conservation goals and
objectives?
Putting it Together

38. Climate Change Communication
Yale Center on Climate Change Communication

39. Five Tips for Talking about Climate Change
1) Keep it Relevant to Place & Priorities
2) Listen to People & Their Needs
3) Provide Resources & Work on Solutions
4) Use Examples & Make it Real
5) Be Creative & Flexible

40. Telling Your Story
Here in/at ____(Place)____
we care about ____(Value related to place)____.
Implementing ____(Stewardship practice)____ helps,
while also ____ (Environmental benefit) ____,
____(Environmental or economic benefit)____,
and ____(Climate change adaptation benefit)____.

41. Telling Your Story
Here in our neighborhood
we care about keeping our water clean.
Establishing buffer zones along creeks help,
while also creating habitat for wildlife,
reducing lawn maintenance costs,
and reducing damage from severe rain storms.

42. What’s your story?
Here in/at ____(Place)____
we care about ____(Value related to place)____.
Implementing ____(Stewardship practice)____ helps,
while also ____ (Environmental benefit) ____,
____(Environmental or economic benefit)____,
and ____(Climate change adaptation benefit)____.

44. Using new information and ideas
Beginning to take small steps
Being creative and flexible
Working and learning with others
What does adaptation look like?

45. Desired
ConditionsNatural Forest
Dynamics
Wildlife
Habitat
Past
Management
History
Invasives Timber Sale
Revenue
Disturbance:
Past + Future
Recreation
Forest
Health
And more!!
Climate
Change
Plan & Project
Requirements

46. Observed Climate Trends
Altered Precipitation
 CT precipitation increased
nearly 3” since 1895
 Extremely high variability
from year to year
 Slight decrease in spring;
increase of 2” in fall
 Substantial increases in
extreme rain events: 71%
increase across northeast
since 1958
Annual Precipitation Change since 1895
Sea-level
rise >1 foot
since 1900
NOAA, Melillo et al. 2014

47. Anticipated Climate Changes
Warmer temperatures
 3-9°F increase annually
Altered precipitation
 High variability: slight
decrease to >15% increase
 Generally increasing in
winter & spring
 Potential decreases or less
substantial increases in
summer & fall
 More extreme rain
Sea-level Rise
 12 to 23” by end of century
CT DEEP 2011, Climatewizard.orgKunkel et al. 2013, CT 2013, Janowiak et al. in prep

48. Adaptation Demonstrations
 Provide real-world examples of forest management
activities that:
• Enhance the ability of forests to cope with changing
conditions
• Achieve land owner management goals
 Foster cross-ownership dialogue and learning

49. Adaptation Demonstrations
forestadaptation.org
Learn through examples!!
 Diversity in lands
 Diversity in objectives
 Acknowledge difference,
build on similarities
 Demonstrate shared
perspectives