This document discusses the impacts of climate change on nature in the Northeast region, including habitat modification and loss, changes in species distributions, increases in forest insects and diseases, and changes in the timing of ecological events. It notes that heat waves, coastal and river flooding from climate change will increasingly challenge environmental, social, and economic systems in the region. Infrastructure and agriculture will be compromised by climate hazards like sea level rise and extreme precipitation. While states and municipalities have begun incorporating climate risks, implementation of adaptation measures remains at early stages. The document advocates for mitigation through reducing emissions and adaptation through anticipating and planning for impacts. Mass Audubon's strategies include education, advocacy, and conservation-based adaptation.

1. Great
Marsh
Coali.on
November
14,
2013
Loring
Schwarz
Mass
Audubon

2. SANDY………..

3. Climate
Change
Impacts
on
Nature
in
the
Northeast
• Habitat modification
• Habitat loss (e.g. sea level rise)
• Changes in species distributions
• Increase in forest insects and diseases
• Changes in timing of ecological events
— Earlier flowering plants
— Earlier nesting for 28 migrating bird species

4. Northeast
Climate
Assessment
2013
Key
Messages
1.
Heat
waves,
coastal
flooding
due
to
sea
level
rise,
and
river
flooding
due
to
more
extreme
precipita<on
events
will
pose
a
growing
challenge
to
the
region’s
environmental,
social,
and
economic
systems.
This
will
increase
the
vulnerability
of
the
region’s
residents,
especially
popula<ons
that
are
already
most
disadvantaged.
2.
Infrastructure
will
be
increasingly
compromised
by
climate-­‐related
hazards
including
sea
level
rise
and
coastal
flooding,
and
intense
precipita<on
events.
3.
Agriculture
and
ecosystems
will
be
increasingly
stressed
by
climate-­‐related
hazards,
including
higher
temperatures,
sea
level
rise
and
coastal
flooding,
and
more
extreme
precipita<on
events.
A
longer
growing
season
may
allow
farmers
to
explore
new
crop
op<ons,
but
this
and
other
adapta<ons
will
not
be
cost
or
risk-­‐free,
and
inequi<es
exist
in
the
capacity
for
adapta<on.
4.
While
a
majority
of
states
and
several
municipali<es
have
begun
to
incorporate
the
risk
of
climate
change
into
their
planning
ac<vi<es,
implementa<on
of
adapta<on
measures
is
s<ll
at
early
stages.

6. The
Challenge
of
Climate
Change
• Mi.ga.on:
‘Avoiding
the
Unimaginable’
(by
reducing
greenhouse
gasses….)
• Adapta.on:
’Managing
the
Unavoidable’
(by
an.cipa.ng
and
planning
for
the
impacts
of
climate
change…..)
• Educa.on:
Engaging
MassachuseSs
ci.zens
to
Understand
and
Commit
to
both

8.
CLIMATE
CHANGE
AND
MASSACHUSETTS
FISH
AND
WILDLIFE:
Volume
2
HABITAT
AND
SPECIES
VULNERABILITY

9. Global
Warming
Solu.ons
Act
Clean
Energy
and
Climate
Plan
for
2020
Climate
Change
Adapta.on
Report

10. Climate
change…..

11. Lead by Example:
Reduce Mass Audubon’s energy consumption and carbon footprint and use
these activities as demonstration models for our members and the
general public
Reduce Mass Audubon’s aggregate generation of greenhouse gases by 50%
by the end of FY 2014 from a base year of FY 2003. The target
encompasses Mass Audubon’s carbon footprint from heat, lights and
vehicles and includes any new facilities or vehicles added during this
period.
We estimate that we have achieved a 52.2% reduction in carbon emissions at
the end of FY 2013 versus the FY 2003 baseline.
11

12. GREEN BUILDINGS
Joppa Flats Nature Center - Green Building Features
Daylighting
High Performance Building Envelope
Rainwater Collection and Use to Flush Toilets
Recycled & Recyclable Materials
Occupancy Sensor Controls
Photovoltaic Array
12

13. Mass
Audubon
climate
change
strategies
EDUCATION
Mobilizing
the
Public
ADVOCACY
MiCgaCng
Through
Public
Policy
and
Advocacy
CONSERVATION
Protec.ng
Nature
Through
Science-­‐
Based
AdaptaCon

14. Culture
of
Climate
Literacy
GWSA
leads
climate
policy
but….
To
reach
80%
goal….
• Public
educa.on
campaign
to
make
CC
a
priority
• People
must
understand
CC
• Ac.ve
support
of
business,
residents,
communi.es
• Build
climate
protec.on
into
our
Culture
• Reach
youth
to
ACT,
VOTE,
enter
GREEN
CAREERS

15. The
role
of
Sanctuaries
in
crea.ng
a
culture
of
climate
understanding
We
need
to
move
people
to
ACTION……

16. Reaching
the
Next
Genera.on

17. Mass
Audubon
Climate
Change
Strategies
EDUCATION
Mobilizing
the
Public
ADVOCACY
MiCgaCng
Through
Public
Policy
and
Advocacy
CONSERVATION
Protec.ng
Nature
Through
Science-­‐
Based
AdaptaCon

18. Mass
Audubon
Adapta.on
Policy
• STATE
WIDE
PLAN
– Elevate
Adapta.on
– Priori.ze
high
impact
strategies
– Use
nature
friendly
prac.ces
– Use
adapta.on/mi.ga.on
solu.ons
(strategic
land
protec.on,
forest
protec.on)
• Introduce
legisla.on
• Engage
a
cons.tuency
• Outreach
and
educa.on

19.
Global
Warming
Solu.ons
Act
IAC
Adapta.on
• EEA
AdaptaCon
SubcommiLee
(one
of
4
–
others
deal
with
Clean
Energy
and
Climate
Plan
measurement….)
• Agency
representaCon
from
DCR,
DEP,
DFG,
DAR,
DOER,
MassDOT
(MBTA,
Highways,
MassPort),
DPU,
CZM,
MassGIS
• Federal
Partners:
USGS,
EPA
• Regional
Partners:
MAPC,
NEIWPCC
• Other:
TNC,
CLF,
Mass
Audubon,
UMass
Boston,
UNH,
UMass
Amherst
• EEA
Workplan
• Cross
Agency
Plan
• Green
infrastructure
subcommiLee

20. Protect
Built
Environment
AND
Natural
Systems

21. Natures
Benefits:
Highlights:
Return
on
Investment
in
Parks
and
Open
Space
in
MassachuseSs:
For
every
$1
invested
in
land
conserva.on,
$4
in
natural
goods
and
services
is
returned
to
the
MassachuseSs
economy.
• Tourists
to
MassachuseSs
spend
an
es.mated
$16.9
billion
each
year
and
generate
$1.1
billion
in
state
and
local
taxes.
Tourism
supports
nearly
125,000
jobs
• Outdoor
recrea.on
generates
$10
billion
in
consumer
spending,
$739
million
in
state
and
local
tax
revenue,
90,000
jobs,
and
$3.5
billion
in
wages
and
salaries
each
year
in
the
state.
• Agriculture,
forestry,
commercial
fishing,
and
related
processing
ac.vity
are
responsible
for
$13
billion
in
output,
and
147,000
jobs
in
MassachuseSs.

22. Mass
Audubon
Climate
Change
Strategies
EDUCATION
Mobilizing
the
Public
ADVOCACY
MiCgaCng
Through
Public
Policy
and
Advocacy
CONSERVATION
Protec.ng
Nature
Through
Science-­‐
Based
AdaptaCon

23. Federal
Ac.on
on
Adapta.on
President
Obama,
July
25,
2013:
“Those
who
are
already
feeling
the
effects
of
climate
change
don’t
have
the
<me
to
deny
it
–
they
are
busy
dealing
with
it….
“
• Execu.ve
Order
enables
roads,
bridges
and
infrastructure
to
withstand
CC
• Interagency
Council
on
climate
preparedness
(CEQ)
• Expect
recommenda.ons
on
barrier
removal,
incen.ves,
and
moderniza.on
of
Federal
programs

24.
Protec.ng
Nature
through
Science-­‐
based
Adapta.on
• PLAN
FOR
CLIMATE
CHANGE
on
our
lands
and
on
partner
lands
• PROTECT
LARGE
LANDSCAPES

25. SackeS
Brooke
Dam
Removal

26. Land
Protec.on
and
management

27. Keep
monitoring…..

28. Don’t
be
Overwhelmed!

29. Connect
with
the
Outside
World
Pung
Natural
SoluCons
to
Work:
Mainstreaming
protected
areas
into
climate
change
responses

30. Appreciate
Green
Infrastructure
The sea level rose 10 to 13 feet and filled streets and homes deep in the city, propelled by
sustained winds of at least 140 miles per hour and gusts that were much stronger.
“It was a tsunami-like storm surge; it is the first time,” said Eduardo del Rosario, the
executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
Tacloban has been hit by typhoons for decades, but
never had the sea risen
high enough to pour over the swath of low salt marshes and
inundate the city’s shady streets, he said.

31. Make
New
Partners
and
Friends.

32. When
in
doubt,
plant
or
protect
trees

33. Entertain
and
Seek
Innova.ve
Solu.ons
‘a
necklace
of
sea
walls’
Boston
Globe
Nov
10
2103
David
Dixon

34. Apply
Adap.ve
Management
on
our
own
Policy
Framework
• Environmental
Bond
–
120K
coastal
infra;20K
coastal
restora.on;
coastal
buyback;
adapta.on
planning
funding.
• Water
Infrastructure
Bill
• Green
Communi.es
Bill
–
include
adapta.on
• And
stay
tuned
for
Federal
Ac.ons…..

35. Keep
Up
on
Local
Best
Prac.ces

36. Join
Communi.es
of
Prac.ce

37. Make
Climate
Change
‘Dinner
Table’
Talk
Union
of
Concerned
Scien.sts

38. Adapt
and
Reduce
Emissions
through
Local
Power
Choices

39. Get
more
done
by
working
as
a
TEAM
"It
works
because
we
just
know
each
other's
background,"
Ross
said.
"We
know
what
people
have
been
through
and
everyone
has
had
to
overcome.
Everyone
has
a
different
story,
but
we
all
worked
together
for
the
same
ending.“
Red
Sox
Catcher
David
Ross

40. PLUM ISLAND
Behind us, a page of sand, open, preserves
our tracks and the cuneiform of birds,
monkish penmanship of seawrack glossed
with crack-hinged razor clams, papery claws,
dried bladders, crushed spirals, sticks, smooth stones;
farther, beyond the dunes, a crabbed scrawl
of brush says both winter and resurrection.
Above us, gray cursive on gray sky,
a paragraph of gulls edits itself,
braiding the arguments of season and season
into one cry.
Before us, a long wave
comes licking and licking again, foamy
restless tongue on this brown manila beach
where the sea folds and unfolds itself, still
undecided how to begin again,
how much to promise in its one blue letter.
Rhina P. Espaillat
Powow River Poet