Climate-Smart Conservation: Putting Adaptation Principles Into Practice
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Climate-Smart Conservation Putting Adaptation Principles into Practice Copyright © 2014 by National Wildlife Federation Suggested citation: Stein, B.A., P. Glick, N. Edelson, and A. Staudt (eds.). 2014. Climate-Smart Conservation: Putting Adaptation Principles into Practice. National Wildlife Federation, Washington, D.C. ISBN 978-0-615-99731-5 Financial support for this publication was provided by the National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Forest Service, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Wildlife Conservation Society Climate Adaptation Fund, Kresge Foundation, and Faucett Catalyst Fund. Note: Financial support does not imply not imply endorsement by National Wildlife Federation or the U.S. Government. endorsement of this document; use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does with U.S. Geological Survey Fundamental Science Practices. This publication has met scientific peer review standards and been approved for publication in accordance Climate-Smart Conservation is available online at: www.nwf.org/ClimateSmartGuide Cover: Beaver pond in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. Maintaining or reestablishing healthy beaver populations can serve as an adaptation strategy for sustaining aquatic and streamside habitats in a changing climate. Photo © Carr Clifton/Minden Pictures. National Wildlife Federation 901 E Street, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 202.797.6000 www.nwf.org i Climate-Smart Conservation Putting Adaptation Principles into Practice Climate-Smart Conservation Putting Adaptation Principles into Practice Edited by Bruce A. Stein, Patty Glick, Naomi Edelson, and Amanda Staudt Victor Schendel Putting Adaptation Principles into Practice ii NPS Climate-Smart Conservation Workgroup This guidance document is the product of an expert workgroup on climate-smart conservation convened by the National Wildlife Federation. Workgroup members and affiliations are listed below. Bruce A. Stein, National Wildlife Federation (Chair) Naomi Edelson, National Wildlife Federation (Co-Chair) T. Douglas Beard, Jr., U.S. Geological Survey Douglas “Sandy” Boyce, U.S. Forest Service Ellie Cohen, Point Blue Conservation Science Molly S. Cross, Wildlife Conservation Society Patty Glick, National Wildlife Federation Roger B. Griffis, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration John Gross, National Park Service Kimberly R. Hall, The Nature Conservancy Cat Hawkins Hoffman, National Park Service Jennie Hoffman, EcoAdapt (currently, Adaptation/Insight) Kurt Johnson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Zoë Johnson, Maryland Department of Natural Resources K. Bruce Jones, Desert Research Institute Susan Herrod Julius, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Marni Koopman, Geos Institute Melinda Koslow, National Wildlife Federation (currently, National Park Service) Erika Rowland, Wildlife Conservation Society Debra Schlafmann, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Amanda Staudt, National Wildlife Federation (currently, National Research Council) Paul Wagner, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jordan M. West, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency iii Climate-Smart Conservation Putting Adaptation Principles into Practice Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................1 Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................................................................................7 Part 1: Getting Started ....................................................................................................................................................................9 Chapter I. Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................................11 1.1 Climate Change Impacts: The Imperative for Adaptation .................................................................................... 12 1.2 What Is Climate Change Adaptation? ............................................................................................................................ 15 1.3 Navigating This Guidance ...................................................................................................................................................17 Chapter 2 . Exploring Climate-Smart Conservation ..................................................................................................................23 2.1 Act with Intentionality .........................................................................................................................................................24 2.2 Manage for Change, Not Just Persistence .....................................................................................................................25 2.3 Reconsider Goals, Not Just Strategies ............................................................................................................................29 2.4 Integrate Adaptation into Existing Work .....................................................................................................................32 2.5 Recognizing the Limits of Adaptation ........................................................................................................................... 35 Chapter 3. Key Characteristics of Climate-Smart Conservation ...........................................................................................37 3.1 Link Actions to Climate Impacts ......................................................................................................................................38 3.2 Embrace Forward-Looking Goals ....................................................................................................................................39 3.3 Consider Broader Landscape Context ...........................................................................................................................41 3.4 Adopt Strategies Robust to Uncertainty .......................................................................................................................43 3.5 Employ Agile and Informed Management ...................................................................................................................44 3.6 Minimize Carbon Footprint ................................................................................................................................................45 47 3.8 Safeguard People and Nature ............................................................................................................................................ 3.7 Account for Climate Influence on Project Success ................................................................................................... 49 3.9 Avoid Maladaptation .............................................................................................................................................................51 Chapter 4. A Spin Around the Climate-Smart Conservation Cycle ....................................................................................55 4.1 Overview of the Climate-Smart Conservation Cycle ................................................................................................55 4.2 Identify Planning Purpose and Scope (Step 1) .........................................................................................................57 4.3 Assess Climate Impacts and Vulnerabilities (Step 2) .............................................................................................58 (Step 3) ..............................................................................59 4.5 Identify Possible Adaptation Options (Step 4) ......................................................................................................... 4.4 Review/Revise Conservation Goals and Objectives 60 4.6 Evaluate and Select Adaptation Options (Step 5) ....................................................................................................61 4.7 Implement Priority Adaptation Actions (Step 6) ....................................................................................................62 4.8 Track Action Effectiveness and Ecological Responses (Step 7) ........................................................................ 63 4.9 Fitting It All Together: A High-Level Process Map ...................................................................................................63 4.10 Case Study: Climate-Smart Conservation for Coastal Impoundments in Delaware ..................................65 Putting Adaptation Principles into Practice iv Part 2: Putting Principles into Practice .................................................................................................................................69 Chapter 5. Charting Your Course: Defining Planning Purpose and Scope ........................................................................71 5.1 Setting the Stage for a Successful Adaptation Planning Process .........................................................................71 5.2 A Range of Adaptation Planning Approaches .............................................................................................................79 5.3 Case Study: Collaborative Adaptation Planning