There is increasing interest in climate change adaptation, yet many fish and wildlife field staff remain uncertain how to put adaptation into practice. Our goal with this project is to bridge the gap between high-level climate adaptation guidance and the field staff who carry out a specific regulatory process, Habitat Conservation Planning under Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act. Following best practices from the literature on linking science and management, we began with a focus on what people do and are bringing climate considerations into that practice. Phase I of the process involved exploring HCP practices in USFWS Region 8 (primarily CA and NV) and writing a Quick Guide for Climate Smart HCPs; a series of worksheets to help staff and applicants think through the implications of climate change for a particular HCP; and a more detailed discussion of climate considerations for each HCP section. If successful, this could serve as a model for national-level guidance and practice for making HCPs climate smart. It is also a test case for a practice-driven approach to adaptation guidance that could be applied to other regulatory decision processes.
For Phase II, we will test and revise Phase I outputs. We will also compile and analyze examples of climate change integration from existing HCPs, building on previous reviews of climate change in HCPs. This information will be summarized in a format that HCP practitioners can use as reference material to inform their own efforts at climate change integration. Finally, we will develop additional Quick Guides focusing on choosing and using climate change and species distribution models for use in HCPs and other key topics identified throughout the process.
