Skip to main content
Advanced Search

Filters: Tags: {"scheme":"https://www.sciencebase.gov/vocab/category/WRET/CMS_Themes/CASC_CMS_Themes"} (X) > Types: OGC WMS Layer (X) > partyWithName: Northwest CSC (X) > Extensions: Budget (X)

42 results (18ms)   

View Results as: JSON ATOM CSV
thumbnail
The 2017 Idaho Climate Summit - Safeguarding Idaho’s Economy in a Changing Climate: Our Water, Our Land, Our Health, Our Future was a two-day conversation about Idaho’s changing climate led by businesses, resource and land managers, Idaho tribes and tribal organizations, researchers, public interest organizations, community members, and government officials. The summit explored market-based solutions for safeguarding Idaho’s economy, health, landscape, and lifestyle. Desired outcomes included 1) sharing how Idahoans are planning to address climate risks, 2) exploring economic opportunities and building on innovative ideas, 3) expanding discussions on local solutions and adaptations, 4) building new collaborations,...
thumbnail
The project aimed to use existing models and data to understand how wildfires (number, size, and location) and land-use change will affect watersheds, and therefore water supply, under current conditions and future climates (through 2050) in the western U.S. The projected changes in temperature and precipitation are expected to affect water supply in two major ways: 1) decreased water availability, and 2) increased risk to watersheds via loses from fire. As the western population is projected to grow by 310 million people by 2100, this will potentially increase demand for diminishing supplies if housing growth occurs in rangelands or forested lands. Understanding watershed vulnerabilities due to changing climate,...
thumbnail
The impacts of climate change are already being observed and felt in our ecosystems and communities. Land and resource managers, planners, and decision-makers are looking for the best scientific information to guide their decisions about adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change now and in the future. A major goal of the Northwest Climate Science Center (CSC) and the CSC network as a whole is the development of “actionable science”, or scientific information that can be easily used by managers and planners to inform these important decisions. However, the current community of researchers and decision-makers are in need of guidance about the best ways to work together and the activities or strategies...
thumbnail
The Columbia River Basin and the plants and animals it supports have been central to tribal culture and economy in the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, and British Columbia) for thousands of years. Climate change is expected to significantly alter the ecology of the Columbia River Basin, and tribal communities will be especially sensitive to these changes, including possible loss of culturally and economically significant foods such as salmon, deer, root plants, and berries. The purpose of this project was to assess the capacity of tribal communities and organizations in the Columbia River Basin to prepare for and respond to climate change. Researchers surveyed 15 tribes and three...
thumbnail
The Northwest Climate Conference (formerly called the Pacific Northwest Climate Science Conference) is the premier climate science event for the region, providing a forum for researchers and practitioners to share scientific results and discuss challenges and solutions related to the impacts of climate change on people, natural resources, and infrastructure in the Northwest. Conference participants include policy- and decision-makers, resource managers, and scientists from academia, public agencies, sovereign tribal nations, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. More information can be found at the conference website: http://pnwclimateconference.org. The Sixth Annual Northwest Climate Conference...
thumbnail
The Klamath Basin in Oregon and California is home to a rich abundance of natural and cultural resources, many of which are vulnerable to present and future climate change. Climate change also threatens traditional ways of life for tribal communities, who have deep connections to the region. This project sought to increase the effectiveness of regional climate change adaptation and planning by (1) developing ways to integrate traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) with western science in decision making, (2) building partnerships between tribal, academic, and government institutions, and (3) increasing future capacity to respond to climate change by engaging tribal youth. Through this project, the Quartz Valley...
thumbnail
Tribes in the Pacific Northwest rely on plants for food, medicine, and material for culturally important items (e.g., baskets, cages and traps, ceremonial items, tools, and musical instruments). Elders and wisdomkeepers from tribes of the Point No Point Treaty Council have expressed deep concerns about the potential effects of climate change on plant species of key cultural significance, particularly those located in tribal gathering areas on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington. This project was a direct response to tribal concerns about the loss of culturally significant plants from tribal gathering areas. Researchers conducted interviews with elders from the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe to identify eight plants...
thumbnail
In the Pacific Northwest, cold-water species like salmon are important for recreational sport fishing as well as for commercial fish production. However, climate change is causing lower and warmer summer stream flows that could decimate these fish populations. Aquatic cold-water habitats are further threatened by stormwater runoff, which moves from streets to storm drains and then is often discharged into cold-water rivers and streams. The urban heat island effect (when cities and urban areas are warmer than surrounding rural areas) may heat the temperature of the runoff and if the runoff is very warm, it could tip salmon habitat into fatal conditions. However, specifically how urban warming – or cooling, such...
thumbnail
This project identified priority areas in the Columbia Plateau Ecoregion to focus on for riverine and riparian habitat conservation. The project’s products are tailored towards the Arid Lands Initiative (ALI) conservation goals and objectives and provide the foundation for adaptation to a changing climate. We adopted a “zoned” approach to identifying focal areas, connectivity management zones, and zones for riparian habitat and ecological representation. Through a series of workshops and webinars, the ALI identified freshwater species for targeted conservation, including Pacific lamprey, bull trout, redband trout, riparian birds and waterfowl, and beavers. The methods to spatially identify a conservation design...
thumbnail
Wild berries are a valued traditional food for tribes of the Chugachmiut Tribal Consortium (Chenega Bay, Eyak, Nanwalek, Port Graham, Qutekcak, Tatitlek, and Valdez) in the rural Chugach region of south-central Alaska. Berries supply essential nutrients that prevent heart disease and cancer, are used for medicinal purposes, and are the only sweet food in the traditional Native diet. Hence, berries have both nutritional and cultural significance. From 2008 to 2012, wild berry populations in the Chugach region were decimated by an unexpected outbreak of moths, thought to have been brought about by shifting climate (i.e., warmer temperatures allowed a greater number of moths to survive the winter). This outbreak...
thumbnail
Preparing for and responding to the impacts of climate change are critical to the wellbeing of tribal communities that rely on natural resources to sustain their families, communities, traditional ways of life, and cultural identities. Recognizing this, efforts across the country are underway to support and enhance the capacity of tribes to prepare for climate change risks. However, due to staffing, technical, and financial limitations, many tribes continue to experience difficulty initiating and completing the critical first step of the climate adaptation planning process: a “climate change vulnerability assessment”, i.e., a structured assessment of the specific potential impacts of climate change that the tribe...
thumbnail
Enhancing ecological connectivity - the degree to which landscapes facilitate the movement of the organisms within them - is a frequently recommended strategy for conserving wildlife populations into the future. This is because a primary way in which species respond to climate change is by adjusting their geographic ranges to find more suitable temperatures and adequate food supplies. It is also because connectivity facilitates many other important ecological and evolutionary processes within species' ranges, further promoting resilience and healthy populations. However, widespread fragmentation of landscapes by human activities presents a serious obstacle to these processes, which may contribute to a decline in...
thumbnail
Glaciers are a central component to the hydrology of many areas in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Glacier melt plays a crucial role in the movement of nutrients through a landscape and into the ocean, and the flow of water into streams that sustain many species. As air temperatures rise, increased rates of glacier melt may have significant impacts to the hydrology and ecology in these areas. This project aims to broaden our understanding of the role of glaciers in the hydrology of Alaska and Washington state and incorporate this knowledge into two types of models that simulate past and future scenarios of water flow. The project team aims to develop a public web portal to allow users to explore content, access...
thumbnail
Tribal communities have spiritually rich and complex connections with the natural environment, and their traditions, identities, and economies rely heavily on local natural resources. Because of this intimate connection with nature, tribes are especially vulnerable to climate changes that disrupt their surroundings. Surprisingly, however, few studies have delved deeply into Native thinking around climate change and its cultural impacts. This project sought to understand the ways in which Native American culture and cultural practices in the northwestern U.S. have been affected by climate change. Researchers conducted in-depth interviews with tribal elders and cultural experts belonging to three Northwest tribes...
thumbnail
Aspen is an environmentally, economically, and socially important species in the western U.S. It is typically the most abundant deciduous tree species in mountainous landscapes of the western U.S., providing food and habitat for a variety of wildlife, including black bear, deer, elk, moose, and numerous bird species. Aspen woodlands also provide high quality forage for livestock and draw tourists to the region to view the golden vistas that form in the fall. However, aspen is currently declining across large portions of the West and it’s estimated that approximately 40% of western aspen will be without suitable climate conditions within 50 years. In the northern and central Rocky Mountains, it’s thought that reduced...
thumbnail
The Northwest Climate Conference (formerly called the Pacific Northwest Climate Science Conference) is the premier climate science event for the region, providing a forum for researchers and practitioners to share scientific results and discuss challenges and solutions related to the impacts of climate change on people, natural resources, and infrastructure in the Northwest. Conference participants include policy- and decision-makers, resource managers, and scientists from academia, public agencies, sovereign tribal nations, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. More information can be found at the conference website: http://pnwclimateconference.org. The Fifth Annual Pacific Northwest Climate Science...
thumbnail
The Northwest Climate Conference (formerly called the Pacific Northwest Climate Science Conference) is the premier climate science event for the region, providing a forum for researchers and practitioners to share scientific results and discuss challenges and solutions related to the impacts of climate change on people, natural resources, and infrastructure in the Northwest. Conference participants include policy- and decision-makers, resource managers, and scientists from academia, public agencies, sovereign tribal nations, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. More information can be found at the conference website: http://pnwclimateconference.org. The Fourth Annual Pacific Northwest Climate...
thumbnail
Tribal communities’ traditions, identities, and economies rely heavily on local natural resources, making tribes especially vulnerable to climate change impacts, including changes in seasonal patterns and the potential loss of culturally and economically important species. The goal of this project was to build tribal capacity in the Pacific Northwest to successfully plan for and adapt to the effects of climate change. The funds associated with this project supported the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) Tribal Leaders Summit on Climate Change held on March 10-11, 2015 in Portland, Oregon. The summit gathered tribal leaders to discuss climate change impacts; share tribal strategies, plans, and policies;...
thumbnail
In order to assess and understand the potential impacts of climate change on important natural resources, managers, planners, and decision-makers need climate information at a local or regional scale. In general, Global Climate Models (GCMs) provide data at coarser scales than most natural resource managers need but Regional Climate Models (RCMs) are starting to deliver finer scale results. The project team will explore both dynamic downscaling products such as results from RCMs and statistical downscaling products generated at scales finer than the original projections. The Northwest CSC has supported a series of projects that have either generated or tested downscaled climate data for the Pacific Northwest...
thumbnail
What will the rivers of the Pacific Northwest look like in the future? Will they be stable or unstable? Will the waters be cold and clear or warm and muddy? Will they have salmon or other species? These questions motivated our two-year study of climate warming effects on headwater streams draining the Cascade Mountains. Using a novel combination of snow, geohydrology, and sediment transport models we assessed the vulnerability of stream channels to changing peak streamflow. Our snow modeling shows that with just a 2°C warming, snowfall shifts to rainfall at all elevations, peak snowpacks occur over two months earlier, and snowpacks are reduced by over half of historical values. Our geohydrology modeling shows that...
map background search result map search result map Climate Change and Peak Flows: Informing Managers About Future Impacts to Streamflow Dynamics and Aquatic Habitat Support for the Fifth Annual Northwest Climate Science Conference Vulnerability of Culturally Significant Plants on the Olympic Peninsula Mapping Wild Berries in the Chugach Region of Alaska to Inform Restoration of Traditional Foods Building Collaboration in the Klamath Basin Through Tribal Youth Internships Support for the Fourth Annual Pacific Northwest Climate Science Conference Assessing the Cultural Effects of Climate Change on Northwest Tribes Creating Practitioner‐Driven, Science‐Based Plans for Connectivity Conservation in the Washington-British Columbia Transboundary Region Projecting the Effects of Climate Change on Aspen in the Central and Northern Rocky Mountains Changes to Watershed Vulnerability under Future Climates, Fire Regimes, and Population Pressures Assessing the Capacity of Columbia River Basin Tribes to Address Climate Change Spatial Conservation Priorities for Riverine and Riparian Systems in the Columbia Plateau Ecoregion Support for the Sixth Annual Northwest Climate Conference Support for the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Tribal Leaders Summit on Climate Change Understanding the Impacts of Glaciers on Streamflow in Alaska and Washington Understanding the Relationship Between Urban Trees, Stormwater Runoff, and Cold-Water Streams in a Changing Climate Evaluating Current Projects to Inform Future Development of Actionable Science in the Northwest Building Tribal Capacity to Assess Vulnerability to Climate Change Spoilt for Choice: A Review and Evaluation of Downscaled Climate Data for the Pacific Northwest Support for the 2017 Idaho Climate Summit Understanding the Relationship Between Urban Trees, Stormwater Runoff, and Cold-Water Streams in a Changing Climate Mapping Wild Berries in the Chugach Region of Alaska to Inform Restoration of Traditional Foods Vulnerability of Culturally Significant Plants on the Olympic Peninsula Building Collaboration in the Klamath Basin Through Tribal Youth Internships Climate Change and Peak Flows: Informing Managers About Future Impacts to Streamflow Dynamics and Aquatic Habitat Support for the 2017 Idaho Climate Summit Projecting the Effects of Climate Change on Aspen in the Central and Northern Rocky Mountains Creating Practitioner‐Driven, Science‐Based Plans for Connectivity Conservation in the Washington-British Columbia Transboundary Region Spatial Conservation Priorities for Riverine and Riparian Systems in the Columbia Plateau Ecoregion Support for the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Tribal Leaders Summit on Climate Change Spoilt for Choice: A Review and Evaluation of Downscaled Climate Data for the Pacific Northwest Support for the Fifth Annual Northwest Climate Science Conference Support for the Fourth Annual Pacific Northwest Climate Science Conference Support for the Sixth Annual Northwest Climate Conference Evaluating Current Projects to Inform Future Development of Actionable Science in the Northwest Assessing the Capacity of Columbia River Basin Tribes to Address Climate Change Assessing the Cultural Effects of Climate Change on Northwest Tribes Building Tribal Capacity to Assess Vulnerability to Climate Change Changes to Watershed Vulnerability under Future Climates, Fire Regimes, and Population Pressures Understanding the Impacts of Glaciers on Streamflow in Alaska and Washington