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Outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching are vital to connecting Americans to wild animals and wild places. But changing climate conditions are altering where, when, and how many animals are found on the landscape.
The United States is home to diverse and breathtaking landscapes. In addition to being a source of joy and identity for many Americans, this grand natural heritage is a major source of revenue. In 2022, wildlife recreationists spent \$394.8 billion on hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching in the U.S. Outdoor recreation is also vital to connecting Americans to wild animals and wild places. Fish and wildlife conservation is important for maintaining those connections as well as preserving harvesting traditions that bridge generations, providing healthy local food, and supporting the American ideal of self-reliance.
However, changing weather patterns can cause animals like deer, fish, and birds to shift the timing and locations of their migrations. Extreme events like wildfires, droughts, and floods alter the availability of food, water, and shelter for animals. Warmer temperatures mean traditional habitat is becoming less suitable for wildlife that need cooler climates and is also leading to the spread of invasive species and disease. For some species, these changes can mean that population numbers are changing, or that they're not found in the same places where they once were. For example, in the Northeast, ticks are infesting moose at higher rates; in Alaska, the timing of caribou migration has been delayed by several weeks; and in the Rocky Mountains, some coldwater fisheries have to close in mid-summer when water temperatures become too hot and streamflow too low. These climate impacts mean that hunters, anglers, and wildlife watchers may need to adjust where, when, and how they recreate.
The Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs) support federal, state, and Tribal fish and wildlife managers as they work to protect the cultural and biological heritage of our cherished lands. Our science is identifying how changing climate conditions are affecting fish and wildlife populations and their habitats, so that managers can determine the best path forward for conserving these valued resources to benefit current and future generations of Americans. Explore examples of our science below.
Montana is home to some of North America’s most popular trout fisheries, valued at more than \$750 million per year. But the cold rivers on which trout depend are warming and streamflow is declining, threatening the persistence of some of the most prized species, like the westslope cutthroat trout.
Partnering with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, CASC scientists found that anglers are responding to drought by moving to cooler fishing locations that are now more favorable for trout. However, the continued loss of trout habitat in the coming decades could result in a loss of nearly \$200 million per year in angling revenue in Montana.
These results demonstrate the importance of maintaining a diversity of cold-water habitats and streamflows that provide options for anglers to move to as conditions change. This diversity can help mitigate the socioeconomic impacts of climate change on valuable freshwater fisheries.
Over 2 million waterfowl hunters contribute nearly $1 billion to the U.S. economy each year. Factors including breeding habitat loss and changes in land use and climate are affecting waterfowl migration patterns.
CASC scientists partnered with Ducks Unlimited and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to explore migration patterns of valuable waterfowl species in the Midwest. They found that since the 1960s, the distributions of blue-winged teal winter have shifted westward and southward and the distributions of mallard and northern pintail have shifted eastward and northwards, sometimes by as many as several hundred miles.
The study could not have been completed without the thousands of waterfowl hunters who reported waterfowl band recoveries. This improved understanding of how waterfowl distributions have changed over time can help identify important drivers of waterfowl occurrence, inform habitat management, enable more effective communication with waterfowl hunters and other recreationists, and aid decision making on where to focus conservation efforts.
Deer hunting is the most popular type of hunting in America and contributes more than \$20 billion annually to the nation’s GDP. Migratory big game species like mule deer are at risk due to more frequent and intense droughts that limit access to food during migration, particularly in dry western landscapes.
CASC scientists are partnering with state big game managers across the West to determine whether conserving migration corridor habitat can help mule deer withstand the effects of drought by ensuring the animals have freedom of movement to access needed resources. The results can help managers target conservation efforts such as fence modifications, highway crossings, and habitat treatments within migration corridors used by herds most vulnerable to the effects of drought.
We also share CASC science with the outdoor recreation community via the Wildlife Management Institute's Outdoor News Bulletin.
Explore more examples of our science below.
Coral reefs provide ample opportunities for recreational activities and fishing and add important cultural value to coastal communities.
They also bolster biodiversity by giving food and shelter to many species.
The structure of a reef helps dampen waves and protects coastlines from storms and erosion.
Coral reefs provide ample opportunities for recreational activities and fishing and add important cultural value to coastal communities.
They also bolster biodiversity by giving food and shelter to many species.
The structure of a reef helps dampen waves and protects coastlines from storms and erosion.
Arctic Ecosystems are at the forefront of climate change and many of the ecosystem services they provide are rapidly threatened or changing.
You can find more Climate Illustrations here.
Arctic Ecosystems are at the forefront of climate change and many of the ecosystem services they provide are rapidly threatened or changing.
You can find more Climate Illustrations here.
Research Ecologist Jeremy Littell explores how Alaska’s melting glaciers affect the region’s famously productive salmon fisheries.
Research Ecologist Jeremy Littell explores how Alaska’s melting glaciers affect the region’s famously productive salmon fisheries.
Research Fish Biologist Holly Embke investigates how climate change is impacting inland fish populations used by recreational anglers and for Tribal subsistence activities.
Research Fish Biologist Holly Embke investigates how climate change is impacting inland fish populations used by recreational anglers and for Tribal subsistence activities.
Forest ecosystems are home to trees that capture and store carbon as well as game animals and edible plants provide sources of food and recreation.
You can find more Climate Illustrations here.
Forest ecosystems are home to trees that capture and store carbon as well as game animals and edible plants provide sources of food and recreation.
You can find more Climate Illustrations here.
River ecosystems contain riparian vegetation that trap sediment and filters debris for higher water quality in addition to have riparian zones that reduce floods by slowing water flow.
You can find more Climate Illustrations here.
River ecosystems contain riparian vegetation that trap sediment and filters debris for higher water quality in addition to have riparian zones that reduce floods by slowing water flow.
You can find more Climate Illustrations here.
Outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching are vital to connecting Americans to wild animals and wild places. But changing climate conditions are altering where, when, and how many animals are found on the landscape.
The United States is home to diverse and breathtaking landscapes. In addition to being a source of joy and identity for many Americans, this grand natural heritage is a major source of revenue. In 2022, wildlife recreationists spent \$394.8 billion on hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching in the U.S. Outdoor recreation is also vital to connecting Americans to wild animals and wild places. Fish and wildlife conservation is important for maintaining those connections as well as preserving harvesting traditions that bridge generations, providing healthy local food, and supporting the American ideal of self-reliance.
However, changing weather patterns can cause animals like deer, fish, and birds to shift the timing and locations of their migrations. Extreme events like wildfires, droughts, and floods alter the availability of food, water, and shelter for animals. Warmer temperatures mean traditional habitat is becoming less suitable for wildlife that need cooler climates and is also leading to the spread of invasive species and disease. For some species, these changes can mean that population numbers are changing, or that they're not found in the same places where they once were. For example, in the Northeast, ticks are infesting moose at higher rates; in Alaska, the timing of caribou migration has been delayed by several weeks; and in the Rocky Mountains, some coldwater fisheries have to close in mid-summer when water temperatures become too hot and streamflow too low. These climate impacts mean that hunters, anglers, and wildlife watchers may need to adjust where, when, and how they recreate.
The Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs) support federal, state, and Tribal fish and wildlife managers as they work to protect the cultural and biological heritage of our cherished lands. Our science is identifying how changing climate conditions are affecting fish and wildlife populations and their habitats, so that managers can determine the best path forward for conserving these valued resources to benefit current and future generations of Americans. Explore examples of our science below.
Montana is home to some of North America’s most popular trout fisheries, valued at more than \$750 million per year. But the cold rivers on which trout depend are warming and streamflow is declining, threatening the persistence of some of the most prized species, like the westslope cutthroat trout.
Partnering with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, CASC scientists found that anglers are responding to drought by moving to cooler fishing locations that are now more favorable for trout. However, the continued loss of trout habitat in the coming decades could result in a loss of nearly \$200 million per year in angling revenue in Montana.
These results demonstrate the importance of maintaining a diversity of cold-water habitats and streamflows that provide options for anglers to move to as conditions change. This diversity can help mitigate the socioeconomic impacts of climate change on valuable freshwater fisheries.
Over 2 million waterfowl hunters contribute nearly $1 billion to the U.S. economy each year. Factors including breeding habitat loss and changes in land use and climate are affecting waterfowl migration patterns.
CASC scientists partnered with Ducks Unlimited and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to explore migration patterns of valuable waterfowl species in the Midwest. They found that since the 1960s, the distributions of blue-winged teal winter have shifted westward and southward and the distributions of mallard and northern pintail have shifted eastward and northwards, sometimes by as many as several hundred miles.
The study could not have been completed without the thousands of waterfowl hunters who reported waterfowl band recoveries. This improved understanding of how waterfowl distributions have changed over time can help identify important drivers of waterfowl occurrence, inform habitat management, enable more effective communication with waterfowl hunters and other recreationists, and aid decision making on where to focus conservation efforts.
Deer hunting is the most popular type of hunting in America and contributes more than \$20 billion annually to the nation’s GDP. Migratory big game species like mule deer are at risk due to more frequent and intense droughts that limit access to food during migration, particularly in dry western landscapes.
CASC scientists are partnering with state big game managers across the West to determine whether conserving migration corridor habitat can help mule deer withstand the effects of drought by ensuring the animals have freedom of movement to access needed resources. The results can help managers target conservation efforts such as fence modifications, highway crossings, and habitat treatments within migration corridors used by herds most vulnerable to the effects of drought.
We also share CASC science with the outdoor recreation community via the Wildlife Management Institute's Outdoor News Bulletin.
Explore more examples of our science below.
Coral reefs provide ample opportunities for recreational activities and fishing and add important cultural value to coastal communities.
They also bolster biodiversity by giving food and shelter to many species.
The structure of a reef helps dampen waves and protects coastlines from storms and erosion.
Coral reefs provide ample opportunities for recreational activities and fishing and add important cultural value to coastal communities.
They also bolster biodiversity by giving food and shelter to many species.
The structure of a reef helps dampen waves and protects coastlines from storms and erosion.
Arctic Ecosystems are at the forefront of climate change and many of the ecosystem services they provide are rapidly threatened or changing.
You can find more Climate Illustrations here.
Arctic Ecosystems are at the forefront of climate change and many of the ecosystem services they provide are rapidly threatened or changing.
You can find more Climate Illustrations here.
Research Ecologist Jeremy Littell explores how Alaska’s melting glaciers affect the region’s famously productive salmon fisheries.
Research Ecologist Jeremy Littell explores how Alaska’s melting glaciers affect the region’s famously productive salmon fisheries.
Research Fish Biologist Holly Embke investigates how climate change is impacting inland fish populations used by recreational anglers and for Tribal subsistence activities.
Research Fish Biologist Holly Embke investigates how climate change is impacting inland fish populations used by recreational anglers and for Tribal subsistence activities.
Forest ecosystems are home to trees that capture and store carbon as well as game animals and edible plants provide sources of food and recreation.
You can find more Climate Illustrations here.
Forest ecosystems are home to trees that capture and store carbon as well as game animals and edible plants provide sources of food and recreation.
You can find more Climate Illustrations here.
River ecosystems contain riparian vegetation that trap sediment and filters debris for higher water quality in addition to have riparian zones that reduce floods by slowing water flow.
You can find more Climate Illustrations here.
River ecosystems contain riparian vegetation that trap sediment and filters debris for higher water quality in addition to have riparian zones that reduce floods by slowing water flow.
You can find more Climate Illustrations here.