Managing for a Changing Climate is a set of free online, self-paced courses offered by the South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center. These courses provide an integrative understanding of the components of the climate system including the range of natural climate variability and external drivers of climate change, in addition to the impacts of a changing climate on multiple sectors such as the economy, policy, ecosystems, and indigenous populations. Guest instructors represent the South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center research and stakeholder networks and share their expertise on specific course.
The USGS works with university partners to offer region-specific “Climate 101” training workshops to help build climate literacy. These workshops serve as introductions to climate science, regional impacts of changing climate, and climate adaptation strategies. Each workshop focuses on case studies and climate impacts of interest to the region.
Ecosystem-Specific Climate Trainings for Resource Managers (Cross-CASC)
Grassland: Responding to climate impacts and expanding adaptation efforts necessitates getting the right knowledge and tools in the hands of land managers and decision makers. In 2022-2023, several regional CASCs partnered with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Science Applications Program on the first cross-regional targeted training series designed for the FWS Grassland Ecosystem Team (GET). This training series spanned multiple months and formats with self-paced virtual lessons, webinars, and an in-person workshop. One focus of the workshop was an interactive scenario planning activity incorporating species adaptive capacity assessments and adaptation menus into their decision-making process.
Sagebrush: North American sagebrush ecosystems are a regional priority of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The FWS Science Applications Program is working in partnership with multiple USGS Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs), including the South Central CASC, Northwest CASC, North Central CASC, and Southwest CASC, and Boise State University, to develop a training series for sagebrush conservation practitioners. These trainings will begin in February 2024 with a self-paced introductory course, a series of virtual classrooms, and an in-person workshop in May 2024.
The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) organizes an annual Deep Dive into an emerging climate risk. We convene researchers, practitioners and students to assess the state of knowledge and practice associated with managing that risk. Each Deep Dive aims to facilitate community development of an Actionable Science Agenda that outlines knowledge gaps and research needs and identifies opportunities to advance adaptation by linking science and practice. Topics include:
- Rising Seas and the Coastal Squeeze: Managing Inland Migration of Coastal Habitats in Response to Sea Level Rise
- A Deep Dive Into Shallow Waters: Managing Climate Change Effects on Stream Drying in the Northwest
- Ecological Transformation Now? Managing Post-fire Vegetation Change in a Warming Climate
- Managing Western Washington Wildfire Risk in a Changing Climate
