The Midwest region faces unique challenges from climate change that affect forests, grasslands, lakes, rivers, wetlands, and the services and cultural values these ecosystems provide. These changes also occur in a wide range of land types and cultural settings, such as on and off Tribal reservation and treaty-ceded land, within and around towns and cities, and in farms and managed forests.
The goal of adaptation science is to identify, test, and demonstrate management strategies that reduce the impacts of climate change. This project will advance the creation and distribution of adaptation science that addresses the natural resource needs of the Midwest through: 1) a synthesis project and research symposium that focuses on the role of traditional ecological knowledge in adaptation practice, 2) knowledge exchanges and a series of small research projects to conduct research and needs assessments related to Midwest CASC research priorities and 3) distributing adaptation knowledge through a virtual seminar series featuring high profile speakers and important regional topics to reach practitioners and the public beyond those involved in collaborative research and knowledge generation.
Leveraging the infrastructure of the Midwest CASC, launched in September 2021, and informed by regional science priorities and research needs expressed at the Midwest CASC’s Annual Gathering in August 2022, this project will advance adaptation science priorities related to heavy rainfall and drought, loss of winter, altered hydrological regimes, and novel terrestrial landscapes in the Midwest region.
