Through its Foundational Science Area (FSA) activities, the North Central Climate Science Center (CSC) aims to provide relevant and usable climate information to decision-makers and natural resource managers, so that they can better manage their natural and cultural resources under climate change. Research to meet this objective was implemented in 2013 through three FSAs: (1) Understanding and quantifying drivers of regional climate changes; (2) connecting climate drivers to management targets; and (3) characterizing adaptive capacity of stakeholder communities and informing management options.
FSA 1 focused on developing targeted climate information for the North Central region, such as changes in air temperature and evapotranspiration. Through FSA 2, this climate data was used to help resource managers identify the vulnerability of conservation targets, such as particular plant or animal populations, to changing conditions. Finally, FSA 3 focused on identifying how various climate changes have already affected management practices, with the goal of understanding the ability of managers to implement adaptation and mitigation strategies in repsonse to changing conditions.
These areas of research contribute to the development of a coordinated and integrated approach to the management of the North Central region’s natural and cultural resources, utilizing the best possible understanding of past, present, and future climate. The knowledge gained from this research was also used by the North Central CSC to provide expertise and consultation on the services and tools being developed by the CSC, to ensure that the CSC’s research and tools are both relevant and useable to resource managers throughout the region.
