Southwest

Indigenous knowledge systems, such as traditional ecological knowledge, contain climate observations and adaptation strategies reaching back millennia. These include methods for caring for our natural resources, such as through drought resilient agriculture, soil, and water management practices. Despite a growing global recognition among researchers and resource managers of the value of...

The complex challenge of adapting to climate changerequires collaborative solutions that can be enhanced by connecting individuals to each other and to essential information. This project will evaluate the effectiveness of online decision information tools designed to aid adaptation, that are supported by the development of a network of practice. Networks can aid adaptation by improving...

In ecosystems of the southwestern US intensifying wildfires and climatic shifts are causing widespread tree mortality and slowed recovery after fires. Ecological refugia are areas that retain intact biological features or ecological processes after disturbance. These refugia are essential for the survival of a wide array of species and communities and aid in ecosystem recovery by...

Stream flow is directly tied to climate, and numerous studies provide substantial evidence that climate change is a threat to future aquatic water flow processes. In the southwestern United States, mountain snow is a primary water source for streams and rivers. However, climate change is threatening the region's mountain snow, leading to reduced snowpack, earlier snowmelt, and more...

State and federal agencies are negotiating long-term water-supply agreements for the Colorado River basin, but current policies prioritize water supply over ecological factors due to limited knowledge about how water storage strategies impact ecosystems. Researchers supported by this Southwest CASC project will develop a tool to evaluate river ecosystem outcomes of various patterns of...

Climate Change is making our environment unpredictable. Increased persistence of drought is causing deaths of plants and animals across our landscapes. However, drought amongst the western United States is not a new thing. Native American populations have been living with drought since time immemorial and practiced culturally prescribed fire practices to foster the landscape for an...

The Southwest Fire Climate Adaptation Partnership (SW FireCAP) is working to advance fire and climate adaptation in the southwestern U.S. Focused on cross-organizational collaboration and leveraging resources, the partnership facilitates climate adaptation planning by “sharing Indigenous and Western knowledge perspectives, being inclusive, and building trust.” The Collaborative...

Increasing wildfire activity in the western US poses profound risks for human communities and ecological systems. Recent fire years are characterized not only by expanding area burned but also explosive fire growth. In 2020, several fires grew by >100,000 acres within a 24-hour period. Extreme single-day fire spread events such as these are poorly understood but disproportionately...

Fires are becoming more extensive and severe in the West, and post-fire recovery is a challenge for communities as they adapt to a changing climate. Post-fire management can involve watershed rehabilitation, recovering valuable trees, and replanting to prevent forest loss and damage to watersheds. Land management agencies that make decisions may prioritize goals that differ from those of...

Across the Navajo Nation, the negative effects of climate change are impacting soil and vegetation management practices to the detriment of ecosystem function, human health, cultural resiliency, and economic well-being. Conducting ecosystem restoration and shifting land management practices are critical elements of climate adaptation and dust mitigation strategies for the Navajo Nation...

The Manzanita Band of the Kumeyaay Nation is one of many Tribal Nations in Southern California playing a leadership role in advancing climate adaptation strategies and actions. This project will bolster the Tribe’s climate adaptation and natural resource conservation strategies that identified fire as a missing element needed to advance these efforts. Culturing burning has been practiced...

Actionable science has evolved rapidly over the last decade, and the Climate Adaptation Science Center (CASC) network has established itself as a leader in the field. The practice of actionable science is generally described as user-focused, action-oriented science that addresses pressing real-world climate adaptation challenges. It is also sometimes referred to as usable science...