Scenario planning with USGS
IAN has again joined forces with Shawn Carter in his new role as Senior Scientist at the National Climate Change & Wildlife Science Center. The NCCWSC was created by Congress in 2008 to provide scientific information to assist managers of the Nation's fish and wildlife, and their habitats in responding to climate change. The NCCWSC is a part of the U.S. Geological Survey's Climate and Land Use Change Mission Area (CLU) and acts as the managing entity for the eight Department of the Interior (DOI) Climate Science Centers (CSCs) located throughout the country. IAN will provide data compilation and synthesis services for climate change research activities operating through the NCCWSC's Climate Science Center. This has begun by assisting in a pilot project for boreal forests in Northeastern United States led by the Wildlife Conservation Society in collaboration with the Northeast Climate Science Center and North Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative. The project utilizes scenario planning to inform land and wildlife management on issues related to climate change, the boreal forest, and moose.
Climate change and moose in the North Woods of the Northeast United States
Bill Dennison and Brianne Walsh traveled to Westborough, Massachusetts for a science synthesis workshop on drivers of moose, climate change, and forest structure in the North Woods of the Northeastern United States. The workshop was the first in the series aiming to apply scenario planning as a management tool in the North Woods of the U.S. In partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society and the USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center, IAN is working to produce a 4-page workshop newsletter, as well as science communication synthesis materials as the project progresses.
The changing North Woods and moose newsletter
A scenario planning exercise focused on climate change, land use, and moose in the Northeast U.S. is being undertaken by the Wildlife Conservation Society, North Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative, Northeast Climate Science Center (U.S. Geological Survey), and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. Phase 1 of the scenario planning process involves the identification of key features and drivers within the focus system. This newsletter summarizes the scientific state of knowledge and associated uncertainties from a workshop held at the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife headquarters in Westborough, MA on 4–5 February 2015.