The USDA Southwest Climate Hub: developing and delivering climate- smart information and technologies

Transcription

1 The USDA Southwest Climate Hub: developing and delivering climate- smart information and technologies Jeanne C. Chambers US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station

2 Seven regional climate hubs established in early 2014 To support smart decision making

3 USDA Climate Hubs Vision ~ Agricultural production and natural resources maintained and strengthened under increasing climate variability and environmental change Mission ~ To develop and deliver science- based, region- specific information and technologies to agricultural and natural resource managers that enable climate- smart decision- making and provide assistance to enable land managers to implement those decisions

4 Conceptual Framework Science and Technology providers: Federal Partners NOAA RISA USGS CSC DOE NASA etc Technology Transfer providers: Coopera>ve Extension USDA Intramural Research (ARS/FS/ ERS/NRCS) USDA Service Centers Science Coordina>on, Synthesis, and Tools USDA Extramural funded Research (NIFA) Forest Service Threat Centers Non- Federal Partners Agricultural Experiment Sta>ons Many others Others Informa(on and tools Ques(ons and feedback Stakeholders and Stakeholder group: Farmers / Ranchers / Forest Managers / Tribes / States / Feds / LCCs / Others

5 The Southwest Climate Hub Extreme weather conditions Longer growing seasons Plant water stress Heat stress Impacts Day-to-day decisions of farmers and ranchers Ø Crop, animal & forest production

6 The Southwest Climate Hub Products ~ Technical support for land managers to respond to drought, heat stress, floods, pests and changes in growing season. Regional assessments and forecasts for hazard and adaption planning. Outreach and education for land managers on ways to mitigate risks and thrive despite change.

7 Responding to global change requires collaboration GLOBAL CHANGE IN US COMMUNITIES, COASTS, & OCEANS NATURAL RESOURCES RESILIENCE & PREPAREDNESS WORKING LANDS

8 USGS Climate Science Centers Federal Collaborators in the Southwest Region NOAA Regional Integrated Science and Assessments DOI Landscape Conservation Cooperatives

9 USDAs Unique Contributions to the Climate Hubs Program Support: RMA, FSA, RD, APHIS, others Program Support NIFA (by funding external research and Ag Extension) ARS (in house programs) NRCS (Tech Centers & Service Centers) Forest Service (R&D, S&PF, NFS) Science- based knowledge and practical information Foundational Research Applied Research Package & Develop Outreach, Extension & Program Support Stakeholders Farmers Ranchers Forest Mgrs Feed back on stakeholder needs and effectiveness of products and services

10 Adaptation Decision Support How do we increase the resilience of plant communities at risk due to greater climate variability & more frequent fire? Great Basin Native Plant Project Restore sites using climate-adapted native plants Transfer seeds based on appropriate climate zones Consider assisted migration hwp://

11 Adaptation Decision Support How do we protect our forests from the recent increases in insect outbreaks? Bark Beetle Management Identify areas susceptible to bark beetle outbreaks Thin stands with dense trees o Timber harvest o Cut and burn Monitor results & adapt Ø Also decreases wildfire risk hwp://

12 Regional Assessments How do we determine species vulnerability and assess management options?

13 Outreach and Education How do we provide the necessary information for climate adaptation? Build on exiting efforts FS Climate Change Resource Center NRCS National Climate and Water Center ARS Climate Change Research Education Ø University Extension (UC Davis, UNR, USU, ASU, NMSU)

14 Outreach and Education How do we prepare the next generation for climate adaptation? K-12 Programs Next generations of agricultural and natural resource managers Classroom curricula on climate change adaptation & mitigation Hands on activities Carbon Cycle Program

15 Climate Hub Goals for 2014 Assess regional vulnerabilities to ID most pressing issues ~ What resources are currently most vulnerable to direct and indirect impacts of climate change? What may be vulnerable in the near future? What should be the first priority areas for the Southwest Climate Hub to address?

16 Climate Hub Goals for 2014 Establish Work Plans ~ Partners

17 Climate Hub Goals for 2014 Work with partners and stakeholders to access needs and capabilities ~ State Agricultural Experiment Stations State Cooperative Extension Programs Department of Interior USGS Climate Science Centers DOI FWS/BLM Landscape Conservation Cooperatives NOAA Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments Program (RISAs) Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network

18 Climate Hub Goals for 2014 Work with partners and stakeholders to access needs and capabilities ~ Natural Resources Collaborate with CSCs, LCCs and other regional groups Agriculture Underrepresented in current regional climate change efforts

19 Climate Hub Goals for 2014 Work with partners and stakeholders to access needs and capabilities ~ Natural Resources Collaborate with CSCs, LCCs and other regional groups Agriculture Underrepresented in current regional climate change efforts

20 Climate Hub Goals for 2014 Establish a Web Presence ~ Coordination with other government web sites One stop shopping Legacy web sites hwp://swclimatehub.info hwp://blogs.usda.gov/ 2014/02/12/southwestern- climate- hub- helps- producers- cope- with- an- uncertain- and- changing- climate/

21 USDA SW Regional Hub Partners Al Rango, Regional Director, ARS, NM; Kris Havstad, ARS, NM; Jeanne Chambers, FS, Reno, NV; Luana Kiger, NRCS, Davis, CA; Daniel Kluepfel, ARS, Davis, CA; Shaun McKinney, NRCS, Portland, OR; Peter Stine, FS, Davis, CA;

22 Questions?