Climate Adaptation Planning: From Vulnerability Assessment to Strategy Identification

1. Climate Adaptation Planning:
from Vulnerability Assessment
to Strategy Identification
-A New York Workshop Case Study-
Chris Hilke
Climate Change Adaptation Program
National Wildlife Federation
hilkec@nwf.org

2. Identifying Adaptation Strategies:
Utilizing the “New Hampshire
Method”
1. Identify adaptation targets (species-habitats)
2. Summarize the vulnerability of the targets
3. Develop full range of adaptation options
4. Prioritize adaptation options
5. Identify potential implementation partners
6. Group, Filter, and Highlight

3. NY Adaptation Workshop
Stage 1: Summarize Vulnerability Data
Stage 2: Identify Vulnerable Targets
Stage 3: Delineate Breakout Groups
Stage 4: Identify “Operationally Feasible”
Adaptation Strategies
Stage 6: Prioritize strategies

4. Adaptation Strategy Gradients
General Specific
Low cost
Low engineering
High cost
Multi-phase
Long-term
Implementation
Near-term
Implementation
Identifying “Operationally Feasible” Strategies

5. Stage 1: Summarize Vulnerability
Data
• New York Habitat Vulnerability Assessment
Galbraith, H. et al. 2012
• Vulnerability of At-risk Species to Climate
Change in New York
Schlesinger, M. et al. 2011

6. Stage 2: Identify Vulnerable Targets
Freshwater Systems
Species:
• Dwarf Wedge Mussel
• Bog Turtle
• Lake Sturgeon
• Hellbender
Habitats:
• Cold water habitats
• Emergent marsh
• Shrub swamp
• Stratified lakes
Upland Systems
Species:
• Spruce Grouse
• Indiana Bat
• Karner Blue butterfly
• Moose
Habitats:
• Montane Spruce-fir
• N. Hardwood forests
• Tundra
• Boreal bog

7. Stage 3: Delineate Breakout Groups
• Target Vulnerability
Summary
• Climate Exposure
Summary
• Example Adaptation
Strategies
1. Upland Systems
2. Freshwater Systems

8. Stage 4: Identify “Operationally
Feasible” Adaptation Strategies
•30 minutes per target to
identify as many strategies
as possible that increase
the resiliency and/or
adaptive capacity of the
targets
FHWA

9. Stage 5: Prioritize Strategies

10. Group, Filter and Highlight
1.Group strategies by common theme,
category
2.Filter groups based upon feasibility,
cost, implementation potential
3.Highlight a suite of top 5 strategies
for each target

11. Montane spruce-fir
•Patch clear cut management for fir regeneration
•Expand Catskills to ADK to Canada connectivity
N. Hardwood forests
•Manage for southern spp./promote climate-resilient
assemblages
•Conduct deer management based on vegetation cover metrics
Tundra
•Limit visitation impacts with trail carrying capacity limits
•Monitor tundra pollinators
Boreal bog
•Reduce bog draining and peat harvest on private lands
•Implement existing wetland protection strategies
Upland Systems: Habitats

12. Upland Systems: Species
Spruce Grouse
•Facilitate range shift through connectivity
•Monitor likely disappearance
•Facilitate translocation for isolated populations
Indiana Bat
•Landowner incentives to maintain snags
•Increased investment in fungal disease research
•Increased hibernacula protection measures
Moose
•Improve connectivity across altitudinal gradients - over-underpass
•Reduce deer population for disease management
Karner Blue butterfly
•Continue/expand prescribed fire for habitat restoration
•Protect/manage islands around core habitat to facilitate meta-
population dynamics

13. Freshwater Systems: Habitats
Cold water habitats
•Acquire intact “in fee” lands along shores and stream banks
•Stream management programs for local communities
Emergent marsh
•Amend state wetland maps to include > wetlands – utilize previous
wetland map expansions
•Increase staff to implement current program objectives
Shrub swamp
•Remove obsolete impoundments to restore natural hydrology
•Increase capacity-funding for existing water protection program
implementation
Stratified lakes
•Improve sewage facilities for lakeshore residents – stormwater
•Expand watershed management focus for nonpoint discharges

14. Freshwater Systems: Species
Dwarf Wedge Mussel
•Decrease in-stream disturbance
•Increase aquatic connectivity - dam removal
•Improve water quality
Bog Turtle
•Control sediment runoff
•Acquisition of habitat for key populations
•Develop captive breeding program
Lake Sturgeon
•Reduce length of harvest season
•Minimize water withdrawal impacts - entrainment
Hellbender
•Unblock migration routes – aquatic connectivity
•Population re-establishment in climate-appropriate habitats

15. Thank You
Lake Champlain, VT
Chris Hilke
National Wildlife Federation
hilkec@nwf.org