CMWAP map

CMWAP is a Forest Service science-management collaboration with the goals to:

  1. Synthesize the best available scientific information to assess climate change vulnerability and develop adaptation strategies to understand and mitigate potentially adverse effects of climate change on natural resources and ecosystem services; and
  2. Develop information and tools for resource managers to incorporate best available climate change science into programs, restoration activities, land management plans, monitoring programs, and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) projects.

CMWAP News

  • 2022: Our General Technical Report is available.
    Halofsky, Jessica E.; Peterson, David L.; Gravenmier, Rebecca A., eds. 2022. Climate change vulnerability and adaptation in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Mount Hood National Forest, and Willamette National Forest. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-1001. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 469 p. doi:10.2737/PNW-GTR-1001.

Approach

  • Establish effective long-term science-management partnership involving agencies and stakeholders to assess climate change science and its implications for biophysical and social resources.
  • Conduct vulnerability assessment of priority resources and develop associated adaptation options to help build resistance, enhance resilience, and facilitate ecological transitions for the CMWAP assessment region. Potential assessment topics include:
    • climate trends
    • water resources
    • infrastructure
    • fisheries
    • wildlife
    • vegetation and disturbance
    • riparian, wetlands, and groundwater-dependent ecosystems
    • recreation
    • ecosystem services
  • Peer review and publish the assessment and adaptation options providing the scientific foundation for mainstreaming climate change in planning, ecological restoration, and project management.
  • Engage and educate with partners, stakeholders, decision makers, planners, and resource specialists to:
    • Build an enduring partnership to facilitate application of climate-smart management.
    • Provide tools to implement adaptation options in assessment, planning, projects, and monitoring.
  • Conduct a workshop with scientists, land managers, conservation practitioners, and other stakeholders to review the vulnerability assessment.
    • Downscale information from the assessment to identify the most significant vulnerabilities to climate change for priority resources in each management unit.
    • Identify adaptation strategies and tactics to reduce resource vulnerabilities. Adaptation strategies and tactics will be linked to corresponding management operation levels at different spatial and temporal scales.

Timeline

  • Feb 2018: Establish science-management partnership
    Determine partners and team members, and resource areas to be covered by the vulnerability assessment.
  • Spring 2018: Form resource area teams
    Regional office and science teams begin to collect data and conduct analysis for the assessment area.
  • Fall 2018: Support science team
    Process data, review preliminary results for vulnerability assessment, and develop draft vulnerability assessment.
  • Spring 2019: Conduct science-management workshop
    Present vulnerability assessment, receive feedback on the assessment, and develop adaptation options.
  • Spring 2021: Finalize vulnerability assessment report
    Conduct internal and external peer-review of the report.