Tahoe National Forest
Adaptation Case Study
A Toolkit for Adapting to Climate Change on Western
National Forests: Incorporating Climate into Resource
Management and Planning
C. MILLAR, L. JOYCE, R. NEILSON, D. PETERSON
SHARON YEH
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RESEARCH
STATION
CAROL KENNEDY
TAHOE NATIONAL FOREST
Purpose
Incorporate climate
change considerations
into decision making
process by developing
decision support tools
Audience
NFS land managers on multiple levels
Toolkit will be broadly relevant to other managers, policy
makers, and scientists
Proposal Objectives
1.
Develop adaptation management resource
materials in multiple formats
2.
Conduct replicate case studies on three
national forests
3.
Extend case-study results for broader application
across diverse landscapes and ownerships
4.
Intensively develop USFS Climate Change
Resource Center (CCRC) website
Tahoe Case Study
Why Tahoe NF?
5 steps within case study
1) Rapid-audit of existing projects
2) Compatibility of management treatments
3) Scenario exercises
4) Uncertainty approaches
5) LMP revision and process
Case Study: Step 1
Rapid Audit of Existing Projects
Purpose - Screen
proposed actions
for climate change
implications
Forest plans and
individual projects
Create and
evaluate process
for audit
Case Study: Step 2
Compatibility of Management Treatments
Evaluate and revise existing management approaches for
their capacity to incorporate climate change adaptation
Focus on 3-4 strategies currently used on the Tahoe National
Forest
•
Examples: Threatened and Endangered species management,
fuel treatments, watershed management, restoration based on
historical references
Select 2-3 proactive climate strategies for their potential to
address climate change
• Examples: Assisted migration, post-disturbance revegetation,
riparian corridor development
Case Study: Step 3
Scenario Exercises
Working groups will explore series of “what it” scenarios to
explore alternative management strategies
Will apply fine scale climate models when available
Case Study: Step 4
Uncertainty Approaches
Three broad categories of management actions in
response to risk
1. No action - follow original project plan
2. Contingency planning - develop response
strategy
3. Anticipatory and proactive strategies- curtail or
diminish potential impacts. Optimizes chances
of achieving management goals.
Case Study: Step 5
Land Management Plan Revision and Process
Adapt and interweave proposed evaluation tools into the
Tahoe NF LMP revision process.
Comprehensive Evaluation Report (CER)
Case Study Timeline
MAY ‘08
OCT ’08
SEPT ‘O9
RAPID AUDIT
MGMT COMPATIBILITY
UNCERTAINTY/
SCENARIO BUILDING
LMP REVISION PROCESS
PRODUCE
DELIVERABLES
MAY ‘10
Deliverables
Initial CCRC website - July 2008
Scientific documentation on adaptation - July 2009
Adaptation guidebook for managers - December 2009
Synthesis peer reviewed publication - December 2009
Extensive CCRC website - May 2010