Media Alert
Scientists Address Alarming Trends in Western Mountain Climate
Change in an Unprecedented Gathering
What: The Consortium for Integrated Climate Research in the Western Mountains
(MTNCLIM) is a biennial research conference created to allow scientists from
participating agencies and universities to discuss the effects of Western Mountain climate
change, such as water shortages, massive forest dieback, development of rural lands,
major wildfires, and an alteration in the amount of biodiversity and wildlife in certain
areas. MTNCLIM 2005 is open to all scientists, students, managers, policy makers and
other professionals interested in mountain climate sciences, their effects on ecosystems
and interactions with resource management, conservation, policy, and society. The
conference will feature invited and contributed talks, poster sessions, and action-oriented
working-group sessions. A post-conference workshop, “Climate 101” will address
implications of climate variability and change to natural resource managers.
When: MTNCLIM will be held March 1-4, 2005
Where: In Pray, Montana, at the Chico Hot Springs Historic Resort, located on 150
pristine acres in the Absaroka Mountains. The resort is a historic lodge and property,
with two open-air mineral hot springs and opportunities (weather depending) for alpine
and cross-country skiing, dog-sledding, horse-back riding, and hiking.
Why: The consortium brings unprecedented cooperation between researchers, policy
makers, and resource managers to identify the most important questions about how
climate change will affect the West. Together, scientists and managers are suggesting
major avenues of investigation and focusing on how to integrate the studies across both
geographic regions and academic fields.
The practical application of mountain climate research is to help improve land
management of landscapes in western North America and to assist policy makers and
land-use professionals in managing risks and opportunities related to climate variability
and change. The consortium will make their research available to scientists, forest
managers and other interested audiences, with data provided in easily accessible Internetbased databanks.
Registration: To register, contact Carren Stewart at Big Sky Institute, Montana State
University. 406-994-2374, or carren@montana.edu.
Registration fees are waived for press.
For more detailed information, please visit: http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/mtnclim/
Contact:
Dr. Constance I. Millar, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Albany CA
ph: 510-559-6435; email: cmillar@fs.fed.us
Dr. Lisa J. Graumlich, Montana State University, Big Sky Institute, Bozeman, MT USA
ph: 406-994-5320, email: lisa@montana.edu
Dr. Henry F. Diaz, NOAA, Climate Diagnostics Center, Boulder, CO USA
ph: 303-497-6649; email: Henry.F.Diaz@noaa.gov
posted 2.18.05