News and Announcements
Climate Science Centers and U.S. Geological Survey National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center—Annual report for 2015
2015 was another great year for the Department of the Interior (DOI) Climate Science Centers (CSCs) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center (NCCWSC) network.
Applying LCC Tools to Issues Impacting the Keystone State
Pennsylvania is a landscape filled with abundant forests and wildlife, thousands of miles of rivers and streams, and home to a productive energy industry that includes the emergence of natural gas and alternative energy sources. Natural resource agencies and conservation organizations increasingly see the value for proactive science and tools that help inform decisions both locally and regionally in order to best protect and conserve the lands, waters, and wildlife of the state while harnessing resources that benefit society and the economy.
Connecting the Connecticut: Partners create science-based blueprint for conserving New England’s largest river system
It started two years ago as an experiment in combining big data with a big conservation vision for the 11,250 square-mile Connecticut River watershed.
"Ecosystem Benefits and Risks" Research and Website Support Natural Resource Management across the Appalachians
The Appalachian Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC) and the U.S. Forest Service are releasing products from the first phase of an ongoing study assessing benefits of and risks to the region's "ecosystem services" -- natural assets valued by people such as clean drinking water, outdoor recreation, forest products, and biological conservation.
Southern Appalachian Forest Water Yield Down since 1970s
Climate change and forest disturbances are threatening the ability of forested mountain watersheds to provide the clean, reliable, and abundant fresh water necessary to support aquatic ecosystems and a growing human population.
Understanding Ecosystem Services from a Geosciences Perspective
Assessment of ecosystem services—the benefits society receives from ecosystems—can be improved by including broader spatial and temporal scales of geosciences perspectives.
Competitive State Wildlife Grant Awarded for Eastern Hellbender Research
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) recently awarded a Competitive State Wildlife Grant (C-SWG) to the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) to conduct research on the eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus a. alleganiensis).
Forest Service Honored for Leadership in Promoting Climate Change Adaptation
For their outstanding work in raising awareness and addressing the impacts of climate change on the nation’s natural resources, the Forest Service was honored today as the first-ever recipients of the Climate Adaption Leadership Award for Natural Resources.
Interior, Agriculture & Defense Team Up To Conserve Landscapes and Wildlife, Bolster Rural Economies, and Ensure Military Readiness
The Departments of Interior, Agriculture and Defense joined with state and federal partners today to announce the designation of three new Sentinel Landscapes to benefit working lands, wildlife conservation and military readiness.
In Hot Water: Climate Change is Affecting North American Fish
Climate change is already affecting inland fish across North America -- including some fish that are popular with anglers. Scientists are seeing a variety of changes in how inland fish reproduce, grow and where they can live.
Partners in Flight 2016 Landbird Conservation Plan Released
Scientists Document Widespread Declines, Urgent Need for Conservation of Landbirds in U.S. and Canada. Report calls for unprecedented partnerships across public and private sectors to reverse trends throughout bird’s life-cycles.
Nations Celebrate Centennial of Landmark Migratory Bird Treaty
Agreement between U.S. and Canada responsible for many successes in bird conservation; will help us meet challenges that lie ahead.
Managing Climate Change Refugia to Protect Wildlife
Natural and cultural areas that will remain similar to what they are today -- despite climate change -- need to be identified, managed and conserved as “refugia” for at-risk species, according to a study published today in PLOS One.
A Race Against the Clock for Brook Trout Conservation
Are brook trout destined for extinction? That is a future that Shannon White, a Ph.D. student working with Dr. Tyler Wagner at the USGS Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Penn State University, is working to avoid.
New Web Tool Provides Climate-Smart Seedlot Selection Recommendations
The U.S. Forest Service, Oregon State University, and the Conservation Biology Institute have launched a free web-based decision-support tool to help natural resource managers match seedlots (seed collections from a known origin) with planting sites based on climatic information.
USGS Study Reveals Interactive Effects of Climate Change, Invasive Species on Native Fish
A new USGS study shows non-native Brown Trout can place a burden on native Brook Trout under the increased water temperatures climate change can cause.
Demonstrating Value of Riparian Restoration Tool to Riparian Forest Buffer Advisory Committee
On October 27, Jessica Rhodes of the Appalachian LCC provided a demonstration of the Riparian Prioritization for Climate Change Resilience (RPCCR) decision support tool for the most recent meeting of the Riparian Forest Buffer Advisory Committee.
Plains & Prairie Potholes LCC - FY17 Notice of Funding Opportunity
The Plains and Prairie Potholes LCC is pleased to announce the FY17 Notice of Funding Opportunity for strategic science. Proposals targeting land use change dynamics and human dimensions aspects of conservation will be accepted via Grants.gov until January 23, 2017.
Looking Forward: Priorities for Managing Freshwater Resources in a Changing Climate
An updated report addressing ways to build resilience to climate change for water resources has been released by the federal Water Resources and Climate Change Workgroup.
The U.S. Global Change Research Program Wants to Hear From You
The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) seeks public comment on the draft of its Climate Science Special Report (CSSR).
