Climate and Sustainability
Effective beginning 5/27/2025: This website, and all linked websites under the control of the agency is under review and content may change.
The Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region has made good progress on completing climate change vulnerability assessments to meet element 6 of the climate change performance scorecard. These assessments are intended to inform sustainable management of natural resources, reduce the negative effects of climate change, transition ecosystems to a warmer climate, and help integrate climate change in natural resource management and operations.
These assessments are typically completed by teams of research scientists and resource managers who focus on priorities established by leadership in each management unit. Vulnerability assessments identify resource sensitivities to climatic variability and change. Far more than a literature review, assessments synthesize the best available science, evaluate the quality and relevance of the science for each application, and identify geographic locations where sensitivity is high.
Assessments provide the foundation for developing adaptation options that help mitigate negative effects of climate change or transition resources to a warmer climate. This information is critical to informing restoration and land use planning activities.
Pacific Northwest Region - Vulnerability Assessments
Ongoing Vulnerability Assessments:
- Oregon Coast Adaptation Partnership
- Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Mount Hood National Forest & Willamette National Forest Adaptation Partnership
- Southwest Oregon Adaptation Partnership
Vulnerability Assessment Fact Sheets:
Completed Vulnerability Assessments:
- Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation in Southwest Washington
- Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation in the Blue Mountains Region
- Adapting to Climate Change at Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park
- Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation in South-Central Oregon
- Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation in the North Cascades Region, Washington
- Adaptations to Climate Change: Colville and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests
Additional Information
Pacific Fisher Recovery Efforts
The Pacific fisher (Pekania pennanti) not only characterizes a vulnerable species, but its plight also encompasses increasing concerns about intersecting impacts of climate change and intensified fire severity on key habitats across the region.