National Forests managers and planners have expressed challenges with accessing and properly using climate change information. RMRS researcher Charlie Luce and Forest Service Intermountain Region Climate Change Coordinator Natalie Little are partnering with one of the Manti-La Sal National Forest's wildlife biologists, Tiffany Cummins, to better distribute the most recent and relevant climate change knowledge to Regional and Forest leaders and staffs. This team actively works to remove barriers obstructing a clear understanding of climate change information.
Background:
With climate change being a complex and quickly changing field of work, this partnership creates communication byways and feedback loops to quickly communicate information and develop new research ideas and opportunities that directly benefit on-the-ground project implementation. All three team members have worked to create liaison opportunities between the Washington Office, Regional Office, RMRS, and Forests in order to integrate climate change information throughout different processes that include Forest Plan Revision and climate change workshops.
This team has been an integral part of the Intermountain Adaptation Partnership (IAP) and the resulting General Technical Report (GTR). More information may be found at: www.fs.usda.gov/goto/cc.
Understanding the data gaps, down-scaled maps were created for the Manti-La Sal to use in their Forest Plan Revision process. These maps were also then developed for all of the Forests in the lower 48 of the United States Forest Service. The maps may be accessed at: https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/boise/AWAE/projects/national-forest-climate-change-maps.html
Planned Next Steps: