Climate Programs

The Northwest Climate Science Center (NW CSC) combines academic expertise with federal resources to advance climate science development and delivery for managers and policy makers in the Northwest region. The NW Climate Science Digest is a monthly newsletter that compiles climate science journals and publications for wider access.

Categories: climate change, climate science, planning

The NorWeST webpage hosts stream temperature data and climate scenarios in a variety of user-friendly digital formats for streams and rivers across the western U.S. The temperature database was compiled from hundreds of biologists and hydrologists working for >100 resource agencies and contains >150,000,000 hourly temperature recordings at >20,000 unique stream sites. Those temperature data were used with spatial statistical network models to develop 30 historical and future climate scenarios at 1-kilometer resolution for >1,000,000 kilometers of stream.

Categories: Climate change, water temperature, stream health, watershed, water health, water management,

The Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission is made up of 20 treaty Indian tribes in western Washington that manage fisheries and protect natural resources through cooperative management. Member tribes are working actively to preserve salmon habitat in the face of changing climate. NWIFC tribes recognize that climate change cannot be understood in isolation but must be examined from the mountains to the sea. Efforts include studying ocean acidification and the impact of climate change on land use, transportation, housing, and natural and cultural resources such as shellfish, salmon and forested areas.

Categories: Fisheries, Natural Resources

The Northwest Climate Hub encompasses Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The purpose of the Hub is to deliver science-based knowledge and practical information to farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, and Native American tribes that will help them to adapt to climate change.

Categories: science, outreach, adaptation

The Department of the Interior Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) was established to help safeguard the natural and cultural resources of Idaho, Oregon, Washington and surrounding river basins. We are a federal-university partnership that produces relevant and accessible science on climate change impacts and adaptation actions for Northwest natural resource managers and policy-makers. This University-Federal partnership allows access to a broad range of scientific expertise, production of high-quality science and the leveraging of funds, resources and facilities.

Categories: climate science, climate change, adaptation, mitigation, planning, vulnerability assessment, research, programs, map

Landscape Conservation Cooperatives bring together conservation and resource managers to identify shared interests and pool resources to address landscape-scale stressors, such as climate change. The NWB LCC boundary closely follows that of the Northwestern Interior Forest Bird Conservation Region. The LCC falls within the boreal forest biome and includes Southcentral and Interior Alaska, most of the Yukon Territory, the northern portion of British Columbia, and a small part of Northwest Territories. The area includes over 330 million acres, and encompasses large portions of the Yukon, Kuskokwim, Susitna, and Copper River Basins.

Categories: Conservation, Natural Resources

The North Pacific Landscape Conservation Cooperative is a self-directed partnership between federal agencies, states, Tribes/First Nations, non-governmental organizations, universities, and other entities to collaboratively define science needs and jointly address broad-scale conservation issues, such as climate change.

Categories: Climate change, scientific research, Conservation, policy

The North Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative provides a partnership in which the private, state, tribal and federal conservation community works together to address increasing land use pressures and widespread resource threats and uncertainties amplified by a rapidly changing climate. The partners and partnerships in the cooperative address these regional threats and uncertainties by agreeing on common goals for land, water, fish, wildlife, plant and cultural resources and jointly developing the scientific information and tools needed to prioritize and guide more effective conservation actions by partners toward those goals.

Categories: Conservation, Natural Resources

The North American Marine Protected Area Rapid Vulnerability Assessment Tool was created to help marine protected area managers evaluate the implications of climate change for the habitats of their sites. This tool has three parts (a user guide, a set of blank worksheets, and a booklet containing sample completed worksheets) that are available as downloadable PDFs. The blank worksheets are in a dynamic PDF format so that users can easily fill, save and share their completed worksheets. The User Guide and sample worksheets provide the narrative explanation of how to use the tool, while the blank worksheets are the hands-on component. Together, they comprise a tool that can help marine protected area managers conduct a rapid vulnerability assessment and adaptation strategy development process.

Categories: assessment, climate change, habitat, adaptation strategies

To address challenges ecological, climate related and management challenges to our coasts, the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management’s (OCRM) six divisions oversee a number of programs that assist states in managing, preserving, and developing their marine and coastal resources. OCRM activities include working with states and territories to conserve and protect coral reefs, operate a system of National Estuarine Research Reserves, and implement the National Coastal Zone Management Program, as well as developing a system of marine protected areas.

Categories: Coastal, Management

The mission of the Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Responses to Climate Change Program is to develop, implement, and assess adjustments or changes in operations and decision environments to enhance resilience or reduce vulnerability of USACE projects, systems, and programs to observed or expected changes in climate.

Categories: Adaptation, Infrastructure

Established in 1983, the Northeast Regional Climate Center (NRCC) is located in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Cornell University. It serves the 12-state region that includes: Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire,
New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia. Major funding is provided through a contract with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Center's staff works cooperatively with the National Climatic Data Center, the National Weather Service, state climate offices, and other interested scientists in the Northeast to acquire and disseminate accurate, up-to-date climate data and information.

Categories: Research, Climate Science

This website provides extensive digitized data on the US coasts. While the need for good data forms the foundation of the website, the basic premise behind the effort is the understanding that data alone are not enough. Most people need help turning these data into information that can be used when making important decisions about coastal management. The Digital Coast does just that with data, training, tools, stories from the field and other resources.

Categories: Coastal, Management, Research

Many governmental organizations, particularly on the local and state levels, are not fully equipped to address the challenges associated with flooding, hurricanes, sea level rise, and other coastal hazards. It is for this reason the NOAA Coastal Services was created.The Center brings NOAA products and services to these entities, and develops new products and services as well. The Center’s core areas of expertise include geospatial technologies; training; and social science. Products and services developed by the Center include data, tools, training, and technical assistance.

Categories: Coastal, Infrastructure

The NOAA Climate Program Office's (CPO) Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) program supports research teams that conduct innovative, interdisciplinary, user-inspired, and regionally relevant research that informs resource management and public policy.

Categories: Natural Resources, Regulatory, Research

Natural Resources and Sustainable Agricultural Systems National Programs support researchers at seventy locations developing the technologies and strategies needed to help farmers, ranchers, and other managers effectively steward the diverse agricultural mosaic spread across the nation. From livestock grazing expansive natural western rangelands, to crops grown in the rich Midwestern Heartland and the Southern States regions, to the high-value produce that comes from the valleys and plains along both coasts, these diverse landscapes generate more than $200-billion in goods and services that are the basis of a strong rural economy. Emphasis is given to developing technologies that are economical to use and systems that support profitable production and enhance the Nation’s vast renewable natural resource base. Research priorities are identified through a continual dialogue with a wide range of customers and stakeholders to ensure that our science is relevant and provides effective solutions to their concerns. We address issues affecting both private and public lands, because together these are the foundation of a healthy and vibrant agricultural industry that not only provides food, feed, fiber, and renewable energy to the nation, but also abundant and high quality supplies of fresh water and clean air, as well as healthy ecosystems.

Categories: natural resource management, agriculture, research, stewardship, science and technology, sustainable industry

The interagency Native Plant Materials Development Program has been working since 2001 to develop high quality seeds and seedlings of America's native plant species for restoration, rehabilitation, and reclamation.

Categories: plant restoration, production, native plants, plant development

The Native Food Systems Resource Center is an initiative of First Nations Development Institute, under our Native Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative. Funding for development of this website (and several of our food-related projects) was generously provided by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. We recognize that accessing healthy food is a challenge for many Native American children and families. Without access to healthy food, a nutritious diet and good health are out of reach. To increase access to healthy food, First Nations supports tribes and Native communities as they build sustainable food systems that improve health, strengthen food security and increase the control over Native agriculture and food systems. First Nations provides this assistance in the form of financial and technical support, including training materials, to projects that address agriculture and food sectors in Native communities.
We also undertake research projects that build the knowledge and understanding of Native agriculture and food-systems issues, and inform Native communities about innovative ideas and best practices. We also participate in policy forums that help develop legislative and regulatory initiatives within this sector.

Categories: traditional foods, family health, community health, cultural practices, native economies

The Maritime Heritage Program seeks to support research into seafaring traditions and the preservation of maritime folklore and knowledge. Understanding the true human dimensions of our protected marine areas is incomplete without an awareness and recognition of the special cultural ties these areas have to indigenous seafaring cultures. Gaining an awareness of the great variety of human connections to the sea can help us all become better stewards of our ocean resources.

Categories: Cultural Preservation, Coastal

With funding from Western Water Assessment and the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), this Project is developing an on-line database for Indian tribes and organizations working with tribal communities to obtain relevant climate change adaption information. The web-based database currently contains 300+ documents focused on climate change science and impacts, planning, policy, tools, and examples to help inform tribal adaptation and natural resource strategies. The website also contains an interactive map of relevant activities and links to individuals and organizations working on tribal adaptation efforts.

Categories: Drought, Adaptation

The Native American Fish & Wildlife Society (NAFWS) is a national tribal organization established informally during the early 1980's. NAFWS was incorporated in 1983 to develop a national communications network for the exchange of information and management techniques related to self-determined tribal fish and wildlife management.

Categories: Natural Resource Management

The Native American Environmental Protection Coalition (NAEPC) is a tribally formed, directed and guided organization that is devoted to strengthening Tribal Sovereignty and building tribal capacity for environmental resources and programs. The mission of NAEPC is to provide technical assistance, environmental education, professional training, information networking and inter-tribal coordination to its member tribes and when possible to non-member tribes. NAEPC offers a digital library of information collected from a variety of sources including national and international on climate change as it applies to indigenous and tribal people, which can be found at: http://www.naepc.com/forum2/index.php

Categories: Environmental Protection

The National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) Tribal Lands Conservation Program is working with tribal partners to collaborate on climate change solutions. The NWF’s partnerships with tribes on climate change include meetings and workshops, policy development, natural resource management planning and monitoring, and the formation of an Intertribal Climate Coalition.

Categories: Conservation, Natural Resource Management

The National Tribal Environmental Council (NTEC) is dedicated to working with and assisting tribes in the protection and preservation of the reservation environment. NTEC has programs that include training drinking water operators, advancing air quality management policies and programs, and providing tribal technical resources for addressing pesticide issues and concerns. NTEC's membership is open to any federally recognized tribe throughout the United States, and currently has 186 member tribes.

Categories: Environmental Protection, Reservations

"This site is for anyone interested in working with Indigenous peoples and long-term (hundreds of years) local residents for stewardship of ecosystems. It provides information, resources and discussion for those interested in considering both traditional knowledge and western science. please contact us to submit information for the website for consideration. We honor and respect Mother Earth's caretakers and desire to learn time-tested ways of stewardship."

Categories: Traditional Ecological Knowledge, National Parks Management

This program is dedicated to working with Indian tribes, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and national organizations, to preserve and protect resources and traditions that are of importance to Native Americans by strengthening their capabilities for operating sustainable preservation programs. The Historic Preservation Fund supports two grants programs: Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPO) and the Tribal Heritage Grants. These two grant programs provide much needed assistance to Native American communities interested in protecting their cultural heritage.

Categories: Cultural Preservation

The Climate Change Response Program provides basic science information on the effects of climate change, and describes the approach the NPS plans to take to manage uncertainty and potential impacts to NPS parks.

Categories: Research, Mitigation, Adaptation

The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a national leader on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The Climate Program Office manages NOAA funding of high-priority climate science. The newly reorganized Climate Service will allow NOAA to provide a reliable and authoritative source for climate data, information, and decision support services and to more effectively coordinate with other agencies and partners.

Categories: Research

Environmental stewardship, long-term economic development and responsible use of America’s coastal, ocean and Great Lakes resources are at the heart of Sea Grant’s mission. Sea Grant is a nationwide network (administered through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA]), of 32 university-based programs that work with coastal communities. The National Sea Grant College Program engages this network of the nation’s top universities in conducting scientific research, education, training, and extension projects designed to foster science-based decisions about the use and conservation of our aquatic resources.

Categories: Conservation, Research, Education

The NOAA Climate.gov web portal provides science and services for a climate-smart nation. We offer a public-friendly point of entry to NOAA’s and our partners’ diverse portfolios of climate data and information. Our goals are to promote public understanding of climate science to make our data products and services easy to access and use for decision-making, to provide climate-related support to the private sector and the Nation’s economy, and to provide quick access to data and information for individuals with very specific questions.

Categories: Climate, Education