National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy

National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy
Name	National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy
Formation	2010
Jurisdiction	United States

National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy is a coordinated policy framework released in 2010 to guide conservation responses to climate change for species, ecosystems, and habitats across the United States. The Strategy synthesizes scientific assessments and agency commitments to promote landscape-scale planning, cross-jurisdictional collaboration, and resilient management of natural resources. Developed through multi-agency collaboration, it has influenced federal, state, tribal, and non-governmental conservation planning and informed subsequent initiatives in resilience and biodiversity conservation.

Background and Development

The Strategy emerged from interagency engagement involving the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Geological Survey, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of the Interior, alongside stakeholders such as the National Park Service, United States Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Natural Resources Conservation Service. Its development was informed by scientific syntheses including reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, assessments by the National Climate Assessment, studies from the Smithsonian Institution, and findings published in journals like Science (journal), Nature (journal), and reports from the National Research Council. The Strategy was shaped through consultations with representatives from The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, National Wildlife Federation, Defenders of Wildlife, and tribal entities including the National Congress of American Indians and regional partners such as the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council and Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office.

Goals and Guiding Principles

The Strategy articulates goals to increase the resilience of species and ecosystems, advance priority adaptation actions, foster sustainable and effective management, and improve outreach and coordination across scales. It frames guiding principles that align with policy instruments like the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and directives from the Council on Environmental Quality, while intersecting with conservation planning used by agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 1 and programs like the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. The document emphasizes principles reflected in Convention on Biological Diversity discussions, regional planning exemplars such as the Chesapeake Bay Program, and cross-border initiatives like the North American Wetlands Conservation Act partnerships.

Framework and Strategic Actions

The Strategy presents a framework organized around goals, strategic actions, and implementation considerations, recommending actions such as vulnerability assessments, habitat connectivity enhancement, assisted migration where appropriate, and incorporation of climate considerations into restoration and mitigation. Operational tools suggested include scenario planning used by the Pacific Northwest Research Station, landscape-scale conservation approaches similar to those in the Landscape Conservation Cooperatives, and monitoring protocols consistent with National Park Service Vital Signs Monitoring. Strategic actions draw on methods from the U.S. Geological Survey Climate Science Centers, adaptive management frameworks used by the Bureau of Reclamation, and restoration techniques applied in projects like the Everglades restoration and California Department of Fish and Wildlife initiatives.

Implementation and Partnerships

Implementation relies on partnerships spanning federal agencies such as the Fish and Wildlife Service Ecological Services, state wildlife agencies in the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, tribal governments including the Yurok Tribe and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, conservation NGOs like Audubon Society, academic institutions including University of California, Davis and University of Washington, and regional bodies such as the Great Lakes Commission and Western Governors' Association. Financing and capacity-building efforts have engaged sources like the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, philanthropic partners such as the Kresge Foundation, and mechanisms exemplified by the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund. Cross-sector partnerships align with initiatives from the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit and inform state-level climate adaptation plans in entities like California Natural Resources Agency and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Adaptive Management

The Strategy encourages establishment of monitoring programs, performance metrics, and adaptive management cycles to evaluate the effectiveness of adaptation actions, drawing on frameworks used by the Adaptive Management Working Group and monitoring standards from the National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring Program. Recommended evaluation approaches align with methodologies from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, statistical techniques developed by the U.S. Geological Survey, and assessment tools from the Conservation Measures Partnership. Data-sharing platforms and synthesis efforts have engaged institutions such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, the National Ecological Observatory Network, and regional data hubs like the Southeast Climate Science Center.

Impacts and Criticism

The Strategy has influenced planning documents, restoration projects, and interagency coordination, shaping efforts in places including the Florida Everglades, the Great Lakes Basin, the Gulf Coast, and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Its emphasis on connectivity and landscape-scale work contributed to adoption of corridor initiatives by organizations such as the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and programs within the National Wildlife Refuge System. Criticisms have centered on implementation gaps, resource constraints cited by state agencies like the Colorado Parks and Wildlife, concerns about legal interpretations under statutes such as the Endangered Species Act, the practicality of actions like assisted migration debated in academic forums at institutions like Duke University and University of Minnesota, and calls for greater inclusion of indigenous knowledge advocated by groups including the Intertribal Timber Council. Subsequent reviews and related strategies have sought to address these critiques through enhanced funding proposals in Congress and revised guidance from the Department of the Interior.

Category:United States environmental policy