Conservation in the Era of Climate Change: South Kingstown Case Study

Clara Rubin, Don Robadue, Pam Rubinoff URI Coastal Resources Center/RI Sea Grant

C. Ansel

Steve Wood

Pam Rubinoff S. Wood

Changing Climate: Here and Now

USDA, 2012

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones, 2012

Pawcatuck River in Westerly, March 2010

http://www.ctcameraeye.com/?p=2555

Understanding Vulnerability

• Exposure

• Sensitivity

• Capacity

• Habitats

Building on Existing Resources

• Climate Change and Massachusetts Fish and Wildlife

• Connecticut Climate Change Adaptation Report

• RI State Wildlife Action Plan, 2005

• RI Low Impact Design Manual

CLIMATE CHANGE AND MASSACHUSETTS FISH AND WILDLIFE: Volume 2 HABITAT AND SPECIES VULNERABILITY

Non-climate Stressors

Climate change heightens importance of addressing these problems:

• Colonizing invasive species

• Expanding development

• Habitat fragmentation and loss

• Water quality and quantity issues

• Decreasing riparian buffers

• Loss of wetlands

Common reed, Phragmites australis http://swamp.osu.edu/flora_fauna/ORWplants.html

Maine Sea Grant

What is Important to the Land Trust?

• Different areas/goals: origin of “focal areas”

• Property-by-property management may be limiting

• Adaptation strategies may need to be larger-scale landscapes

Habitats

• Freshwater aquatic

• Forested swamps & wetlands

• Beaches & tidal marshes

• Terrestrial uplands

• Upland forests

• Agricultural lands

Cold Water Streams

• Key drivers

– Increasing temperatures

– Changing precipitation patterns

• Sensitivity: High

– Endangers cold-water dependent species

– Vulnerable to invasive species

• Management & protection actions

http://www.asergeev.com/pictures/k/Rhode_Island_Parks.html

Agricultural Lands • Key drivers

– Increased temperatures

– Shifting weather patterns, more extreme weather

• Sensitivity: Medium

– Vulnerable to pressure from invasive species and pests

– Precipitation variability leads to droughts and flooding

• Management & protection actions

Upland Forests • Key drivers

– Increasing temperatures

– Variations in precipitation

• Sensitivity

– Vulnerable to invasive species, pests, diseases

– Drought leading to increased frequency and intensity of forest fires

• Management and protection actions

Browning Woods Farm, SKLT parcel

Tools for you to use

• SKLT Pilot example and application • Habitat sensitivity summary • Maps on ArcGIS viewer

• List of Management/protection actions • Resource links

• Climate change summary • Webpage: RI Sea Grant Climate

•

http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/Climate http://www.facebook.com/rhodeislandseagrant

Clara Rubin crubincr@gmail.com Pam Rubinoff rubi@crc.uri.edu