The Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science and USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub are offering the Adaptation Planning and Practices training as an online course for forest and natural resource managers.
This unique opportunity provides hands-on training in considering climate change information and identifying adaptation actions for natural resources management professionals working in forests and natural ecosystems. Participants will receive coaching and feedback while using the Adaptation Workbook to develop their own real-world climate adaptation project. The course consists of seven web sessions with work time occurring between sessions.
Information will focus on forest ecosystems, urban forests, and forested watersheds in the Midwest and Northeast, but applicants from other regions should apply and may be accepted if space allows.
Through this course, participants will be able to:
- Identify locally-important climate change impacts, challenges, and opportunities
- Develop specific actions to adapt forests to changing conditions
- Use the Adaptation Workbook to create their own “climate-informed” projects
- Better communicate with stakeholders about key climate change impacts, challenges, and opportunities
- Access post-training support from NIACS staff during project planning and implementation
Download the "Save the Date" to learn more
Course Registration
We ask participants to bring real-world projects of your very own to use as examples as a way to get the most from this course. Ideally, this is a relevant project from your work, such as a management plan or another effort that you're currently working on. During the course, we'll help you consider how climate change could affect your project area and your management, and what adaptation options you have available. At the end of the course, you’ll have a custom-built adaptation plan that’s ready to implement!
There is no registration fee thanks to support from the US Forest Service and the USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub.
We are offering a
Register for the online course
More information: NIACS presented on the core elements of the course at an informational webinar session on December 16, 2020. Flip through the slides using the link below.
Course Agenda
Session 1 (January 25) Course Introduction; Defining Project Goals and Objectives. Discussion session. Introduce project to small group
Session 2 (February 1) — Understanding and Evaluating Climate Change Vulnerabilities. Optional discussion session on climate resources and tools
Session 3 (February 8) — Evaluating Management Challenges and Opportunities. Check-in with instructors: Each project schedules short meeting with course instructors (optional)
BREAK No session (February 15)
Session 4 (February 22) — Identifying Adaptation Strategies, Approaches, and Tactics. Discussion session (recapping Step 2 and Step 3)
Session 5 (March 1) — Monitoring and Evaluating Effectiveness. Check-in with instructors
Session 6 (March 8) — Climate Change Communication. Discussion session (recapping Step 4 and Step 5)
Session 7 (March 15) — Presentation of Adaptation Plans
Continuing education credits are requested for each course from the International Society of Arboriculture and the Society of American Foresters *(9 credits).
Download the Step 1 worksheet, complete before the course begins
Contact Danielle with any questions.
Please contact Danielle Shannon or Maria Janowiak with questions or concerns.