Approach
Climate change and future land-use changes are expected to significantly reorganize the composition and structure of natural communities by altering the timing, form, quality, and quantity of water resources. Climate changes will interact with other challenges to terrestrial and aquatic habitats, including habitat fragmentation, loss, and water provisioning. At the same time, changes in seasonal patterns and hydrology will likely influence the timing and location of feeding, breeding, and other behaviors of terrestrial and aquatic organisms. This could lead to a shift in areas that are currently considered ‘habitat’ for certain species. Identifying and maintaining habitats that can reliably provide resources may help to buffer the impacts and support terrestrial and aquatic organism survival throughout a range of climate extremes and long-term warming. Likewise, enhancing habitat connectivity can provide fish and wildlife with options if existing habitats decline.
Tactics
- Use water control structures to maintain the hydrologic function and regulate water levels and open water conditions when necessary for migratory birds and wildlife breeding areas
- Heavily manage invasive species, especially during wet periods when soils are moist and when invasive species may actively re-root.
- Reroute roads or trails away from at-risk communities to reduce damage from traffic and to reduce the risk of introducing invasive species.
- Prioritize stream restoration activities in areas most likely to retain cool late-summer flows that may buffer the survival of aquatic organisms during extreme weather conditions, and at particular life history stages.
- Remove in-stream migration barriers (such as check dams, failing culverts, etc.) and replace with stream crossing structures that enhance connectivity for aquatic organisms; Reduce human pressures on species to reduce climate stressors for a given species.
- Protect seedlings that could survive wetter conditions in areas trending towards increased floods and more frequent inundation.
Strategy
Strategy Text
This strategy addresses the benefits of healthy forest cover in the production of water resources. It is well established that forested watersheds provide multiple benefits and ecosystem services such as timber, carbon storage, wildlife habitat, food, and cultural services. Changes to forest structure and composition, can alter underlying hydrologic processes within a watershed affecting the capture, storage and filtration of water, and the regulation of streamflow. Managing forests to reduce stressors, increase structural and species diversity, and protect unique habitats, may enhance forest ecosystem resilience to increasing climate variability, extreme events, and other disturbances.
Shannon, P.D.; Swanston, C.W.; Janowiak, M.K.; Handler, S.D.; Schmitt, K.M.; Brandt, L.A.; Butler-Leopold, P.R.; Ontl, T.A. (in review). Adaptation Strategies and Approaches for Forested Watersheds. Ecological Applications.