5 Ways Communities can Protect Wildlife in a Changing Climate [factsheet]

5 Ways Communities can Protect Wildlife in a Changing Climate

# 1 Make connections

Protect areas for habitat expansion and connect habitats via travel corridors, such as streams, that will allow wildlife to migrate as climate changes.

#2 Include climate adaptation in town documents

Incorporate climate change factors into town documents, such as natural resources inventories, conservation plans, master plan chapters, hazard mitigation plans, etc.

#3 Reconnect the watershed

Remove barriers to flow like dams and undersized culverts to restore aquatic connectivity (also reduces flood damage!).

#4 Restore & manage habitat with climate in mind

Develop and implement restoration and management plans that support wildlife resilience (it will be good for people too!).

#5 Keep an eye out for invasives in your community

These species are expected to increase with climate change, and monitoring and managing them will become even more important.

There are many more actions that communities can take to help wildlife in a changing climate. Read below and visit takingactionforwildlife.org for more information.

The Issue

Climate change is resulting in:

Rising temperatures
Less snow in winter
Shifting seasonality and phenology (i.e., the timing of seasonal changes, such as flowering, emergence of insects, migration of birds)
Increased frequency of heavy rain events and storms
Increased risk of drought and fire
Changing habitat distribution and species composition
Increasing invasive species, pests, and diseases
Rising seas and acidification in coastal/marine systems

The Goal

To permanently protect a network of connected and biologically intact sites representing the full diversity of physical and biological features

Climate Resilience: The ability of a species, habitat, or ecosystem to adjust to an environmental disturbance caused by climate change by evolving, taking advantage of local opportunities, or relocating to more suitable habitat.

Recommended Actions

Learning

Learn about the expected impacts of climate change on the species and ecosystems
Explore data related to climate impacts and conservation
Learn about common invasive species, how to identify them, and how to control them
Raise awareness about the benefits of conservation and restoration to build ecosystem resilience

Planning

Consider local ordinances to protect buffers for wildlife and encourage smart floodplain management
Promote permanent conservation of important wildlife habitats in your community, especially areas that will connect already protected lands
Use available data to inform conservation prioritization in your community
Incorporate climate impacts and adaptation strategies into forest management plans

Doing

Protect riparian and shoreland buffers which provide vital refuges and migration corridors for wildlife species, and can protect humans and infrastructure from flooding impacts as well.
Support municipal efforts to address barriers to stream flow (e.g., dam removal, culvert replacement) to restore connectivity for wildlife and adapt to increased precipitation
Organize invasive species management days in your community
Plant trees in your community to provide habitat benefits as well as human benefits (i.e., reducing the urban ‘heat island’ effect and promoting carbon sequestration)
Put informative signs on public lands about the impacts of climate change on wildlife and natural resources
Encourage school groups and residents to take part in citizen science efforts to track climate impacts
Raise awareness about the projected impacts of ticks and mosquitos on wildlife populations

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