A Study in Collaboration: The Wisconsin ... - Changing Climate

A Study in Collaboration:The Wisconsin Initiative on

Climate Change Impacts

Ohio State UniversityGlobal Change Local Impact-webinar

April 30, 2013

Dan Vimont, David S. Liebl

A Study in Collaboration:Overview

The Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI)

History

Accomplishments

Future directions

1.

WICCI Chronology

WI-DNR and UW-Nelson Institute collaborate to organize WICCI

WICCI Science Council organized

2008 - Working Groups organized

Climate Working Group developsdownscaling method

2009 - Advisory Committee convened

Outreach Roundtable organized

2011 - Release of Wisconsin’s Changing Climate

WICCI climate change briefing to Wisconsin Legislature

Feedback: “What does this mean for Wisconsin? “

“What am I supposed to tell my constituents?”

2007 -

The Wisconsin Initiativeon Climate Change Impacts

(WICCI)

Evaluate potential effects on industry, agriculture, tourism, and other human activities

Develop and recommend adaptation strategies

MissionAssess and anticipate climate change impacts on specific Wisconsin natural resources, ecosystems and regions

WICCI Message

Our climate has changed, and will continue to change. Are we prepared to adapt?

WICCI Audience

Decision Makers:- Scientists: UW-System, State and federal agencies- Natural resource and infrastructure managers- Local, state and tribal government- Working group stakeholders

WICCI Chronology

2007 - WI-DNR and UW-Nelson Institute collaborate to organize WICCI

Science Council organized






• Provide leadership on climate change impact issues in Wisconsin

• Identify critical or emerging scientific questions

• Organize and coordinate Working Groups

• Vetting Working Group science and reports

WICCI Science Council

Members from an array of disciplines and expertise within the UW System, WDNR ,other state and federal agencies, universities and institutions.

http://datcp.state.wi.us/

WICCI Chronology








Working Groups

Water Resources

SoilConservation

Agriculture

Adaptation

Plants & Natural

Communities

Central SandsHydrology Forestry

CoastalCommunities

Green Bay

Wildlife

Stormwater

ColdwaterFish

Milwaukee

HumanHealth

WisconsinClimate

• Summarize existing information on climate change impacts

• Identify data and research needed to assess future impacts

• Identify climate risks and vulnerabilities related to Working Group topic area or geographic region

• Recommend adaptation strategies

Collaborative Working Groups

Working Group Objectives

Working Groups are a statewide mix of researchers, managers, and practitioners with expertise in the topic area or geographic region being assessed, coming from WI-DNR, University of Wisconsin, other state and federal agencies, NGOs, and private sector.

WICCI Chronology








Provide information, recommendations, and local knowledge to assist WICCI in fulfilling its mission.

WICCI Advisory CommitteeRole

MembershipRepresentatives of business interests, non-governmental organizations, municipalities, agencies, and other stakeholders make up the WICCI Advisory Committee: Wisconsin Public Service Commission; Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission; Wisconsin Conservation Congress; SC Johnson; Wisconsin Basin Education Initiative; Alliant Energy; Madison & Dane County Public Health Dept.; 1000 Friends of Wisconsin; Second Look Holsteins; Wisconsin Environmental Initiative; We Energies; Grow North Regional Economic Development Corporation, Inc.; Apostle Islands National Lakeshore; Cool Choices; New North, Inc.; Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin; Wisconsin Wildlife Federation; Wisconsin Senate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources; Wisconsin Wetlands Association; Wisconsin Bioenergy Initiative; Clean Wisconsin; Wisconsin Council on Forestry; Wisconsin Association for Floodplain; Stormwater & Coastal Management; Wisconsin Towns Association; Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation; Citizen-Based Monitoring Network of Wisconsin; Department of Agriculture; Trade and Consumer Protection; Wisconsin Paper Council; League of Wisconsin Municipalities; Natural Areas Preservation Council; American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation

WICCI Chronology








WICCI Outreach RoundtableAcademicUW-Atmospheric and Oceanic SciencesUW-Center for Biology EducationUW-Engineering Professional DevelopmentUW-Environmental Resources CenterUW-Journalism & Mass CommunicationUW-Nelson Institute for Environmental StudiesUW-Soil SciencesUW-Space Science & Engineering CenterUW-Wildlife Ecology

ExtensionAshland and Bayfield County UW-ExtensionNorthern Great Lakes Visitor CenterSt. Croix River Basin UW-ExtensionShawano County UW-Extension UW-Extension STEMWI Educational Communications BoardWisconsin Geologic and Natural History SurveyWisconsin Sea Grant

AgencyNorthern Institute of Applied Climate ScienceWisconsin Department of Natural Resources

NGOAldo Leopold FoundationAldo Leopold Nature Center Clean WisconsinWisconsin Maritime Museum

http://climatewisconsin.org

WICCI Chronology








WICCI Adaptive Assessment ReportChanges

Climate Trends in WisconsinUnderstanding Adaptation

ImpactsWater ResourcesNatural Habitat and BiodiversityAgriculture and the Soil ResourceCoastal ResourcesPeople and their Environment

ActionsImplementing AdaptationMoving Forward

http://www.wicci.wisc.edu

WICCI’s Early Success

• Science Council members already working on climate change

• Working GroupsForestry Working Group built on NIACS initiativeStormwater Working Group built on statewide practitioner training

• Historic data analysis – Validated climate change

• Downscaled projections – Raised awareness of risk

• De-centralized organization – Peer-to-peer collaboration

• Inclusive of emerging issues and ongoing researchAnalysis of CSO impacts (Milwaukee WG)Watershed-scale vulnerability (Green Bay WG)



History

Accomplishments

Future directions

2.

Statistical downscaling of climate projections across the East and Central Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs)

Objective: To statistically downscale global climate model simulations to scales relevant for decision makers (around 10 km resolution)

WICCI Climate Assessments and ProjectionsUW-Center for Climatic Research

DownscalingRegion

T annual+6 ⁰F

Mid-21st Projections (A1B)

T annual+ 3 - 9 ⁰F

+10 to 60 Days >90⁰F

+ 2 to 6Days / 10yrrain >2”

Source: http://ccr.aos.wisc.edu/resources/data_scripts/LCC/ Source: http://www.aos.wisc.edu/~dvimont/Share/OSU/

Summer Temperature Change

Warming is least pronounced in summer:

3 – 8°F by mid-21st century

Source: Mitro et al. (2010)

Trout Habitat

Current Climate


Trout Habitat

Brook Trout Brown Trout

+1°C Air (+0.8°C Water)


Trout Habitat


+3°C Air (+2.4°C Water)


Trout Habitat


Trout Habitat



+5°C Air (+4°C Water)

Engaging Climate Stakeholders

WICCI CollaboratorsFederalU.S. Department of AgricultureU.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation ServiceU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceU.S. Forest ServiceU.S. Geological Survey

StateState of Wisconsin Commissioner of InsuranceWisconsin Coastal Management ProgramWisconsin Conservation CongressWisconsin Council on Forestry Wisconsin Department of TransportationWisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer ProtectionWisconsin Department of Health and Family ServicesWisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWisconsin Emergency ManagementWisconsin Geological and Natural History SurveyWisconsin Public Service CommissionWisconsin State Climatology OfficeWisconsin State Legislature

Tribal GroupsGreat Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission

Local/MunicipalCity of Fitchburg EngineeringCity of Madison Storm Water UtilityCity of Racine Water & Wastewater UtilityColumbia County Land & Water ConservationDane County Land Conservation DivisionGreater Milwaukee CommitteeLeague of Wisconsin Municipalities Madison & Dane County Public Health DepartmentMadison Metropolitan Sewerage DistrictMilwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage DistrictSoutheast Wisconsin Regional Planning CommissionWisconsin Towns Association

UniversitiesLakehead UniversityUW ExtensionUW Sea GrantUW-Engineering Professional DevelopmentUW-Green BayUW-La CrosseUW-MadisonUW-MilwaukeeUW-Milwaukee Great Lakes WATER InstituteUW-Stevens Point

NGO's1000 Friends of Wisconsin American Birkebeiner Ski FoundationClean WisconsinEducation Communications Board Fox-Wolf Rivers Environmental History ProjectGrow North Regional Economic Development Corporation, Inc.Natural Areas Preservation Council Nature NetNew North, Inc. Professional Dairy Producers of WisconsinSecond Look HolsteinsThe Association of State Floodplain ManagersThe Nature ConservancyTrout UnlimitedWisconsin Citizen-Based Monitoring NetworkWisconsin Environmental InitiativeWisconsin River AllianceWisconsin Paper CouncilWisconsin Wetlands AssociationWisconsin Wildlife Federation

Private SectorAECOMAlliant Energy HNTB CorporationMontgomery Associates-Resource SolutionsMSA Professional Services, Inc.S.C. JohnsonShort Elliott Hendrickson, Inc.We Energies

International Science Wisconsin ScienceWICCI Working Groups

Science Council

WICCI Outreach and Communications

WICCIAdvisory

Committee

WICCIWebsite

WICCIPublications

WICCIWorking Groups

WICCIBriefings

NewWorking Groups

WICCIPartners

DNRAldo LeopoldNature Center

NOAA,OSU

Lake Superior

Bi-NationalProgram

CleanWisconsin

UWMSchool of

Freshwater Science

USGS

ManitowocMaritimeMuseum

UW-Extension

NorthernGreat Lakes

Visitor Center

EducationalCommunications

Board

WI GeologicalNatural History

Survey

NCSARE

Institute forTribal Environmental

Professionals

Great LakesRegional

Water Program

Co-Op ExtensionClimate Literacy

Team

Nelson Institute

UW-Madison

Center for Biology

Education

School ofPublic health

Sea GrantCivil &Environmental

Engineering

StateClimatologist

CALSCenter forClimate Research,

CISMSS

Impact:WisconsinRegional

Delivering the Message

• Publications• Presentations• Proceedings• Popular press

Fostering Collaboration

• Understand science• Impacts of climate• Time scale• Vulnerabilities• Adaptation strategies

Engaging Communities

Program Focus• 4-H/Youth Development• Agriculture and Natural Resources• Community, Natural Resources and

Economic Development• Family Living Programs• Wisconsin Geological and

Natural History Survey

72 County offices9 UW campuses

~600 faculty & staff

Clients• Local Government• Ag Producers• Small Business• Families

UW-Extension Climate Literacy

Building Climate-Ready Communities

Climate Awareness Vulnerability Assessment

Extreme heatDroughtHeavy rainfallWarm wintersWindstorms

Adaptation CapacityPlanningResiliency

“Communities should be prepared for today’s rare weather extremes, they will become more common.”



History

Accomplishments

Future directions3.

WICCI Moving ForwardChallenges lay ahead

• Organizational CapacityFunding and staffing a de-centralized structure

• Maintaining the collaborative network

• Planning for adaptationStakeholder planning horizon vs climate projectionsEffectively communicating climate riskNeed to consider climate change, without encouraging costly choices

Refocusing the Mission

“The Mission of the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts is to generate and share information that can limit vulnerability to climate change in Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest.”

“WICCI engages scientists and decision-makers from Wisconsin and the region in a collaborative network to develop scientific understanding of climate impacts; identify vulnerability to climate change and climatic variability; and enable better planning, investment, and other climate adaptation activities.”

- WICCI Draft Strategic Plan

Maintain and Build the Collaborative Network

• Multi-faceted approach to building collaborations Take advantage of the strength of the decentralized networkDevelop a centralized component that synthesizes and assesses the

organizationWorking Group driven agenda

• Identify new issuesEconomicsAdaptation Science

• Expand the stakeholder networkDriftless Area Working GroupNorthern Forests InitiativeNew collaborations beyond Wisconsin

Organizational Capacity

From this….

ScienceCouncil

CoordinatingTeam

StakeholderAdvisory Council

Science Advisory Council

WICCI Ver. 2

Planning for Adaptation

Dane County adaptation pilot project• Engage local government mangers directly

• Provide regionally downscaled climate projections

• Identify climate sensitive government operations

• Assess vulnerability and risk

• Develop concept-level adaptation strategies

• Create county-wide adaptation strategy

Transfer outcomes through UW-Extension and Nationally

WICCI’s Role in a Sustainable Future

• Recognize that sustainability is not an equilibrium end-state

• Sustainable management is a process of knowledge generation, communication, assessment, and feedback

• Climate adaptation is usually NOT the most pressing consideration. BUT, failure to consider climate change may be disastrous

• WICCI’s role is to produce information that enables climate adaptation that is sustainable

Questions?

http://www.wicci.wisc.edu

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