CLIMATE CHANGE
This section of our website is a home for everything relating to climate change and wetland restoration in the bay area. It serves as a place to post relevant findings, to acknowledge our partners regional efforts to model these predicted changes, and share new findings as we plan ahead.
Climate scientists and the broader community finally agree the Earth’s climate is changing and that this is a mounting concern for all of us. For those in the Bay Area wetland restoration community, projected impacts of climate change including an estimated sea level rise of 26-55 inches by 2100, shifts in salinity content and fresh water flows, notable rises in temperature and an increase in the severity of storms will influence the planning and management of projects.
As we approach the end of the first decade of the 21st century, we are faced with more questions than answers, questions that can only be answered with scientific research and time. They include:
- What do these projected impacts mean for wetland habitats and our efforts to restore and protect them?
- How will the distribution of habitats and species shift as they migrate in response to sea level rise and temperature increases?
- How will climate change projections influence the way we design and prioritize projects?
- What research is needed to address existing data gaps and how will it get funded?
- What is being done to address climate change projections within the JV partnership?
Books/Essays
Now or Never: Why We Must Act Now to End Climate Change and Create a Sustainable Future by Tim Flannery, PhD. with foreward by David Suzuki
Reports/Studies
Birds
Bird Species and Climate Change - The Global Status Report: A synthesis of current scientific understanding of anthropogenic climate change impacts on global bird species now, and projected future effects [3.2 MB PDF]
The AUK, January 2008: CLIMATE MODELS AND ORNITHOLOGY [787 KB PDF]
Waterbird Population Estimates – Fourth Edition: The NGOWetlands International has released the 4th edition of Waterbird Population Estimates, a publication based on annual monitoring of millions of waterbirds. This edition presents estimates of the numbers and trends of waterbird populations throughout the world, provides a comprehensive update on information last provided in 2002 and summarizes population data on 878 waterbird species. At a global level 44% of populations for which trend data is available are decreasing or have become extinct, 34% are stable, and 17% are increasing. Asia is the continent where concern is greatest. Waterbirds depend on a whole range of healthy wetlands along their migration routes. This makes them good indicators for assessing the status of wetlands globally. Regular tracking of the status of waterbirds helps to identifypriorities for research and conservation of both waterbird species and wetlandsof international importance. More information on content and purchasing is available on the website.
Carbon Sequestration
Climate Change Found To Have Paradoxical Effects In Coastal Wetlands (March 26, 2009) -- Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide is largely responsible for recent global warming and the rise in sea levels. However scientists have found that this same increase in carbon dioxide may ironically counterbalance some of its negative effects on one of the planet's most valuable ecosystems -- wetlands.
Carbon Sequestration and Tidal Salt Marsh Restoration Compiled by Lynne Trulio, Ph.D (May 20, 2007)
White Paper on Carbon Sequestration and Tidal Salt Marsh Restoration [36 KB PDF]
Ecology
Ecological and Evolutionary Responses to Recent Climate Change by Camille Parmesan
The Bay Area/California
Indicators of Climate Change in California, April 2009 [6.3 MB PDF]
A Sea Level Rise Strategy for the San Francisco Bay Region [204 KB PDF]
Climate change research needs for the San Francisco Bay coastal sector [268 KB PDF]
Preparing California for a Changing Climate, Louise Bedsworth and Ellen Hanak, Public Policy Institute of California
Sierra Climate Change Toolkit [3.6 MB PDF]
Wetlands
EMERGING ISSUES FOR THE RESTORATION OF TIDAL MARSH ECOSYSTEMS IN THE CONTEXT OF PREDICTED CLIMATE CHANGE [216 KB PDF]
Global Carbon Sequestration in Tidal, Saline Wetland Soils by Gail L. Chmura, et al (2003)
The Value of Coastal Wetlands for Hurricane Protection by Robert Costanza, Octavio Perez-Maqueo, M. Luisa Martinez, Paul Sutton, Sharolyn J. Anderson and Kenneth Mulder [3MB PDF]
Other
Sea Level Could Rise from 0.75 to 1.9 Meters This Century ScienceDaily (Dec. 8, 2009) — A new scientific study warns that sea level could rise much faster than previously expected. By the year 2100, global sea level could rise between 75 and 190 centimetres, according to a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Why Climate Change Makes River Restoration More Important than Ever. PRBO Press Release. August 31, 2009
DRAFT: Rising to the Challenge - Strategic Plan for Responding to Accelerating Climate Change [1 MB PDF]
Appendix: 5-Year Action Plan for Implementing the Climate Change Strategic Plan [572 KB PDF]
U.S Climate Change Science Program: Synthesis and Assessment Report 3.4: Abrupt Climate Change Summary and FIndings [816 KB PDF]
California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC) Network: TEACHING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE [520 KB PDF]
Conservation and Climate Change: the Challenges Ahead [168 KB PDF]
Adaptation Options for Climate-Sensitive Ecosystems and Resources | National Estuaries [692 KB PDF]
Government/Legislative Policy
The US Global Climate Change Research Program has just released their report entitled "Global Climate Change Impacts in the US". News release http://www.globalchange.gov/images/cir/pdf/Climate-Impacts-PR_june-6-2009.pdf. Full report and associated materials: www.globalchange.gov/usimpacts
| INITIATIVE/BILL/ EXECUTIVE ORDER |
SUMMARY | LINK |
| AB32 | California's major initiatives for reducing climate change or greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are outlined in Assembly Bill 32 (signed into law 2006) | http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/cc.htm |
| Executive Order 13423 |
Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management An executive order dated January 24, 2007. With regard to strengthening Federal environmental, energy and transportation management | PDF: Executive Order 13423 Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management |
Past Events
Check our current Events page for current climate change related events.
Jan 29-30, 2009: USGS and FWS – Coastal Climate Change Workshop – jan 29&30 | Resources Document [144 KB PDF]
Association of State Wetlands Managers - Wetlands and Global Climate Change, September 16-18, 2008. http://www.aswm.org/calendar/indexarchive.htm
Effects of Climate Change on Natural Resources in California - A Series of Seminars
http://www.edaw.com/ClimateChange
Carbon Sequestration & Wetlands Meeting Notes July 21, 2008 [93 KB PDF]
The Fish and Wildlife Service with USGS and partners hosted a Climate Change workshop in the Pacific Region Jan 29-30 2008 in San Francisco. USGS plans on putting a video of the plenary sessions, Bays and Estuaries, and Species/Population Management sessions. It is up and running, please visit the links below for directions and information. mms://video.wr.usgs.gov/workshop and http://www.fws.gov/pacific/ClimateChange/meetings/coastal.cfm. For directions for opening the video files from the climate change workshop: http://www.fws.gov/pacific/ClimateChange/meetings/coastal/webcast.html
Partner Online Resources
Adaptation
North Bay Climate Change Adaptation Initiative - www.climatechangeadaptationinitiative.org
Preparing our watersheds for climate change requires decreasing uncertainty to acceptable levels by effectively estimating potential changes to climate, hydrology, and ecosystems based on the best science available at the watershed scale.
Carbon Sequestration
Ducks Unlimited - http://www.ducks.org/Conservation/EcoAssets/1306/CarbonSequestration.html
USGS Carbon Capture Farming - Carbon-capture farming works as CO2 is taken out of the air by plants such as tules and cattails. As the plants die and decompose, they create new peat soil, building the land surface over time.
Education
Climate Change Wildlife and Wildlands - A Toolkit for Formal and Informal Educators: http://www.globalchange.gov/resources/educators/toolkit
CREEC Network - http://wwwstatic.kern.org/gems/creec/Fall2008CREECConnections.pdf
Modeling for Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
BCDC - Bay Conservation and Development Commission
http://www.bcdc.ca.gov/planning/climate_change/SLR_strategy.pdf
http://www.bcdc.ca.gov/planning/climate_change/climate_research.pdf
http://www.bcdc.ca.gov/proposed_bay_plan/bp_1-08_cc_draft.pdf
Sea Level Rise Modeling - http://www.spea.indiana.edu/wetlandsandclimatechange/
USGS - U.S. Geological Survey
A GIS compilation of vector shorelines and associated shoreline change data for the sandy shorelines of the California coast: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1251/
The National assessment of shoreline change: Part 4, Historical coastal cliff retreat along the California coast: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1133
A GIS compilation of vector cliff edges and associated cliff erosion data for the California Coast: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1112
Modeling for Wildlife Impacts of Climate Change
Localizing Climate Projections: Putting High Resolution Climate Projections to Work for Wildlife Conservation - http://training.fws.gov/branchsites/CSP/Resources/climate_change_webinars/june_17_09/information_page.html | Video Recording of seminar (Windows Media video format) - http://training.fws.gov/branchsites/CSP/Resources/climate_change_webinars/june_17_09/livemeeting.wmv
PRBO Climate Change Research Summary - http://www.prbo.org/cms/468#med
Restoration
Climate Ready Estuaries - http://www.epa.gov/climatereadyestuaries
Information About Climate Change
Army Corps of Engineers - http://www.wetland-assessment.com-a.googlepages.com/globalclimatechangesanfranciscobayanddel
Bay Nature Article: Taking the Heat - Bay Area Ecosystems in the Age of Climate Change
California Climate Change Portal - http://www.climatechange.ca.gov
Google Group - SF Sea Level Rise: A group for planners, policymakers, scientists, and others concerned with sea level rise in the San Francisco Bay area. Created in May 2008 by BCDC and the Pacific Institute to foster discussion and share information.
NOAA Climate Adaptation Website - http://community.csc.noaa.gov/climateadaptation
Use this site to access guidebooks, action plans, case studies, example climate strategies, tools, risk and vulnerability assessment processes, and basic climate science resources.
SF Bay Delta Google Group - http://groups.google.com/group/sf-sea-level-rise/topics?hl=en
NRDC - http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/boosting/contents.asp