Climate-Smart Conservation: Putting Adaptation Principles into Practice

Climate change already is having significant impacts on the nation’s species and ecosystems, and these effects are projected to increase considerably over time. How should we prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change on wildlife and their habitat? What should we be doing differently in light of these climatic shifts, and what actions continue to make sense? This publication offers guidance for designing and carrying out conservation in the face of a rapidly changing climate.

Developed by an expert workgroup , consisting of leaders in climate adaptation from federal and state agencies and non-governmental organizations, the guide is designed to help conservationists and resource managers incorporate climate change considerations into their work. The guide helps to demystify the discipline of climate adaptation by offering a common-sense approach to adaptation planning and implementation that breaks the process into discrete and manageable steps.