Vulnerability Assessment Workshop for Focal Resources of the Sierra Nevada



March 5-7, 2013 • Sacramento, CA • California State University
Overview
This is the first of two workshops on climate change vulnerability assessment and adaptation planning for the Sierra Nevada. The goal of this workshop (5-7 March 2013) is to assess the vulnerability of a suite of focal resources (species, habitats, ecosystem services) to climate change. The goal of the second workshop (planned for late May 2013) is to develop and prioritize adaptation strategies for focal resources and regions.
This 2.5-day workshop will include: (1) a review of climate trends for the Sierra Nevada region; (2) vulnerability assessment training following the process described in Scanning the Conservation Horizon; (3) vulnerability assessment application for a suite of species, habitats and ecosystem services that were chosen prior to the workshop; (4) discussion and refinement of regional management action opportunities; and (5) identification of spatial analysis and mapping needs. Results from this workshop including synthesis documents and presentations will be made available online through the California Climate Commons and EcoAdapt websites.
Agenda & Speakers
Presentations
- Welcome and Project Overview by Jessi Kershner
- Marni Koopman: Overview of Climate Trends in the Sierra Nevada
- Jessi Kershner: Introduction to Vulnerability Assessments and Components
- Eric Mielbrecht: Introduction to Assessing Sensitivity
- Eric Mielbrecht: Introduction to Assessing Adaptive Capacity
- Tosha Comendant: MC1 Dynamic Vegetation Model
- Anthony Westerling: Fire Projections for the Sierra Nevada
- Lorrie Flint: Climate Change and Hydrology for the Sierra Nevada
- Marni Koopman: Introduction to Assessing Exposure
- Day Two: Introduction to Species Resources by Jessi Kershner
- Anne Trainor: Introduction to the Yale Framework
- Day Three: Workshop Wrap Up by Jessi Kershner
Reading & Resources
Final Report
Handouts
- Ecosystem Vulnerability Worksheets
- Species Vulnerability Worksheets
- Ecosystem Services Vulnerability Worksheets
- Focal Resources List
- Yale Framework Matrix
- Assessing Vulnerability Cheat Sheet
Background Resource Packets
- Alpine/Subalpine
- Aquatic Systems
- Arid Shrublands/Sagebrush
- Meadows, Riparian and Fen Systems
- Oak Woodlands
- Chaparral
- Red Fir
- Yellow Pine/Mixed Conifer
Required Readings
- Morelli, Toni Lyn; McGlinchy, Maureen C.; Neilson, Ronald P. 2011. A climate change primer for land managers: an example from the Sierra Nevada. Res. Pap. PSW-RP-262. Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station. 44 p.
- Future Climate, Wildfire, Hydrology, and Vegetation Projections for the Sierra Nevada, California: A climate change synthesis in support of the Vulnerability Assessment/Adaptation Strategy (VAAS) process Workshop
Recommended Readings
- Aplet, G. and J. Gallo. 2012. Applying Climate Adaptation Concepts to the Landscape Scale: Examples from the Sierra and Stanislaus National Forests.
- Flint, L. E., and A. L. Flint 2012, Downscaling future climate scenarios to fine scales for hydrologic and ecologic modeling and analysis, Ecol. Proc. 1:1
- Glick, P., B.A. Stein, N.A. Edelson, eds. 2011.Scanning the Conservation Horizon: A Guide to Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment. National Wildlife Federation, Washington, D.C.
- Long, Jonathan et al. USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station. 2013. Science Synthesis to support Forest Plan Revision in the Sierra Nevada and Southern Cascades. Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station. 504 p.
- Thorne, James, Ryan Boynton, Lorraine Flint, Alan Flint, and Thuy‐N’goc Le (University of California, Davis and U.S. Geological Survey). 2012. Development and Application of Downscaled Hydroclimatic Predictor Variables for Use in Climate Vulnerability and Assessment Studies. California Energy Commission. Publication number: CEC‐500‐2012‐010.
- Westerling A.L., B.P. Bryant, H.K. Preisler, T.P. Holmes, H.G. Hidalgo, T. Das, and S.R. Shrestha. 2011. Climate change and growth scenarios for California wildfire. Clim. Change 109: S445–S463.