Planning for Climate Change with the Partnership

Recently, the Partnership finished a strategic plan that incorporates a new element: climate change resiliency data. In a resilient landscape, animals have places to move to still survive, whether it’s further up a slope, or tucked away in a hollow. As time passes, resilient places are the ones most likely to still be able to support wide array of plants and animals.

Over the course of a year, partners shared ideas and decided how to bring this new science into the mix. As a result, the new Biodiversity Conservation Plan reflects the voices of the Partnership and state-of-the-art science to address one of the biggest threats facing our lands. With so many stakeholders contributing to the conversation, the Plan also lays the groundwork for future landscape-scale, collaborative conservation projects. 

For 2015, we are focused on learning how to use our Plan and understanding what resiliency really means for the North Quabbin region. Maggie Owens, our new MassLIFT-AmeriCorps Regional Conservation Coordinator, began the year by planning Resiliency Woods Walks for people to see what resiliency looks like on the ground. 

This April, Mount Grace and the Partnership were invited to present at the Regional Conservation Partnership Network Science Delivery Workshop, an event co-sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Highstead Foundation and designed to introduce new tools and techniques to conservation professionals in the northeast. 

You can learn more at http://toolkit.climate.gov/taking-action/hot-cold-map-provides-blueprint..., or contact Partnership Coordinator Sarah Wells. 

The Partnership thanks Highstead and the Open Space Institute for their financial support. We also extend our deep gratitude to Brian Hall of Harvard Forest and the Athol Open Space Committee for his commitment to this project.