Climate Change Initiative
Our Climate Change Initiative works to increase resilience of our landscapes and communities to the negative impacts of climate change through strategic land conservation planning.
Climate Change Initiative
“Land trusts have an important role in addressing climate change. Today, more than ever before, land protection is vital for ensuring that ecosystems and the species that depend on them will thrive tomorrow.” – Land Trust Alliance
Saving Land for a Changing Climate
Landowners, biologists, foresters, and farmers are noticing the local impacts of climate change, and so are we. We are increasingly aware of the shifting seasons and changing weather patterns that threaten the rich biodiversity and healthy ecosystems of our region. Our minimum winter temperatures are increasing, our local plant and animal populations are shifting, the seasonal timing of plant life cycles are occurring earlier, and the growing season has extended. What does that mean, why does it matter to our region, and what can we do?
The Land Trust and our conservation partners are in a unique position to address climate change at a local level by starting the conversation, sharing information and engaging the community in solutions. Strategic land conservation is a proven solution toward creating a more resilient region which can better withstand the current and future impacts of a changing climate.
As temperatures increase and habitats shift, plant and animal species must either adapt or move to find suitable conditions to survive. A northward movement is already documented for many species around the globe. Conserving the unique natural habitats of our region and maintaining connectivity of those natural landscapes is essential if biodiversity is to persist in the face of a changing climate. And as weather patterns change and intensify, the impacts of drought, floods and storms increasingly threaten our communities. The stress of climate change is further exacerbated by urban land conversion.
By planning for and investing in permanent land conservation, we can preserve the healthy ecosystems that provide us with important eco-services including water and air filtration, plant pollination, and flood control. And we can protect the forests, grasslands, wetlands, and agricultural lands that naturally remove damaging carbon from our atmosphere.
The time to act is now, to protect the health of our environment and our community for future generations.
NWALT’s Climate Change Initiative is made possible through the generous support of the Land Trust Alliance (Land Trust Alliance). Please explore the resources below to learn more.
Click here (What You Can Do about Climate Change | Climate Change | US EPA).