About
Connected landscapes play an important role in climate resilient natural lands. In partnership with The Climate Science Alliance (Alliance) and California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Institute for Ecological Management and Monitoring (IEMM) at San Diego State University has been working to develop landscape maps to support connectivity of natural lands across the South Coast Ecoregion.
With new funding from the California State Strategic Growth Council, the Alliance and IEMM are expanding that work to examine how future planning in southern California can meaningfully integrate natural land connectivity, water sustainability, fire risk and the resilience of local communities, particularly underserved communities, at the wildland interface. This innovative integrated approach to planning is needed to promote smart growth that supports adaptation and resilience to climate change for southern California’s ecosystems and local communities.
Project Updates
Watch the Connecting Wildlands & Communities project introduction here:
Our formal feedback period for the initiation phase of the project has ended, but if you'd like to share something or communicate with us, please send us an email.
Over the next few months, the research teams will utilize your feedback to identify and refine the key research questions, analyses, and deliverables that will best serve your interests and needs.
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Download the PDF flyer here.
Climate Resilient Connectivity
For the South Coast Ecoregion of California
Impacted Species: Arroyo Toad
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This 2.5 year project advances regional-scale climate-smart connectivity planning by applying cutting-edge approaches and best-practices in ecological science. Our methodological approach combines ensemble species distribution models (SDMs) with dynamic metapopulation models to advance connectivity modeling and planning approaches accounting for climate change, land-use shifts, and uncertainty. This novel complement of techniques has never been used before to develop a robust analysis of habitat-specific connectivity for multiple species. Due to wrap up in June 2019, the project will support practical, proactive management of biodiversity under likely climate change scenarios by developing connectivity linkage maps for the South Coast Ecoregion.
Project Partners and Sponsors:
Impacted Species: Bobcat
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Connecting Wildlands & Communities
Integrated Land Use Planning to Support Climate Resilient Ecosystems and Local Communities
With new funding from the California State Strategic Growth Council, IEMM and the Alliance will lead an interdisciplinary team of planners, environmental engineers, ecologist, geographers to explore how connected landscapes can support adaptation and resilience to climate change for both ecosystems and local communities in southern California. This new project takes a comprehensive planning approach to meet State objectives on protecting rural communities, mitigating wildfire risk, supporting water sustainability, and protecting biodiversity. The goal of this research is to provide an integrated planning and decision-making framework that supports multi-benefit landscape-scale planning and facilitates science-informed climate adaptation and strategies across the region.
Photo courtesy of the Conservation Ecology Lab
Project Objectives:
I. Engagement
To engage with partners and stakeholders across the region to support climate resilient ecosystem and community planning and implementation.
II. Wildfire Assessment
To assess the implications of connected landscapes on wildfire risks and patterns and recovery after wildfire impacts to ecosystems and communities.
III. Watershed Assessment
To evaluate the impact of connected landscapes on hydrologic regimes as it relates to water quality, quantity, and sustainability for ecosystems and communities.
Project Focus: Fire Risk
IV. Biodiversity Assessment
To consider how connected landscapes will serve to protect plant and wildlife populations, habitats, and climate refugia over the long-term.
V. Planning Integration
To deliver a suite of robust products and applications that reflect research outcomes and deploy a comprehensive outreach program that provides accessible, relevant, and data-driven products and decision-support tools to a diverse end-user community.
VI. Outreach and Delivery
Establish an integrated planning framework that incorporates ecological connectivity, wildfire risk, and water sustainability into land management approaches, conservation planning, and land use strategies.
"What's exciting about this opportunity is that it builds on our connectivity research, while giving us an opportunity to leverage and partner with other areas of expertise and excellence on campus."
- Dr. Megan Jennings,
Research Lead
Project Partners and Sponsors:
Project Focus: Water Sustainability
The Climate Science Alliance is directly supporting the Integrated Land Use Planning project by coordinating the involved partner and stakeholder network, as well as presenting broad scale delivery of data products, visualizations, and decision tools that will encourage adoption of science-based information and guidance.
Check back here for project deliverables and general updates.
For any questions, contact us here:
Be sure to note "Connecting wildlands & communities" in your message