Natureserve

Project Title Developing a Next Generation Climate Change Vulnerability Index in Support of Climate Informed Natural Resource Managementproject Dates 3 1 2023 Through 2 29 2026AWARD Purpose Climate Change Is Impacting Our Nation S Plants and Animals in Numerous Ways. the People Charged With Managing Public Lands Need to Know Which Species Are Threatened by Climate Change and How They Are Threatened So They Can Take Countermeasures to Prevent Declines. Biologists at State Fish and Wildlife Agencies Particularly Need Estimates of Species Vulnerability to Climate Change to Be Able to Prioritize Their Conservation Work. in the Past, Natureserve S Microsoft Excel Based Climate Change Vulnerability Index Has Proven to Be a Useful Method for State Biologists to Perform Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments. Since That Index Was Released in 2015, There Have Been Numerous Advances in Both Our Understanding of How Climate Affects Wildlife and Technology for Developing User Friendly Tools. in Thisproject, Researchers and Software Programmers at Natureserve Will Work in Collaboration With Usgs Scientists and State Fish and Wildlife Agency Partners to Perform Research That Will Lead to a Revised, Scientifically Robust Version of the Climate Change Vulnerability Index. This New Version Will Be Web Based, Allowing Collaboration Among Scientists and Users, and Will Feature the Latest Scientific Projections of Future Climate Across the Country. in Addition, It Will Feature New Metrics That Assess How Species Can Adapt to or Cope With Climate Change. by the End of the Project, Natureserve Will Post This Free Online Tool for State Biologists and Other Scientists. This New Version of the Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) Is Especially Timely, as It Will Be Released in Time for State Biologists to Use It for Revisions to Their State Wildlife Action Plans, Which Are Federally Mandated Conservation Plans That Are Due in 2025.ACTIVITIES to Be Performed Update Climate Exposure Metrics Update Sensitivity and Adaptive Capacity Attributes Modernize and Improve Access by Moving Tool to Online Format Collaborate With State Partners to Iteratively Research Ccvi Usability Pilot and Test Additional Climate Exposure Variables Research and Test Use of Climate Scenarios to Guide Exposure Metrics Conduct Sensitivity Analysesdeliverables and Expected Outcomes Phase 1 (1) Online Ccvi Tool With Specific Levels of Functionality (2) Documentation, Including Tutorial and Suggested Workflow (3) at Least One Webinar Demonstrating the Tool to Targeted Users. Phase 2 (1) Revised Online Ccvi Tool With Additional Functionality for Climate Variables and Scenarios (2) Submitted Manuscript Describing Results of Sensitivity Analyses (3) White Paper Outlining Next Steps and Needs for Future Ccvi Improvements. in Year 3, Draft of a Long Term Hosting and Maintenance Plan.intended Beneficiary(ies) the Intended Beneficiaries Are Scientists, Natural Resource Managers, State Agencies That Are Tasked With Revising State Wildlife Action Plans, and the Public.subrecipient Activities N a