By Sandy Wilmot, Forest Healthy Specialist with Vermont's Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation
If you told me 10 years ago that I would be picking tomatoes from my garden in November I would have laughed. Now, as I’m picking my tomatoes on November 4th, I shake my head and say, “this is bizarre”.
Although Vermont has always lived by the saying “if you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute”, the extreme nature of our weather and the continuing trends of record breaking events need addressing if we are to adapt to this changing climate. Climate predictions of increased temperatures, heavy precipitation, and erratic weather have all presented themselves in Vermont, but not always as we anticipated.The windstorm that happened this Fall is one example. Past experiences did not prepare us for the magnitude of this event.
How then, do we prepare for future storms and climate disruptions?
Here at the Agency of Natural Resources, we have set in motion actions to understand and adapt to climate change. Just as insurance policies buffer against catastrophic losses, preparing for climate disruptions using adaptation strategies will buffer our communities from hardships. Here’s a look at four ways ANR is partnering with communities and organizations to develop climate adaptation strategies.
#1 - Flood Ready Vermont
In populated areas of the state we work with towns and regional planning commissions to identify where flooding is most likely to affect communities and develop plans to reduce impacts. Tropical Storm Irene illustrated how our bridges and stream erosion protection measures create more problems than if we reestablish floodplains where stream flow can dissipate. >> Learn more here.
Assessments of natural stream processes (hydrologic, sediment, and woody debris) and causes for disruptions in stream equilibrium have been used by the Vermont Rivers Program to identify and implement strategies for restoring and protecting stream functions.
Using a team of seasoned foresters from the Forestry Division, a comprehensive forest adaptation guide was created specific to conditions and forests of Vermont. Recommendations for creating resilient forests are provided based on natural communities, forest operations and specific species vulnerabilities and responses.
#3 – Vermont Conservation Design Tool
The Fish & Wildlife Department developed a planning tool to sustain Vermont’s biological diversity and natural processes in the face of a changing climate. The Vermont Conservation Design identifies the highest priority forest blocks, surface waters and riparian areas, natural communities, and habitats in Vermont that contribute to an ecologically functional landscape. These tools won’t solve all the climate-related changes from happening to our forests and hillsides, but they synthesize current science into information nuggets that can be applied to this complex issue.
#4 – Investigate Climate Change in Your Area
Many citizens want to know what to expect in their town, and within their lifetime. ANR has collaborated with partner agencies to develop an online tool that explores what climate change will mean for the state, and for particular regions and communities. The Climate Change Mapping Tool and Climate Data Grapher allow users to visualize vulnerable natural resources based on projected future climate such as the change in the length of the growing season as it affects ticks and Lyme disease, or increases in the number of hot summer days as this affects vulnerable populations, or tree species abundance as temperatures increase.
Scientists at ANR incorporate what we know about our forests, fields and streams with what changes we are measuring over time to advise communities and citizens about how to best prepare for future climate disruptions. While we seek solutions to climate change through reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, our best insurance is to plan for how best to reduce future impacts.