Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences Awarded Grant to Develop Conservation Strategies for Climate Change Adaptation

Plymouth, MA, April 28, 2008- Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences has received a $200,000 award to help the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MDFW) adapt to the fast-approaching impacts of climate change on the state's diverse wildlife and ecosystems.

The Wildlife Conservation Society through its Wildlife Action Opportunities Fund made the grant award. The support to establish the Wildlife Action Opportunities Fund was provided by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

A leader in the development of collaborative, science-driven solutions, Manomet will work over the next 18 months with state wildlife agencies to ensure that the State's investments in wildlife management and conservation, as outlined in its 2005 Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CWCS), also known as the State Wildlife Action Plan address the likely impacts of climate change. Manomet also will help facilitate the adoption of these climate-adapted strategies by the state agency's implementation partners.

"This project comes at a pivotal moment for Massachusetts as the state legislature is considering Governor Patrick's record new bond initiative for habitat acquisition," said Mary Griffin, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game. "It is critical that we look carefully at the impacts of climate change when we are making decisions about how to spend the open space protection funds to best protect all kinds of habitat and wildlife."

Based on the research, new refuges could be created or management actions taken for species that have moved northward or disappeared entirely from the state in 50 years due to climate change. This project will ensure that public and private conservation funds are spent with climate change impacts in mind - so that investments are made in the state's natural resources of today, as well as of tomorrow.

"Manomet's main goal in this project is to assist state conservation agencies, particularly the Massachusetts Division of Fish & Wildlife (DFW), to identify some of the most iconic and important wildlife resources in the state, assess their vulnerabilities to climate change, evaluate and improve climate adaptation of wildlife management strategies, and ensure the climate adapted strategies are adopted by the agencies and their implementation partners," said Dr. Hector Galbraith, director of Manomet's Climate Change Initiative and an internationally-recognized authority on climate change.

Virtually all scientists recognize that we are in an era of rapid climate change that will adversely affect ecological resources, and that those conservation strategies for wildlife and ecosystem management that fail to accommodate climate change may be ineffective. The Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy is one of the few state wildlife plans that mention climate change and its likely effects on wildlife habitat.

The main outcomes of the project will include:

• A companion publication to the state plan that updates its conservation strategies in the face of climate change;
• Cutting-edge scientific reports on vulnerabilities of Massachusetts wildlife and wildlife habitat to climate change;
• A widely applicable methodology for rapid assessment of climate change vulnerabilities of wildlife and wildlife habitat; and
• A tried and tested process that can be used more widely to identify and evaluate adaptive climate change conservation strategies.

This effort will place Massachusetts at the vanguard of an issue that other states are just beginning to address. With Manomet's help, the state's environmental agencies and organizations will produce a model that other states will adopt to ensure that the nation's vital natural resources remain rich, diverse, and healthy in a rapidly changing world.

This project will involve many key habitat protection and stewardship partners, including Massachusetts Division of Fish & Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy, key land trusts of the state (e.g., The Trustees of Reservations), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The number of collaborators involved in implementing the results of the project is anticipated to grow.

"Manomet is delighted to have been selected for this collaborative project and to have a leadership role in finding solutions to climate change impact and adaptation issues," said Galbraith.

About Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences

Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences is one of the nation's only independent non-profits dedicated exclusively to carrying out environmental research. Originally founded 40 years ago as the Manomet Bird Observatory, its scientists have been bringing together environmental stakeholders-communities, individuals, universities, government agencies, and businesses-to develop cooperative, science-based policies and management strategies. Dedicated to conserving the natural world for the benefit of wildlife and human populations, Manomet's work encompasses ecosystem services, climate change, large-scale hemispheric migration networks, and conservation strategies for landbirds, forests, wetlands, and agricultural habitats. For more information, please visit www.manomet.org.

Manomet's Climate Change Initiative

Manomet's Climate Change Initiative is aimed at answering many of the urgent impact and adaptation questions raised by a changing climate. Building on the expertise and institutional knowledge of migratory wildlife and ecosystems and a commitment to developing conservation strategies, Manomet is taking a lead role in addressing urgent questions about how climate change will affect the Northeast United States and how to adapt land management and conservation practices.

For more information, please contact:
Robert Kluin
rkluin@manomet.org
Phone: 508.224.6521, ext. 223