Presentations in this session will show how climate change science can be effectively used in conservation planning. Down-scaled climate models, long-term monitoring and experimental manipulations produce scenarios that can guide land and conservation planning. While future climate scenarios are not without uncertainty and other caveats, they can be used to develop hypothesis that ecologists can use to design more effective monitoring and assessment programs that capture climate change impacts, as well as the cumulative effects of other natural and human caused actions on ecosystems. Speakers invited to participate in this symposium are working at the forefront of integrating climate change science into public policy concerns about sustainable management of natural resources and species of concern. Using the latest techniques and theories, the ecologists presenting in this session are pioneering ideas to help guide conservation planning decisions that could make the difference between extinction or sustainability for many species. Most of the speakers have been working in collaborative partnerships, representing true examples of interdisciplinary approaches to ecology and conservation. The diversity of speakers will attract an interdisciplinary audience, including scientists from academia, non-governmental organizations, land management agencies, teachers, science communicators and many others who work on the front lines of conservation. We hope that this session will attract young scientists drawn to ecology because of their concern for the environment, and show how science can make a difference.