Thursday, August 10, 2017: 3:30 PM-5:00 PM
C123, Oregon Convention Center
Organizer:
Erica J. Kistner, USDA-ARS
Moderator:
Holly R. Prendeville, USFS
Climate change poses serious threats to U.S. agricultural production, forest resources, and rural economies. Land managers across the nation are already feeling the pressure of a changing climate including more severe storms, droughts, flooding, wild fires, and pest outbreaks. Collaboration between landowners, government agencies, non-profits, land grant universities, and industry will be essential for the successful development and implementation of climate resilient land management practices. In 2014, the USDA Climate Hubs were established to deliver science-based, region-specific knowledge and tools to ranchers, farmers, and landowners. Ultimately, our mission is to 1) foster communication and collaboration among the various entities researching climate change and its potential effects on agriculture in the United States and 2) enhance sustainable land management in light of the increased risks associated with climate change. This session brings together a diverse group of scientists addressing these issues across the nation’s agricultural and forestry sectors. Topics for this session include: regional vulnerabilities, variable and extreme weather events, communicating climate science, collaborating effectively with land managers, agroecology, farmer focus groups, adaptive strategies in rangeland management, and soil health in cropping systems. This session is intended to generate dialogue about how the USDA Climate Hubs can better achieve their goals of sharing climate change information and developing decision support tools with and for diverse groups of stakeholders. Given the broad range of topics presented, the Q&A will be focused on identifying strategies for addressing the challenges discussed.