What to Expect
This online Adaptation Workbook has been modified from the print versions that are available for forests and agriculture to be more interactive and self-guided. There are downloadable resources and examples to accompany every step of the process. You’ll be asked to input very basic information about your project area and more detailed information about your management goals and objectives.
The Workbook will generate information about potential climate change impacts for your general region, and you’ll be asked to use your own judgment and expertise to consider how broad impacts might play out on your particular property. Then you’ll think critically about your property goals and objectives and decide if they are still robust to potential climate change. Next, the Workbook will help you brainstorm and evaluate a list of custom actions that can help adapt to expected conditions, and you’ll finish the process by developing a monitoring plan to determine if your actions were effective.
The Workbook is not intended to provide specific guidance or replace other forms of management planning. Rather, it relies on the experience and expertise of natural resource professionals and landowners and is meant to complement existing management planning and decision-making systems.
Getting Prepared
Before you begin, it will be helpful to assemble information about your project area such as your management plan, maps, or other data. You might also want to download a copy of the adaptation resources for forests or agriculture to use as a companion guide.
The online Adaptation Workbook is still mostly text-based, so be prepared to type and read! You’ll want to use a computer screen that is large enough to read clearly, and find a comfortable workspace. We expect it’ll take several hours to move through all the steps of the Workbook, and possibly more if you’re just getting familiar with climate change information or if you have a complex project.
Other formats
We recognize that the online Adaptation Workbook may not be the right fit for every project. In these circumstances please check out the Word document, and Excel document versions of the Adaptation Workbook (linked here), and the "Quick Guide" versions for natural resources management and land trusts (linked here), and Spanish language version (linked here).
Final Results
When you've completed all the steps in the Workbook, you’ll have a detailed, customized adaptation plan for your property. This plan will be organized according to your management goals and objectives, and it can be combined with or added to your existing plans for the property. You can work toward implementing this plan on your own through time, or contact NIACS for further assistance and resources. Browse examples of Adaptation Demonstration Projects that have used the Adaptation Workbook at www.forestadaptation.org/demos.