Rhode Island Sea Grant

Addressing Climate Change through Habitat Protection

Climate change factors such as increased temperature, sea level rise, and increased precipitation can have implications for land trust properties and conservation goals, such as protecting groundwater and critical habitat. Sea Grant is piloting a project with South Kingstown Land Trust to identify and test tools that incorporate climate change considerations into conservation programs for land acquisition and management. Important tools used in conducting sensitivity analysis and developing management actions include habitat vulnerability assessment, Ecological Land Unit (ELU) evaluation, and sea level rise mapping. These tools were the central focus of the workshop "Incorporating Climate Change Science in Land & Water Conservation Planning" at the Rhode Island Land and Water Conservation Summit on March 10, 2012.

• Conservation in the Era of Climate Change: South Kingstown Case Study by Clara Rubin, Don Robadue, and Pam Rubinoff, URI Coastal Resources Center/RI Sea Grant:
• This presentation provides an overview of the habitat vulnerability assessment and habitat conservation and management strategies employed in the South Kingstown Land Trust pilot project.
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• Conservation of Biodiversity in Changing Climates: Conserving the Stage, Not the Actors by Kevin Ruddock, The Nature Conservancy:
• This presentation introduces the use of Ecological Land Units (ELUs) as a tool for measuring the diversity of habitats and ecosystems and prioritizing habitats for preservation.
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• Mapping Sea Level Rise: Tools for Community Assessment and Planning by Christopher Damon, Environmental Data Center, URI and Pam Rubinoff, URI Coastal Resources Center:
• This presentation describes the use of sea level rise mapping in community planning and compliments resources such as the Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) which address ecosystem and habitat impacts of sea level rise.
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This pilot project will include outreach to other community land trusts and conservation professionals. In efforts to draw upon the most relevant information and tools, the team is drawing upon the resources of the national Land Trust Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, and habitat conservation programs in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

This project links with the R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council's initiative to promote living shorelines as an adaptation and coastal management tool.