How Does Climate Change Affect Land Trusts?

Global temperatures interact with nearly all aspects of our climate, from the amount and timing of precipitation to storm and wind intensity. These effects — known as climate change impacts — are happening faster than in previous periods of climate change. As a result, there are concerns that both human and natural systems may be unable to adapt to changing conditions.

Climate affects the distribution and abundance of plant and animal species, as well as the health and integrity of ecosystems. As climate changes, species may:

• Stay put, and find ways to adapt to changing conditions;
• Move to areas where conditions are tolerable;
• Decline in population, as individuals die off or fail to reproduce.

The specific impacts of climate change will vary by region. The following resources explain climate impacts by region.

• Regional climate change impacts, US Global Change Research Program
• Wildlife and Wildlands Toolkit, US Global Change Research Program
• Regional Impacts of Climate Change, Pew Climate (PDF)

Learn about how climate change could impact land trusts:

• Explore current and predicted impacts of climate change
• Plan for climate change
• Adapt land trust practices for resilience in a climate-changing world