Most fields develop organically. A few people become interested in a common problem or idea, and gradually more and more people begin to play with ideas and approaches until the topic grows into a “discipline.” Generally there is no mandate to create a new field, rather individuals start working in an unilluminated corner of an existing field until suddenly one day there are a lot of people working in that corner and it’s taken on a life of its own. Conservation biology started this way. Conservation practitioners were just regular biologists and ecologists who started noticing that there were anthropogenic threats to the species or ecosystems they were studying. This began to worry them—either for moral reasons (“Oh this is not good for the planet”) or personal (“Oh this is not good for the future of my research”). Whatever the reason these scientists started thinking about how to ameliorate these threats and voilà, conservation biology was born.



Climate change adaptation is taking a different path. First, the field was created before there were practitioners. International bodies working to identify the effects of climate change and to create legal frameworks for the solutions deemed it to exist. And so it was. But for over a decade there was no there there. Second, we're on a runaway train and there is no time for slow methodical development of the field. As this train rapidly speeds down the track more and more change is occuring and our options to create a good place from which to adapt and to pick adaptive rather than maladaptive tracks will diminish. The way forward needs a jumpstart, a shortcut and an intellectual stimulus package. Unfortunately this is going to have to be a do it yourself kit because there is no big master plan afoot to make this happen. However there are a lot of great people and pieces out there that can all get put together to make the change we need a reality. So let’s take a look at what’s around.

Pilot projects!



There are lots of people starting to tackle the reality of climate change in their conservation and resource management work. Some people are doing this because they have long-term vision and anticipate that acting now will be better (success- and cost-wise) than acting later. Others are doing this because the reality of climate change is staring them in the face. For example, if you manage one of the three species listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act because of climate change you’re obligated to think about it. If you live in a coastal community or manage a coastal reserve and you already see the effects of sea level rise and salt water intrusion you need to change the way you manage water resources and zone development. Learning how other people are taking on these challenges can not only motivate you to act but you can glean the details, find the information you’ve been looking for or learn how to make decisions even when you can’t get what you want.





Tools!



There is a lot of climate data already out there. Unfortunately it’s often hard to find, hard to access, hard to understand or hard to determine how to use. As a result, a frequent fallback position by conservation practitioners and resource managers is that they need more data before they can take action. While it is always nice to have more data, the truth of the matter is that you will never have enough data to erase uncertainty and we make decisions using best available data all the time. Yes, sometimes they are wrong, but sometimes they are right and the key is developing ways of implementing management and conservation plans so that you can make corrections when you learn new things, rather than just waiting to act. Remember that train we're on? Well, it is still racing down the track and our control of it isn't getting any better by taking a wait-and-see approach.





Peers!



You don’t have to go it alone. There are plenty of people out there struggling with these issues. Some are boldly innovating, some are happening upon approaches they didn’t even realize they were trying and others have their fingers crossed. If these people start talking to each other, or at least occasionally check out what others are doing, we might come across some quantum leaps forward in how we reshape conservation and resource management in the age of climate change. Where do new ideas come from? People. Find some near you!





So why am I writing about all of this? Well there are two endeavors that are starting up—CAKE and DataBasin’s Climate Center. CAKE (also known as the Climate Adaptation Knowledge Exchange) is your online adaptation destination, a place to find your way in the world of adapting your work to climate change. You’ll be able to find case studies through a georeferenced data base, important papers, reports and books through a virtual library, the names of adaptationists near you in the directory, a space for dialogue with others grappling with similar climate-related issues, and guidance about where to go to get more information. One of those places to get more information is DataBasin. Many of the case studies in CAKE will include mention of the methods and data that were used to create them. While it is nice to know they exist, it’s even nicer to easily find those data and use them yourself if they seem relevant. DataBasin allows you to do just that. In fact it aims to make data accessible to people who need to use it. We’re hoping it helps people bypass the step where they say there is not enough data and allows them to find the kind of information that will help new innovation get started.





OK, so that’s some of what we need. When do we need it? IMMEDIATELY.





Please make good use of these resources and talk to the people creating them to make them what you need. CAKE and DataBasin are in the development stage. Your opinions now can help create functional tools to help you and your colleagues. Remember, you are the solution. The train may be going fast but its up to us to develop ways to slow it down.