Overview

The Northwest Climate Science Center (NW CSC) was established in 2010 by the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to address the challenges presented by climate change and variability in the northwestern United States. The center is a federally-led research collaboration hosted by three major universities: Oregon State University, University of Washington, and University of Idaho. In addition to the host institutions, the NW CSC also includes important partner institutions.

The Northwest CSC brings together the expertise of federal and university scientists to address climate change priority needs of federal, state, and tribal resource managers. Its purpose is to provide scientific information, tools, and techniques that managers and other parties interested in land, water, wildlife and cultural resources can use to anticipate, monitor, and adapt to climate change.

These institutions provide expertise in climate science, ecology, impacts assessment, modeling, urban environments, and advanced information technology. This expertise is needed to deal with climate issues in the Northwest, where changes in temperature and precipitation could have significant effects on streams, forests, agricultural lands, and the Pacific Coast, in addition to the fish, wildlife, and human communities supported by these environments.

Oregon State University will serve as the central location and administrative center for the NW CSC. USGS will locate scientific and administrative staff there and will distribute additional research staff at the affiliated host institutions. Other research organizations have been invited to station scientists at the NW CSC host institutions.