Abstract

We all depend upon rural resources for food, water, fiber, and our economy. Extreme weather impacts rural lands and small towns but often is not addressed due to a lack of resources. Climate change accelerates the frequency and intensity of many extreme events. In the last few years, raging wildfires in the West and unprecedented flooding in the heartland have devastated forests, farms, fisheries, and watersheds. It is vital to meet the unique challenges and opportunities in rural, underserved jurisdictions. Complicating this challenge, political interests often do not align with addressing climate change per se. The Resilient Rural America Project (RRAP) is creating a series of training modules in partnership with rural leaders to serve their needs. In recent surveys, rural leaders identified extreme weather as their primary concern; the surveys also show existing planning processes as their preferred means to prepare for extreme weather. This webinar reviews RRAP’s approach to integrate extreme weather resilience into local comprehensive planning through risk assessment and implementation of practical resilience strategies. The training mainstreams the Steps to Resilience into rural planning using selected resources from the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit, EcoAdapt, Geos Institute, and the Model Forest Policy Program. Webinar participants will gain greater understanding of the importance of rural resilience, the barriers rural communities face, and new ways to advance rural resilience strategies.

Affiliated Organizations

EcoAdapt

EcoAdapt is at the center of climate change adaptation innovation. We provide support, training, and assistance to make conservation and management less vulnerable and more Climate Savvy. Over the past 200 years, great strides have been made in the world of conservation and now all of that is at risk because of climate change. EcoAdapt is working to ensure the success of these past efforts by delivering a framework for climate adaptation.

Read More

Model Forest Policy Program

Since “two-thirds” of U.S. fresh water originates on forested land, forest management, water resources and climate change go hand in hand. The Model Forest Policy Program (MFPP) is addressing the urgent issue of climate change by training climate resilient communities through its premiere training program, Climate Solutions University.

Read More

NOAA Climate Program Office

Established in October 2005, NOAA's Climate Program Office (CPO) provides strategic guidance and oversight for the agency's climate science and services programs. Designed to build knowledge of climate variability and change—and how they affect our health, our economy, and our future—the CPO's programs have three main objectives:

Read More