INTERIOR ALASKA PARKS

Post-Workshop Brainstorming Session:

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

May 9, 2012

Climate Change Planning in Alaska’s National Parks

Common Issues

Education Co-management Cooperation at local level Budget issues Data coordination Monitoring

Important Management ActionsImportant Common Management Actions between two groups

(1A & 1B)Revisit management policiesIdentify bottlenecks to change in mgmt and address need to expedite

processIncreased invasive/introduced species managementCooperative planning with tribes to address changing resources, etc.Policy and harvest regulations for new speciesAdjust harvest regulations and seasons for traditional speciesCross-boundary collaborative approach – need to partner with other

countries, agencies, stakeholders, etc. Access planning (e.g., erosion)Development plan model (for permafrost, trails, road, access, facilities,

etc.) Increased development of alternative energy sources (response to

cost of fuel) Research and information needs common between two groups

(1A & 1B)Baseline data on river flow Baseline archeological research to address potential lossResearch on phonological timing/mis-timingIncrease capacity for interpretation/educationImproved monitoring = fire effects, glaciers, fisheries, megafaunaIncrease social science to reach technology and citizen scientists 

Other IssuesSecondary effects of ocean acidificationPredator controlLack of funding/personnel/support Economic limitations (beyond park funding, e.g. for communities)Increased pressure for resource extractionMotivate management to focus on climate change issuesMoose farming? Reindeer herding? More fish hatcheries?Wilderness designation?Pressure to redefine park boundaries/zoning (split up large parks?)Volcanic eruptions/earthquakesRS2477s becoming roadsPrepare for evolving health & safety issuesMore hazards management and training for NSF employees

Important Management Actions Assisted migration, e.g. wood bison – develop a

strategy Maintaining genetic diversity for core species (Dall

sheep) Managed fire and prescribed burns by park staff Creating interpretive materials, interacting with

existing and new educational groups, and direct one on one interactions

Big-picture planning Redo all park plans to be robust under climate

change Build new roads to improve recreation opportunities

and to offset lost visitors, and megafauna viewing Shift the climbing season Explore and address issues for climbers given

basecamp challenges Build stewardship and contact with children Expand school programs with longer season Build capacity for climate change messaging Develop in-park messaging that addresses climate

change issues and implications to ensure improved and more consistent understanding among park staff

Engage more with subsistence leaders to improve understanding of chand and collaborate to create messages and garner support to address issues

Assisted migration, e.g. wood bison – develop a strategy Maintaining genetic diversity for core species (Dall sheep) Managed fire and prescribed burns by park staff Change the regulation process to be more flexible and

provide a quicker response to the needs of subsistence users. Work with SRC, OSM, RA

Foster and encourage subsistence lifestyles and sources of knowledg

More fuels reduction – firewise Greater work with communities Examine whether fire can be used as a tool to help avoid

catastrophic fires Partner with DEC to address health issues related to

smoke Research and information needs common between two

groups (2A & 2B) Identify and study ecological change so as to attribute

cause and effect, e.g. caribou fading due to CC not bus traffic. Collect into fon hunting seasons and wildlife viewing.

Improved monitoring of rare plants Assess human preferences and tolerances regarding

smoke and fire effects from natural and prescribed fire Anticipate consequences of ecological actions:

Bringing in bisonLosing caribou, Dall sheep, pika

Possible Products

Reportpros

Includes all details on process, results, scientific background, narratives, and discussion

Can be peer-reviewed; “official” Can also be made available on line

cons Too long and unwieldy for many

audiences Expensive to produce (full color

printing, binding, etc.

Possible Products

Posterpros

Includes some details on process, results, scientific background, narratives, and discussion

Highly portable Many venues for presentation; wide

range of audiences Can also be made available on line

cons Too brief to convey the full depth of

the process and results Can’t fully convey narratives Risk of misinterpretation

Possible Products

Video/Youtubepros

Can be made available on line Appealing and accessible to a wide

range of audiences; compelling Excellent format for narratives

cons Risk of misinterpretation May be considered less “official” or

“serious” Difficult to include all information and

background

Possible Products

CurriculumTrainingsCommunity meetingsWorkshopsAudio/podcastOther?

Links to SNAP products

Maps, graphs, and charts of climate projections

By region or by parkTemperature, precipitation,

season length, thaw, freeze, other?

Central AlaskaDate of Freeze Projections

5-model averageA1B scenario

2010s

2050s 2090s

Central AlaskaDate of Thaw Projections

5-model averageA1B scenario

2010s

2050s 2090s

Central AlaskaLength of Growing Season Projections

5-model average A1B scenario

2010s

2050s 2090s

Links to public education topics

PDO education Poorly informed public Strong impacts on perception of climate change

Links to public education topics

Fire Public knowledge? Effects on tipping

points

Bettles fire 2004 http://www.wunderground.com/wximage/AlaskaMark/11?gallery=

http://neven1.typepad.com/blog/arctic-storms/

Links to public education topics

Rain vs Snow and Extreme Events Important in workshop

process Uncertain Important Effects on tipping

points

Surveys

Audiences?Questions to ask?Information gaps?Ways to use the results?NPS limits on surveys

Other groups that can do this?

The power of story“Pretty Sunsets” / Is There Anyone Out There?

Look at that sunset . Pretty ain't it ... Damn! Sometimes I wish I were not so beautiful.Sometimes people just see the beauty, but they don't really see me.Name's Gaia ... People call me Mother Earth ... or you can call me “The land.”

(Waves dismissively) Whatever ...Whatever ... That would sum up my life today: "Whatever"

Let me tell you:I've always tried to take care of myself. I had a lot of self-control. (Straightens up)Sure, I'd go through phases - doesn't everybody - but I kept it together.But now, I'm not so sure. I'm starting to feel out of balance.(aside) Whew, it's hot in here. Are you hot?

Used to be I felt I had plants on all the right places.Tall trees, willows, beautiful little tundra flowers of all different colors ...And berries - oo-oo Baby! I was fecund!But then things started to change. It's like my soul just dried up.All of a sudden I've got shrubs squeezing out my grasses and flowers….

…(continued)

The power of song

The Northland is a Changin’ Come gather round peopleWherever you roamAnd admit that the waters Around you have goneAnd accept it that soon You’ll be dry to the boneIf your salmon to you Are worth savin’Then start takin’ a standOr the fish will be goneFor the rivers they are a changin’…

…(continued)

The power of maps

An interpretive guide to Denali National Park Last updated April 17, 2050

Landscapes of Change

Subsistence

North Road

South Road

FireTrails

Permafrost/Wetlands

Wood Bison

Interpreting Landscape ChangeIn the past several decades, (starting in 2011) we have developed an integrated set of interpretive and educational materials focused on the issue of Denali’s changing landscapes in response to climate change. We use a variety of different resources including paired historical-recent photos, quantitative data from the parks long term vegetation monitoring program, and materials from various scientific research studies to develop a suite of exhibits and information about how the Park landscape has changed over time in response to the changing climate. The flagship product from this work is the “climate change holodeck” which allows visitors to experience several decades of accelerated vegetation change in a sensaround 3D virtual reality environment. For example, the visitor can experience first-hand the thrill of repeated high-intensity crown fires that have occurred in the warmed park landscape. The products will include displays at the visitors center, web exhibits, technical reports to communicate the changes that have occurred in the Park.

Subsistence

North Road

South Road

FireTrails

Permafrost/Wetlands

Wood Bison

SubsistenceDenali subsistence users have worked with NPS managers to modify hunting laws and policy to adapt as much as possible to the warmer and more moist climate we see today. Examples of the changes include broader hunting seasons and harvest methods that better mimic natural predation. The park managers have worked with subsistence users to help communicate these changing subsistence patterns to the public so that they can better understand the role of subsistence in a changing world. Working together we have been able to maintain subsistence as a viable lifestyle and continue the connectivity of people to the land.

Missing Links

Players not at the table Lacking full personal buy-in at all

levels Some superintendants were not

there – high level managers needed

Businesses/concessions

Shortened training process How would a one-day workshop

work? People need to leave the

workshop with definite follow-up tasks to take back to the park

More communities Understanding of culture and

values Place-based education

Decision Tree, with uncertainty

Next Steps

Come up with some kind of worksheet that inserts scenario planning into general planning

Three days is NOT too long if people are personally invested in the process and in carrying forward the goals defined during the workshop Everyone needs an assignment – a personal action step, and

perhaps a 6-month group goal and a one year group goal

This should be clear on day oneUsing the scenario planning process in other areas

Empowering people in other planning, not necessarily climate change related

How do we change how we do business?