Summit Announced on North Bay Climate Adaptation

North Bay residents, policy makers, and scientists are invited to learn more about how a changing climate will impact Sonoma County, what can be done to prepare for these changes, and about the evolving arena of climate adaptation as a response to climate change. The North Bay Climate Adaptation Initiative will host a community summit titled “Sonoma County Taking the Heat—Adapting Our Communities and Environment for Climate Change” at Pepperwood Preserve’s Dwight Center for Conservation Science on November 3 and 4, 2011. This event is free to the public but registration is required. Participants can register on-line at http://northbayclimatesummit2011.eventbrite.com/.

Thursday, November 3, will feature scientific presentations from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. focused on potential impacts to our watersheds, flora and fauna, and protected habitats. Friday, November 4, will feature interactive panels from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on how climate change may impact local communities in terms of critical services like food production and public health. The event will close November 4 with a keynote lecture by watershed expert Brock Dolman at 7 p.m.

Lunch will be provided both days and a reception will be held each afternoon following the presentations. The summit will be held at Pepperwood Preserve, an ecological institute dedicated to educating, engaging, and inspiring its community through science-based conservation, leading-edge research, and multidisciplinary educational programs. To find directions and more information about Pepperwood and its programs, please visit http://www.pepperwoodpreserve.org/.

The North Bay Climate Adaptation Initiative (NBCAI) is a coalition of natural resource managers, policy makers, and scientists committed to working together to create positive solutions to the problem of climate adaptation for the ecosystems and watersheds of Sonoma County. Members represent multiple organizations from throughout the region. Our goal is to pilot an approach in Sonoma County that can be extended throughout the North Bay as a whole. NBCAI’s vision is that the San Francisco North Bay will retain resilient, biologically diverse natural systems that provide lasting ecosystem functions and services into the future.

Key partners involved with the North Bay Climate Adaptation Initiative include the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, Sonoma Ecology Center, Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District, Pepperwood Preserve, and Sonoma Land Trust. Generous support for this event has been provided by Community Foundation Sonoma County, Global Genesis, and the Fledgling Fund. To learn more about the November summit and NBCAI, please go to http://northbayclimate.org/.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

North Bay Climate Adaptation Summit
Thursday, November 3 & Friday, November 4, 2011
Pepperwood Preserve, 3450 Franz Valley Road, Santa Rosa, CA, 95404

Learn about the latest climate projections for Sonoma County and discuss the implications of these changes to our lives. Attendees can register for either day of this FREE event or for both days together. Lunch is provided and a afternoon reception will also take place each afternoon. Friday evening will conclude with a keynote talk featuring Brock Dolman from the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center.

Day 1: Thursday, November 3
State of Climate Adaptation Science—Implications for North Bay Ecosystems and Watersheds

• 9:00 a.m. — Climate Projections: Hydrology, Vegetation, and Habitat Corridors
• 12:30 p.m. — Lunch (Provided)
• 1:30 p.m. — Monitoring and Adaptation Strategies for Ecosystems
• 4:30 p.m. — Afternoon Reception

Day 2: Friday, November 4
Sonoma County Taking the Heat—Adapting Our Communities and Environment for Climate Change

• 9:00 a.m. — Climate Impacts and Ecosystem Services
• 11:00 a.m. — Options for Local Government Response
• 12:00 p.m. — Lunch (Provided)
• 1:00 p.m. — Panel Discussion: Adapting Working Landscapes
• 2:00 p.m. — Panel Discussion: Protecting Community Health
• 3:00 p.m. — Group Discussion: Options for a Community Climate Adaptation Plan
• 4:30 p.m. — Afternoon Reception
• 6:00 p.m. — Dwight Center Open House and Jack Stuppin Landscape Painting Exhibit
• 7:00 p.m. — Evening Keynote: Brock Dolman on “How To Think Like a Watershed”

This summit is hosted by the North Bay Climate Adaptation Initiative with generous support from Community Foundation Sonoma County, The Fledgling Fund, and Global Genesis.