The Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science and USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub are offering the Forest Adaptation Planning and Practices training as an online course for urban foresters and natural resource managers (7, 1.5 hour sessions).
This unique opportunity provides hands-on training in considering climate change information and identifying adaptation actions for urban forestry and natural resources management professionals. Participants will receive coaching and feedback on their own real-world climate adaptation project.

Through this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Identify locally-important climate change impacts, challenges, and opportunities
• Develop specific actions to adapt urban ecosystems to changing conditions
• Use the Adaptation Workbook to create their own “climate-informed” projects
• Better communicate with stakeholders about key climate change impacts, challenges, and opportunities
• Access post-training support from NIACS staff during project planning and implementation

Who should participate?

This training is designed for urban natural resource professionals working in urban areas in the Midwest and Northeast. This includes county and municipal arborists and park managers, community forestry and urban conservation non-profits, and private consultants working on public, tribal, and private lands. Professionals providing extension, service forestry, or technical assistance to urban and community foresters and private property owners are also encouraged to participate. Individuals as well as small teams can participate in the course.
We ask participants to bring their own real-world projects. Example projects could include:

• a city or neighborhood urban forest master plan
• a restoration project in an urban natural area
• an urban development project that incorporates natural landscape features

Examples of Adaptation Demonstration projects that have used the Adaptation Workbook are online at www.forestadaptation.org/demos

How does the online course work?

The seven-week online course draws on a combination of regular webinars and discussions with all participants, as well as independent work time to create adaptation projects. Throughout the course, participants will develop (individually or in small groups) their own climate-informed adaptation project.

• Seven 1.5-hour web meetings bring together all course participants to present and discuss key concepts, as well as share insights and questions related to individual projects. We expect participants to attend all sessions, but meetings will be recorded for those who may need to miss a session. The meeting time will be determined based on the availability of participants.
• Assignments will guide participants through the new material, actively engaging them with recorded presentations, the online Adaptation Workbook, and other activities. Participants will be assigned work to complete before each session, which is generally expected to take 2-4 hours to complete.

Interested? Please register online by October 16, 2017

There is no registration fee thanks to support from the US Forest Service and USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub.

Course outline

Registered participants will receive instructions regarding how to prepare for the training in advance of the first meeting session. Prior to the training, participants will be asked to begin identifying a project to be used during the training and provide some additional information to course instructors.

Session 1 (November 7) — Introduction to the Online Course
 Course objectives, instructors, and agenda
 Introduction to the Adaptation Workbook tool (tutorial)
 Developing an adaptation project
 Learning from Adaptation Demonstration projects
 Assignment 1: Define project goals and objectives (complete in preparation for Session 1)

Session 2 (November 21) — Defining Project Goals and Objectives
 Defining project scope and management goals/objectives
 Assignment 2: Assess climate impacts and vulnerabilities.

Session 3 (December 5) — Understanding and Evaluating Climate Change Vulnerabilities
 Climate projections and impacts on tree species, ecosystems, and regions
 Prioritizing vulnerabilities of greatest concern for management goals/objectives
 Assignment 3: Evaluate objectives considering climate impacts.

Session 4 (December 19) — Evaluating Management Challenges and Opportunities
 Re-considering and revising management goals/objectives in light of climate challenges
 Practice articulating climate-adaptive management goals/objectives
 Assignment 4: Identify adaptation approaches and tactics.
 

Session 5 (January 2) — Identifying Adaptation Strategies, Approaches and Tactics
 Meeting existing demands while preparing for future conditions
 Developing specific and actionable management plans for climate-change adaptation
 Assignment 5: Monitor effectiveness of implemented actions.
 

Session 6 (January 16) — Monitoring and Evaluating Effectiveness
 Tools for measuring effectiveness of implemented adaptation actions
 Capitalizing on existing data, inventory or monitoring processes/partnerships
 Assignment 6: Complete adaptation project plans.
 

Session 7 (January 30) — Telling your Adaptation Story
 Summarizing and pitching adaptation plans to partners, clients, and others
 Next steps for implementation
 

International Society of Arboriculture and Society of American Foresters Continuing Forestry Education credits have been requested for this course.

Interested? Please register online by October 16, 2017 

There is no registration fee thanks to support from the US Forest Service and USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub.