Climate Change

Major climatic changes have occurred in recent decades with visible and measurable consequences in Alaska.  The effects of these changes on Alaskan flora and fauna challenge Service mandates to conserve the fish, wildlife, and plant resources in its trust.  The Alaska Region is taking a leadership role within the Fish and Wildlife Service in its efforts to facilitate proactive collaboration and integration among programs, partners and stakeholders, and incorporation of climate change into decision-making.

Recommended Reading
Alaska Region Climate Change Update

U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service / U. S. Geological Survey
Climate Change Forum for Alaska
February 21 - 23, 2007

More than 250 representatives from the USFWS and the USGS, as well as partner organizations and agencies attended the one-day technical session of the USFWS/USGS Climate Change Forum for Alaska, and 100 Alaska Region and Alaska Science Center staff participated in two days of intra-agency discussions of how the agencies should incorporate climate change into research, monitoring, and management directions.  This forum was seen as the first step in a process for identifying and adopting proactive strategies for addressing climate change in the region.

2007 Climate Change Forum Executive Summary 2007 Climate Change Forum final report  
Additional materials from the Climate Change Forum

Executive Roundtable, February 22, 2007

Concurrent with the Climate Change Forum leaders from six federal agencies, including National and Regional Directors from the FWS and USGS, three state agencies, and the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, convened the first Executive Roundtable, to seek collaborative opportunities to address the challenges climate change is presenting across the state.