The USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center (NCCWSC) and DOI Climate Science Centers (CSCs) are designed and implemented as partner-driven enterprises. At the national and regional level, major guidance on priorities and activities is provided by ongoing interactions with stakeholders from the management, science, and public communities. The initial design of the “small headquarters plus regional centers” model for NCCWSC and the CSCs was developed in a highly participatory fashion (see report from 2008-2009 stakeholder workshop series here).
CSC Stakeholder Advisory Committees
Each of the eight Climate Science Centers will convene a Stakeholder Advisory Committee, comprised of representatives from Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (see below) and other management and science entities in the region. The Stakeholder Advisory Committee will provide input on local and regional science needs and priorities arising from management plans and concerns, and serve as a venue for coordination of science undertaken at the CSC or by partner organizations in response to management needs.
Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs)
Landscape Conservation Cooperatives are locally established and governed cooperatives that bring together managers and scientists for conservation planning and application of science to management. LCCs are a major component of the Department of the Interior’s Climate Change strategy. Learn More
Universities
Climate Science Centers are joint Federal-university partnerships; each CSC includes one or more universities, which provide significant intellectual input on scientific directions of the CSC, undertake scientific activities in response to CSC requests, and provide valuable training for undergraduate and graduate students and post-doctoral researchers on projects related to the CSC.
Other Management and Science Partners
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): The Department of the Interior and Department of Commerce (within which NOAA is located) have entered into an agreement to collaborate on a variety of climate and science activities. NCCWSC and the CSCs are working on a range of activities under this agreement.
- USDA Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service is both a land / resource management agency with climate-science needs, and a significant scientific partner with which NCCWSC and the CSC network share many common scientific challenges. One notable interaction involves a set of joint USGS-USFS projects in the Northwest and Southeast. Learn More
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): NASA conducts extensive space-based research and observation activity that complements USGS activities and interests. In one example, USGS was a contributor to a significant NASA extramural research grant. Learn More
Advisory Committee on Climate Change and Natural Resources Science (ACCCNRS)
The Department of the Interior has invited nominations for membership on a Federal Advisory Committee to provide guidance and input to the operation of the NCCWSC and CSC network. For more information, please click here.