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Confluence Natural Area, Highland Farm Road, Hillsborough, NC

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Aerial photo of Confluence Natural Area, including "Big Meadow," currently an agricultural field, taken in April 2024.

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Confluence Natural Area, Highland Farm Road, Hillsborough, NC

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Confluence Natural Area, Highland Farm Road, Hillsborough, NC

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The Confluence Natural Area is a 272-acre nature preserve featuring roughly 6 miles of trails which is owned and managed by the Eno River Association. The landscape is predominantly forest, but also includes roughly 16 acres of active agricultural fields, in addition to another 25 acres of abandoned agricultural fields in various stages of succession.

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1323-1301 Wilson Point Rd, Cape Vincent, NY 13618, USA

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1323-1301 Wilson Point Rd, Cape Vincent, NY 13618, USA

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1323-1301 Wilson Point Rd, Cape Vincent, NY 13618, USA

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Schmeer Preserve LTA Climate Change Webinar Summary

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Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry, County Road 19-250, Salem, MO

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Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry, County Road 19-250, Salem, MO

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Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry, County Road 19-250, Salem, MO

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The Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry, part of Pioneer Forest, owned by L-A-D Foundation, is 62,000 acres and is the largest contiguous piece of land under any ownership, public or private, in the state of Missouri. The Backcountry protects a significant portion of the Current River watershed in the Ozark Highlands of southern Missouri where some of the Backcountry's river frontage is managed under easement as part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, America's first national river park. It includes the watersheds of Big Creek, Brushy Creek, and Blair Creek that feed into the Current River. It is a karst region with losing streams, caves, and springs and includes an outlier of igneous rock, adding to the diversity of natural communities. Its forests and woodlands are managed by Pioneer Forest’s uneven-aged forest management and several natural communities of pine-oak woodland and glades are actively being restored with cedar thinning, understory removal and prescribed fire.

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Westport Prairie, Bong Road, Waunakee, WI

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Westport Prairie, Waunakee, WI - Groundswell Conservancy

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Westport Prairie, Waunakee, WI - Groundswell Conservancy

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In southeastern Wisconsin, under a mile half-mile of ice, thousands of elongated hills known as drumlins formed parallel to the ice sheet’s advance. In pre-European settlement days the Empire Prairie blanketed this landscape in northern Dane and southern Columbia counties with a rich tapestry of grasses and flowers. Now, very little of that once-vast prairie remains; but one place does: Westport Prairie. This remnant of the once vast Empire Prairie has been permanently preserved thanks to the efforts of Groundswell, our conservation partners, and conservation-minded landowners.

Westport Prairie is a 227-acre wildlife area on the east side of Waunakee, WI. With 1.5 miles of trails, visitors are invited to explore the prairies and 14-acre drumlin. Recreation opportunities include wildlife viewing, cross country skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, hunting and trapping. Land at Westport Prairie is protected by the Wisconsin DNR and Groundswell Conservancy.

Groundswell manages Westport Prairie in partnership with local residents, The Prairie Enthusiasts, nearby Waunakee High School, Wisconsin DNR, and local governments. We maintain and improve Westport Prairie to connect people to the land and to each other.

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Westport Prairie - Groundswell Conservancy

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Westport Prairie is a 227-acre wildlife area on the east side of Waunakee, WI. With 1.5 miles of trails, visitors are invited to explore the prairies and 14-acre drumlin. Recreation opportunities include wildlife viewing, cross country skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, hunting and trapping. Land at Westport Prairie is protected by the Wisconsin DNR and Groundswell Conservancy.

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Twin Rivers Ranch Preserve near Shelton WA

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Twin Rivers Ranch Preserve near Shelton WA

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Twin Rivers Ranch Preserve is an approximately 125-acre, highly functional estuarine and freshwater habitat complex at the north end of Oakland Bay, approximately 5 miles north of Shelton, Washington. The property contains two miles of freshwater shoreline along the terminal stretches of two productive salmon streams: Deer Creek on the east, and Cranberry Creek on the west.  These creeks flow year round and are used by salmon for spawning. The property also contains 7,800 feet of marine/estuarine shoreline and 66 acres of wetlands, including estuarine habitat, salt marsh vegetation, tidal sloughs and tide flats between the mouths of the two streams. Soil is mostly silt, sand and gravel. The shoreline has no bulkheads, docks or other modifications. Upland portions of the property consist of freshwater and forested habitat and agricultural fields. The property provides crucial habitat for: five salmonid species; forage fish species; migratory and resident shorebirds, waterfowl and landbirds; shellfish; and other wildlife. This land was used by the Squaxin and other Salish tribes for fishing, hunting, and gathering berries & camas bulbs prior to the coming of white people into the area. It was a hunting lodge and then beef cattle ranch from 1916-1996. Capitol Land Trust purchased the land in 2010. Structures (mobile homes, barn, and bridge) were demolished. Volunteer work has helped maintain and restore the property. The overall goals is to establish a diverse mix of forest, riparian, prairie, and coastal habitat

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ITT Climate Adaptation Strategies and Approaches Summary

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Ted Stiles Preserve, Titusville, NJ 08560, USA

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Ted Stiles Preserve, Titusville, NJ 08560, USA

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Ted Stiles Preserve, Titusville, NJ 08560, USA

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The Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space has been stewarding this preserve in partnership with Mercer County Parks for about 15 years. There are a wide variety of rare species, for this example we are focusing on rock outcrops and surrounding forest/woodlands that support Northern Copperheads, Green Violet, Yellow Giant Hyssop, and Eastern Redbud. Significant threats are posed by overabundant deer and invasive species. Within this context, we will explore climate impact strategies that dovetail with existing stewardship efforts.

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CBow Ridge is a 1600 ac permanently conserved property owned by Greenbelt Land Trust. This property bridges the Willamette Valley and the West Cascades ecoregions, rising 1800 feet from the valley floor to the ridge. It supports a diverse assemblage of strategic habitats of the Oregon Conservation Strategy (OCS), including over 550 ac of oak woodland, 14.5 miles of streams, plus grasslands and

conifer forest. CBow Ridge supports important plants and wildlife, many of which are Strategy Species in the OCS. The

property's size and connectivity to public forest lands make it an exceptionally valuable refugia and corridor for

wildlife.

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Blue Mountain Land Trust: Phipps Meadow 

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Blue Mountain Land Trust: Phipps Meadow 

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Phipps Meadow is a 279-acre fee land property located in Grant County, Oregon, in the southern Blue Mountain ecoregion. This region is characterized by hot and dry summers and relatively moist and cold winters. The property features 171-acres of mixed conifer forest, open-canopy sage-brush habitats, and 108 acres of wet meadow in the headwaters of the Middle Fork John Day (MFJD) River. Phipps Meadow boasts a diverse ecosystem with a documented presence of at least 15 invertebrate species, one amphibian species, one reptile species, 63 bird species, and 32 mammal, as well as Chinook salmon and steelhead trout.

River restoration is planned for 2026. Primary goals for restoration include, improve suitable area for juvenile salmonid rearing habitat, increase in-stream habitat complexity, improve riparian conditions, and protect existing high-quality wetland and spring habitat. BMLT is currently working on a prescriptive forest management plan for forest thinning in 2026 to improve upland habitat and increase the fire resiliency of the property.

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Skagit Land Trust Carsten Conservation Property

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Carsten Conservation Area is a small, beautiful .23 acre, 1,000-foot forested shoreline nestled between the shoreline of Fidalgo Bay to the west and Fidalgo Bay Road and State Route 20 Spur to the west, a busy transportation corridor for the City of Anacortes and San Juan Islands.  The property’s tidal lands are located within the Fidalgo Bay Aquatic Reserve managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, also held under title by the Skagit Land Trust.

The surrounding neighborhood is comprised of single family residences and conserved forest lands, as well as commercial and industrial properties, including March’s Point across the bay which is home to several large petroleum refinery operations.

The management goals of the Carsten Conservation Area are to provide connectivity and sense of belonging, maintain public access to nature, maintain ecological integrity, protect nearshore habitats and species, and improve shoreline function due to man-made hard armoring.

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The Walker Nut Farm is a property with a chestnut and pawpaw orchard, CRP and prairie ground, and a creek. The greatest climate impacts are hotter days and more erratic precipitations and storms. Longer growing seasons will improve the productivity of the orchard and prairies, but make them more vulnerable to drought. Soil erosion is also an increasing threat. Our future management must include maintaining perennial plantings and residual on Highly Erodible Soils.

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Serenola Forest Preserve - Idylwild Trailhead, Southwest 20th Terrace, Gainesville, FL

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Serenola Forest Preserve, Gainesville, FL

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Serenola Forest Preserve, Gainesville, FL

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I am shadowing this class as a resource assistant for the Office of Sustainability and Climate (Forest Service), but I have done previous work for Alachua Conservation Trust in Florida. One of our projects during my time there was reducing invasive coral ardisia (Ardisia crenata) cover on the Serenola Forest Preserve. This preserve was obtained by ACT in 2018, and it was previously neglected management-wise. Serenola is a mesic hammock, meaning it was historically dominated by native species such as live oak, southern magnolia, and beautyberry and holly species. Due to lack of management and disturbance, invasive species growth has increased. The main goals of my project were to reduce total invasive cover, plant native species, and expand recreation trails while accounting for resource protection.

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Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust Pocatello, ID 83204, USA

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Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust Pocatello, ID 83204, USA

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The Century Heights project is one our Land Trust's fee title properties that was set to become a subdivision. It is critical Mule Deer wintering ground and acts as a valuable buffer between the expanding city of Pocatello and its bordering public lands. The property faces an increased frequency of wildfires, more severe drought due to shorter winters with decreased precipitation and snowpack, increased takeover of invasive annuals and junipers, and total die off of sagebrush. -Lily Richards & Matt Lucia

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Approx. 18 acres

Much of the land area is within a public drinking supply wellfield and covers a certifiable vernal pool. Current conditions include beech, pine, and oak woodlands with vernal pool on the western side. Limited invasive species pressure. No public use at present; one encroachment issue is being rectified. Regional impacts include: Damage from insect pests or pathogens, increases in nonnative plant species, sea level rise, changes in species assemblages, and shorter, warmer winters. Local/site-specific impacts include Beach Leaf Disease, the threat of Southern Pine Beetle–already on Martha’s Vineyard, working its way up, and the threat of sea-level rise/coastal flooding. Nearly all beech trees are suffering from beech leaf disease, first discovered onsite in 2022. Currently observing trend, but likely to have to cut our losses as treatment is too costly (allow Transition). A field trip to Martha’s Vineyard will be conducted this week concerning the Southern Pine Beetle, and we are hopeful to gain insight on how to implement Resistance strategies. There is now a low-level foothold for invasive species on this property–a good opportunity to proactively maintain control of invasive growth.

Notes for implementation from Adaptation Strategies and Approaches menu (Forested watershed):

Enhance floodplain and wetland sites with a seed mix of species tolerant to both wet and dry conditions to enhance recovery after extreme or recurrent flooding to maintain system as species turnover and accommodate changing conditions (Brotherton and Joyce 2015).

Remove unhealthy individuals of a declining species in order to promote other species expected to fare better. This does not imply that all individuals should be removed, and healthy individuals of declining species can be retained as legacies

Anticipate and manage rapid decline of species with negative prognoses in both the short and long term (e.g., hemlock, ash) by having adequate seed stock of a desired replacement species expected to do well under future climate conditions.

Favor or plant species in wetlands that are resistant to desiccation, such as perennial species that spread by runners, and those with deep tap roots.

Favor or plant species in flood-prone settings that can tolerate more severe or lasting periods of inundation.

Underplanting a variety of native species on a site to increase overall species richness and provide more options for future management.

Planting flood-tolerant species, such as swamp white oak and silver maple, on sites that are expected to become more prone to flooding and that are currently not occupied by flood-tolerant species.

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868 Sinking Creek Road, Spring Mills, PA

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868 Sinking Creek Road, Spring Mills, PA

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868 Sinking Creek Road, Spring Mills, PA

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2024 Climate Adaptation for Land Trusts_Joel's Woods (ClearWater Conservancy)

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Cushing Conservation Area, Chestnut Street, Seekonk, MA

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Cushing Conservation Area, Chestnut Street, Seekonk, MA

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Cushing Conservation Area, Chestnut Street, Seekonk, MA

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Scarlett Springs Run Conservation Area is a 110 acre property that was donated to French Creek Valley Conservancy in 2020 by Tee and Sally Scarlett. The property was set to be mined for gravel but after many years of lawsuits and negotiations, the Scarlett's were able to purchase the acreage and later turn it over to FCVC. Several alkaline springs originate on the east side and flow into Edinboro Lake, along the way feeding several fen's and fen-like areas that host sensitive plant species.

The main climate related threat to the property include pressures from invasive pests such as hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), multiflora rose, phragmites and narrow leaf cattail. Other threats include longer periods of hotter drier weather and more frequent intense flooding.

To allow the land to be more resilient to these factors, we plant to treat specific stands of hemlock for HWA, restore a 17 acre ag field to forest using species that are predicted to be better suited to our future climate and increase species and structural diversity in 25 acres of even aged forest using silvicultural practices.

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Paavola Wetlands

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Paavola Wetlands Nature Area | Keweenaw Land Trust

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Located just outside of Hancock along US-41, our Paavola Wetlands Nature Area is home to frogs and turtles, wild irises and cattails, busy beavers, and dozens of species of songbirds and waterfowl. The central location of this nature area near the center of the Keweenaw Peninsula, along with its natural diversity and historic features, makes it a perfect outdoor classroom for both nature and cultural studies and exploration. A 15-acre beaver pond is surrounded by sedges, grasses, rushes, sweet gale, and willow. Upland species include leatherwood, birch, towering white pine, spruce, aspen, oak, and maple.

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The Angelus Block Preserve is disturbed Delhi sand dune habitat that supports the Delhi Sands flower-loving fly (Rhaphiomidas terminatus abdominalis) (DSF), a species listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act, and other species that co-occur with the DSF in Delhi Sand soil formation.

The site contains some native habitat, while a majority is dense non-native grasses, mustard, and verbesina. The site was entirely used as a citrus orchard as late as the 1940's, however the concrete irrigation piping and lack of vegetation is the only evidence that remains onsite.

The site is affected by drastic changes in annual weather patterns including multi-year drought periods and multi-year wet periods. Also, consistently hotter summers varying between dry or humid.

This affects restoration by increasing weed loads with heavy rains or decreasing seeding/planting survival in years of drought. We have tackled this by using a mix of methods including broadcast seeding, seed basins (small depressions where seeds are watered by hand in years lacking enough rain), and transplanting seedlings from one site to another (helpful in years when rain is lacking).

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Chocolate Bay Preserve - 5,200 acres of preserved lands with wetlands, prairies, and natural waterways associated with West Galveston Bay.

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Island Preserve, Island Preserve Walking Trail, Geneseo, NY

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Island Preserve, Island Preserve Walking Trail, Geneseo, NY

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Island Preserve, Island Preserve Walking Trail, Geneseo, NY

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The John W. Chanler Island Preserve in the village of Geneseo is a 59 acre parcel of land in Western Upstate New York. The parcel is divided into two sections, north and south of Cavalry Drive. The project was made possible through a landowner donation by siblings Oliver Chanler and Elizabeth Chatwin.

The Island Preserve is located in the Genesee Valley, a glacial valley just west of the Finger Lakes region. This region is considered a classic eastern American landscape consisting of rolling hills, centuries-old farms and forests, waterfalls and gorges, and the Genesee River (https://exploregeneseevalley.com/about)

The Island Preserve property features native grassland, shrubby fields, a forest 'island', and an idle agriculture field. The preserve neighbors Geneseo Central School District and is frequented by students of The State University of New York College at Geneseo.

The diverse ecosystem provides habitat for many birds, bats, pollinator insects, deer, and other animals.

Climate Adaptation Goals include restoring pollinator habitat by converting the idle agriculture field to a wildflower meadow. Combined, the native grassland and wildflower meadow provide a unique habitat refuge in Upstate New York, provides an opportunity for soil carbon storage, and can act as sink for both precipitation and heat.