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Climate Change Adaptation for Coastal National Wildlife Refuges

saltwater marsh in setting sun

Project Information

Project Completion:  August 2019; This project has now been completed. 
This Project is Phase II of Understanding Conservation Management Decisions in the Face of Sea-Level Rise Along the U.S. Atlantic Coast.
Implements Science Plan Theme: 2, 4 & 5
Principal Investigator(s):
Mitch Eaton, Southeast Climate Science Center
Jennifer Constanza, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, NC State University
Fred Johnson, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, USGS
Julien Martin, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, USGS
Laura Taylor, Center for Environmental and Resource Economic Policy and Department of Agriculture and Resources Economics, NC State University

Key Points

  • Community engagement with diverse groups in South Carolina’s Lowcountry
  • Used community engagement to guide several research directions
  • Made models and projections for impacts of climate change on coastal communities

Overview

Human development is changing coastal ecosystems in the eastern US. This includes the drainage of wetlands, changes in sediment supply, and loss of habitat. Global changes like sea-level rise (SLR) and climate change also impact the region. These changes limit the ability of ecological and social systems to respond to disturbance. 

This project fostered active engagement with stakeholders in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. We developed a comprehensive problem definition that expressed local values and knowledge. To address local impacts of global change, we established the Cape Romain Partnership for Coastal Conservation. This partnership includes federal and state resource agencies, local conservation NGOs and groups representing underserved community interests. 

Discussions with partnership members created several research topics. We focused on quantifying key drivers of change. We made local SLR projections and how SLR will amplify hurricane inundation. We also studied urban growth projections and impacts on management. Additional research focused on informing coastal planning. We made models for understanding land-use change. These models show impacts on flooding, ecosystem services, and forest management. We also considered how uncertainty and risk impacts long-term investments in land protection.

Our community engagement showed a complex relationship between society and the environment. We must consider cultural heritage and quality of life in adaptation planning. Broad stakeholder participation is essential for adapting to global change.

View a SE CASC Science Seminar Series presentation summarizing this project:

More Information

  • Project Fact Sheet: Building Adaptive Capacity in a Coastal Region Experiencing Global Change: A case study in the coastal plain region of South Carolina.
  • Francis Marion National Forest: Adapting to Climate Change. This story map describes how climate change is transforming the region; how land changes and urbanization are affecting the area; and how land managers can improve the resilience of these lands to changing conditions. It was a collaboration between USGS and USFS, based largely on work done for the Cape Romain Partnership for Coastal Conservation and the Francis Marion National Forest Management Plan.

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