Translating climate science into urban conservation action Abigail Derby Lewis The Field Museum, Science Action Center Chicago Wilderness, Climate Action Initiative

Photo: IDNR S. Ballard Photo: IDNR R.Simpson Flickr Creative Commons

Chicago Wilderness Climate Action climate.chicagowilderness.org

Chicago Wilderness Climate Action climate.chicagowilderness.org Conservation of Urban Biodiversity Under Climate Change: Climate-Informed Management for Chicago Green Spaces

Lurie Garden Changes in precipitation patterns (wetter winters and springs; drier summers) Increases in extreme storm events (e.g., rain, snow, wind) Increases in the number of extreme heat days in summer (In a high-emissions scenario, 32 days > 90° by mid-century) Winters becoming “less cold” (average nighttime lows increasing; less ice cover = increased beach erosion) Source: Hayhoe et al. Journal of Great Lakes Research, What Can We Expect?

Lake Michigan Water warmed by 3.3°F Winter air temperatures over lake warmed by 2.7°F Ice cover reduced by 77% Jan 2012, National Weather Service Wang et al 2012

1990 map Based on map Based on  Within next several decades: 5b – 6a*  By end of century: 6b (L) – 7a (H) *Irrespective of future emissions scenarios (Hellmann et al. 2010) The 2012 map is generally ½ zone warmer than previous map throughout much of the US

Flooding Impacts- Midwest

Climate Impacts: Biodiversity  Direct effects  Temperature  Precipitation  Increased intensity of weather events  Indirect effects  Range shifts  Predators/disease/invasives  Timing of important annual cycle events ( Lymantria dispar ) ( Baptisia leucantha )

Climate Impacts: People  Direct effects  Temperature: heat-related diseases  Indirect effects  Increased intensity of weather events:  Flooding affecting residences, public transportation, bridges  Electricity shortages and changes in energy demands  Municipal costs such as landscaping, road maintenance, emergency response

Chicago Wilderness Climate Action

Chicago– Milwaukee Corridor

Chicago Wilderness Climate Action

More extreme rain events increased inputs of nutrients, pollutants, and sediments increased freq of channel-forming events scouring of aquatic habitats Increased flashiness surface water flow flooding headward erosion run off

Near-term * Mid-term * Long-term Adaptation Actions ImpactsStressorsGoal Stormwater Water Quality Habitat Monitoring Stormwater Water Quality Habitat Management Contractors Residential Municipalities Outreach

City Hall rooftop Lurie Garden Humboldt Park Northerly Island

Urban Climate Action  Convened based on need expressed by resource managers  27 people, 15 organizations, 9 City Departments (AKA “Climate Fellows”)  3 Climate Clinics

Urban Climate Action Identifying climate-sensitive decisions What planning and management actions could reduce a site’s vulnerability to specific climate-related impacts?  Drought and heat stress  Extreme storms (e.g., precipitation flashiness and flooding)  Loss of key functional system or species

Urban Forest Climate Response

Thank you! Contact info: Abigail Derby Lewis