Research Highlights

Summary

The Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperative (SRLCC) is a self-directed partnership consisting of state and federal agencies, tribes and non-governmental organizations that own and/or manage natural and cultural resources. SRLCC partners adopted a strategic conservation framework, identified geographic focal areas, and focal cultural and natural resources that guides SRLCC investments.

The Forest Service’s Rocky Mountain Research Station joined with the SRLCC to develop science and tools that address partner identified needs for management at the landscape scale. As part of this effort, the SRLCC conducted two Adaptation Forums in May 2016, in Durango, Colo., and Albuquerque, N. Mex., to deliver and develop relevant science and decision support tools for practitioners based on previous and ongoing SRLCC projects. During these forums, scientists met with federal, state and private land managers to identify priority management issues and focal areas for vulnerability assessment and adaptation options of locally significant resources. Equipped with this information, the station is developing vulnerability assessments and associated data products for select conservation targets to assist landscape-planning efforts within the two geographic focus areas.

The station will continue its partnership with the SRLCC over the next two years to develop adaptation strategies that are both feasible and effective for reaching conservation targets of a wide range of partner organizations.