The Adaptation Workbook, created by the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, is a structured process that helps land management professionals and land owners consider the potential effects of climate change on forests, urban forests, and agricultural lands. This approach enables users to design management, stewardship, and conservation actions to prepare for changing conditions while also meeting their goals and objectives. The flexible process accommodates a wide variety of geographic locations, ownership types, ecosystems and land uses, management goals, and project sizes.

The Adaptation Workbook structured process.

The Adaptation Workbook consists of five basic steps:

1. Define goals and objectives.
2. Assess climate impacts and vulnerabilities.
3. Evaluate objectives considering climate impacts.
4. Identify adaptation approaches and tactics for implementation.
5. Monitor effectiveness of implemented actions.

In addition to leading users through this process, the Adaptation Workbook also integrates additional resources to inform decision making. Information from the Third National Climate Assessment and other sources provide a starting point for users to consider how their particular project area may be vulnerable to changing conditions. The tool provides a different “menu” of adaptation strategies and approaches for forestry, urban forestry, and agriculture projects to help users develop specific actions to meet their unique needs. Embedded tutorials provide helpful tips for completing each step.

The Workbook is designed for land managers and natural resource professionals, but motivated landowners will also be able to use it. People with clear management goals and knowledge about their local ecosystems can use the Workbook, whether they are making management decisions for individual properties or for a broad landscape.