Climate Adaptation for DoD Natural Resource Managers

This guide and the accompanying adaptation planning worksheets can help Department of Defense installation managers incorporate climate considerations into integrated natural resource management plans.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) owns or manages more than 25 million acres of land, representing a wide array of natural ecosystems that support numerous rare and endangered species. These lands are critical to maintaining the nation’s security by supporting military training and testing that can take place under realistic conditions. Over the coming decades, DoD installations will experience significant impacts from climate change, which could compromise their capacity to support the military mission and undermine DoD’s ability to protect and restore native species and ecosystems.

This downloadable guide can help DoD installation managers prepare for and reduce climate-related vulnerabilities and risks. The guide provides an overview of how climatic changes may impact military lands and resources, and offers a structured process for incorporating climate considerations into Integrated Natural Resource Management Plans (INRMP)—legally required planning documents that outline how each installation will conserve and manage its natural resources.