By Tom Greco, Communications Specialist
Land and water managers in the Bay Area can now better prepare for the impacts of a shifting climate thanks to new research released by Pepperwood’s TBC3 (Terrestrial Biodiversity Climate Change Collaborative). TBC3 co-chair and UC Berkeley professor Dr. David Ackerly will share highlights of this ground-breaking research at a free lecture on Friday, May 2, 2014 at Pepperwood. The lecture begins at 7pm, preceded by an open house and light refreshments starting at 6:30pm. No advance registration is required. For directions please visit www.pepperwoodpreserve.org.
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| View of morning fog and the Mayacamas Mountains facing north as seen from Pepperwood's Three Tree Hill |
Pepperwood’s TBC3 is a group of over 30 interdisciplinary
scientists producing research that may just change the face of conservation
planning in our region. By “downscaling”
the most widely-recognized international climate projections, TBC3 has created a
set of high-resolution climate futures for the 10 Bay Area counties that
include the most recent data from the International Panel on Climate Change
released mid-April. This means that land and water managers can now see
how climate variables like precipitation or temperature are likely to change
over time for their local areas of interest.
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| Screen capture from the Bay Area Open Space Council's Conservation Lands Network Explorer website, which now hosts the new research released by TBC3 |
Users can choose from a range of different
climate scenarios, such as ones that assume higher or lower rates of global
carbon dioxide emissions. The potential uses for TBC3’s research include long
term planning for water resources, open spaces, agriculture, and emergency
preparedness. Sonoma and its neighboring
counties have just been awarded a “Climate Ready” grant from the California
Coastal Conservancy to apply TBC3 data to local government’s efforts to prepare
for potential climate change impacts.
At his lecture on May 2, Dr. Ackerly will draw on his
background in plant ecology and TBC3’s latest research to describe the
potential impacts of climate change on Bay Area forests, chapparal and
grasslands. How are the Bay Area’s landscapes likely to change, and will the
native plants we are familiar with be able successfully adapt to changes that
will occur? Dr. Ackerly will also discuss the new long-term research plots at
Pepperwood designed to monitor forest change over time. Dr. Ackerly recently
partnered with the Santa Rosa Junior College on a National Science Foundation
proposal to engage local college students in this “Climate Smart” research at
Pepperwood.
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| Dr. Ackerly (left) and TBC3 researchers survey a location at Pepperwood for one of 50 long-term forest monitoring plots |
Dr. Ackerly is
a professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at UC Berkeley and
co-chair of TBC3. His lab studies plant ecology and evolution, with an emphasis
on the native plants of California. His current work examines potential impacts
of climate change on biodiversity conservation and land management, with a
focus on the Bay Area. Dr. Ackerly is developing a new model that provides a
probabilistic approach to modeling patterns of vegetation in California, and
how these patterns may shift in the face of climate change.
Pepperwood is a leader in forging solutions to advance the health of Northern California’s
land, water and wildlife. Pepperwood’s
Dwight Center for Conservation Science produces cutting-edge research, provides
comprehensive environmental education for
all ages, and facilitates an innovative citizen
science initiative. We use our 3,200 acre nature preserve
as a living laboratory to engage students, volunteers, and scientists in
applied conservation. Our singular focus is applying science to safeguard the
future of nature for generations to come.
Pepperwood is located at 2130
Pepperwood Preserve Road approximately midway between the towns of Santa Rosa
and Calistoga off of Franz Valley Road and adjacent to Safari West. Please
carpool as parking is limited. For more information about Pepperwood and its
programs, please visit www.pepperwoodpreserve.org.
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