Webinar: Insights from the Lake Superior Coastal Wetlands Climate Resiliency Study
April 21, 2025 1:00 PM CT
Great Lakes coastal wetlands are diverse and dynamic ecosystems that have developed to function under disturbances at the interface of terrestrial and aquatic systems. However, climate change is projected to alter these disturbances outside their historical ranges, subjecting coastal wetlands to warmer temperatures, more extreme precipitation events, larger fluctuations in lake levels, and increased wind and wave action. These changes present challenges for natural resource managers who must navigate wetland management, preservation, and adaptation with limited resources.
Join Mike Smale of Wisconsin Sea Grant, along with Cherie Hagen and Madeline Magee of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, as they introduce a climate change vulnerability assessment framework using Lake Superior as a pilot study. This framework estimates the relative sensitivity of Great Lakes coastal wetland habitats to the anticipated effects of climate change. By integrating data from the Coastal Wetlands Monitoring Program (CWMP), state databases, scientific literature, and expert input, this study assesses wetland sensitivity, adaptive capacity, and resiliency. These insights help inform adaptation tactics and may assist in prioritizing management efforts and distributing limited funds in the Lake Superior basin. This approach can then be replicated across other Great Lakes systems.
Join the Lake Superior Collaborative in learning from our partners at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Office of Great Waters. Together, we will explore this framework and how to access and use the data to support wetland management efforts across the Great Lakes.
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