Study of Climate Change Impacts on Cultural Landscapes in the Pacific West Region

Project ID: P15AC01594

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Partner Institution: University of Oregon

Fiscal Year: 2015

Initial Funding: $79,358

Total Funding: $122,267

Project Type: Research

Project Disciplines: Interdisciplinary

National Park: Pacific West Region

Principal Investigator: Melnick, Robert

Agreement Technical Representative: Germano, Vida

Abstract: This is a collaborative project between the University of Oregon and the National Park Service (NPS) to identify potential climate change impacts (i.e., exposure and sensitivity) for cultural landscapes in the NPS Pacific West Region. This project will be conducted in multiple phases. Phase 1 will involve: 1) gathering climate change projections data, 2) identifying anticipated climate change impacts, 3) identifying character-defining features projected to be impacted, and 4) identifying stabilization measures to improve the resilience of those character-defining features to climate change phenomena (or climate trends). This project is a starting point in identifying the most vulnerable cultural landscapes in the NPS Pacific West Region and stabilization techniques for those character-defining features that have the greatest risk of being impacted by climate change. Th1s project will use the framework identified in the manual entitled “Climate Change and Cultural Landscapes: Research, Planning, and Stewardship.” Expected products include new information required to document climate change impacts for all existing cultural landscape inventories within the Pacific West Region, and a project report that includes 5 to 7 case studies with climate change impacts and recommended management strategies to address these impacts.