How climate change will impact recreation in the Pacific Northwest

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As the seasons change in Washington state from winter to spring, you can almost hear the collective cheers at the promise of warmer weather and sunnier days. For some, though, this time of year also marks the dreaded end of winter fun, as snow starts melting on the Pacific Northwest’s tallest peaks. But how will climate change affect outdoor recreation, not only during these transitional periods but throughout the year? And what can we expect in the coming years and decades? Dr. Amy Snover is quoted.

“The future isn’t written, meaning we don’t know exactly what will happen. We have already set some climate change impacts in motion, but how bad it is on the ground here in the Northwest depends on how quickly we act to reverse it.” 

– Dr. Amy Snover

Nooksack Indian Tribe, Whatcom County environmental leaders discuss Tribe’s climate plan

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The Nooksack Indian Tribe has contracted to study the impacts of climate change, timber harvests, temperature change and sediment loading on stream temperature, mass wasting (or slope movement), summer flows and winter glacial retention since 2010 and has created adaptation plans for fish, fish habitats, wildlife, Indigenous foods, water supply and water quality. Harriet Morgan is quoted.

“We see the consequences of this warming unfolding around us every day in our communities as well as in the news. It’s not just this distant problem in the future where we can just kick the can down the road and deal with it later. It’s here now.” – Harriet Morgan

UN climate report: Human activity is driving climate change. Where does that leave Washington?

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The UN-appointed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its Sixth Assessment Report, known as the AR6 WG1, on August 9, 2021. It addresses the current state of the global climate, how climate change is shifting, how humans are the leading cause, and possible climate futures. Matt Rogers is quoted.

“In my research I have seen a lot of people on the ground in Washington state take climate change into consideration and how they prepare their communities for upcoming changes and what we can expect as climate changes. It is really heartening. We can always do more, and there are people working on it, but it’s going to take all of us.” – Matt Rogers

Extreme weather events and climate change

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Dr. Crystal Raymond, climate adaptation specialist, says that research on the connection between climate change and wildfires has been very accurate and that expectations are that wildfires won’t get better until we can reduce warming.