ODNR Division of Wildlife - Wild Resources - Climate and Wildlife

Ohio’s Wildlife in a Changing Climate

Sustaining Habitats and Diversity

A conference for wildlife managers, fish and wildlife biologists, naturalists, and other conservation professionals

December 15, 2011
The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH

To effectively manage Ohio’s wildlife and habitats, the reality of current and future climate change must be integrated into the work of conservation.   The US Midwest, and Great Lakes region in particular, is currently experiencing warmer air and water temperatures, decreased lake ice, longer periods of lake stratification, changes to wildlife migration patterns, more variable water levels, decreases in soil quality, longer growing seasons, and more extreme precipitation events.   These impacts combine with, exacerbate, and are exacerbated by existing stresses on natural systems.  This conference provided foundational information to help over 200 conservation professionals address climate change impacts on habitat and wildlife in plans and management strategies.

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Sponsors

The Ohio Chapter of the Wildlife Society Ohio Department of Natural Resources Ohio Division of Wildlife The Nature Conservancy - Protecting nature. Preserving life.

The Wilds The Ohio State University Old Woman Creek NAtional Estuarine Research Reserve Ohio Coastal Training Program NAtional Oceanic and Atmoshperic Administration


Ohio Chapter of The Wildlife Society, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Division of Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy, the Wilds, The Ohio State University, Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve, Ohio Coastal Training Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Keynote Speaker

David Karowe David Karowe, a Professor of Biological Sciences at Western Michigan University, received his B.S. in Biology from Harvard University and his Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Michigan.  Dr. Karowe teaches a course in ecological consequences of global change, conducts research on the effects of rising atmospheric CO2 on plants and higher levels in the food chain, and co-directs research training programs in biosphere-atmosphere interactions for graduate and undergraduate students.

Keynote Address
Global climate change is likely to be the most serious environmental challenge in human history, with profound implications for ecosystems worldwide.  Plants and animals have already responded to climate change by altering the timing of events like flowering and migration, and by expanding their geographic ranges poleward and to higher altitudes.  This talk will focus on the consensus projections of climate change during the rest of the 21st century, and the predicted consequences for plants and animals around the world, in the United States, and in Ohio.  The talk will conclude with a brief discussion of some of the most promising solutions, including solar and wind power, and altered personal behaviors.


Guest Speakers


Karl Martin Karl Martin is the Wildlife and Forestry Research Section Chief at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Forest and Wildlife Ecology Department. Karl received his Bachelors degree in Wildlife Ecology at UW-Madison and his Masters and Doctorate degrees at Oregon State University. Karl’s research has focused on interaction of forest management and multi-scale wildlife habitat relationships. He currently supervises 16 research scientists, co-advises graduate students and post doctorates at UW-Madison and co-chairs the WICCI Wildlife Climate Change Working Group.  He also co-chairs The Wildlife Society’s Climate Change Working Group and is the North Central Section Representative on The Wildlife Society Council.
Olivia LeDee Olivia LeDee is Assistant Scientist in Forest and Wildlife Ecology at UW-Madison.  She holds an M.S. and Ph.D. in Conservation Biology (UMN-Twin Cities).  Her expertise includes ecological modeling, population ecology, GIS, and decision-making in NRM, climate impact assessment with state agencies (Massachusetts and Wisconsin). She was an invited participant to the Dissertations Initiative for the Advancement of Climate Change Research Symposium and is Contributing Author to Wisconsin's Changing Climate: Impacts and Adaptation.
Jeremy Ash Jeremy Ash is a Research Specialist in Forest and Wildlife Ecology at UW-Madison. He holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from McGill University and a M.S. in Botany from the Miami University of Ohio.  His research experience and interests include conservation planning, population ecology, quantitative methods and how best to manage natural resources in changing environments.
Jeff Walk Jeff Walk is the Director of Science for the Illinois Chapter of The Nature Conservancy.  He led development of the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan as a research scientist for the Illinois Natural History Survey, and recently completed a climate change update to the Wildlife Action Plan with his team at The Nature Conservancy.  Dr. Walk and colleagues at the University of Illinois recently published their findings from the oldest bird survey in North America in the book, Illinois Birds: A Century of Change.  Jeff also serves on the Board of Directors for Illinois Audubon Society and on the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board.

For more information contact:
Heather Elmer
Ohio Division of Wildlife
Old Woman Creek NERR
(419) 433-4601
heather.elmer@dnr.state.oh.us