The NPS and recipient will integrate climate change considerations through the NPS inventory and monitoring program (IMD) to provide climate exposure metrics and impact analyses to better inform the…

This federal Cooperative Agreement award for $228,133.00, provided by the National Park Service (NPS) under the Cooperative Research and Training Programs - Resources of the National Park System (CFDA 15.945) program, will support several key objectives:

1. Integrate climate change considerations into the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Program (IMD) to provide climate exposure metrics and impact analyses to inform the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (CCVA) and adaptation planning across the NPS.

2. Update and expand the Coastal Investment Decision Framework to help NPS and other coastal asset managers make investment decisions under changing conditions, enabling portfolio analysis across multiple parks and assets.

3. Provide opportunities for young professionals through the Scientists in Parks program to develop climate change adaptation expertise and gain NPS experience as the next generation of specialists.

The project will be executed by the University of Washington from July 2024 through November 2026, leveraging the university's extensive research capabilities in climate science, environmental studies, and federal research program management.

The NPS and recipient will integrate climate change considerations through the NPS inventory and monitoring program (IMD) to provide climate exposure metrics and impact analyses to better inform the climate change vulnerability assessment (ccva) phase of adaptation planning and identify and develop core activities within IMD to advance climate change-related coordination and adaptation across the NPS. The project will also provide a structure for managers of coastal assets within and outside of the NPS to make investment decisions under changing conditions through an update and expansion of the coastal investment decision framework to inform investment allocation decisions across multiple assets at multiple parks as a portfolio analysis tool. This project will provide opportunities for young professionals through the scientists in parks program to develop professional skills as the next generation of climate change adaptation specialists, gain NPS experience, and explore career paths.