WiLD Blog

A New York Times article discusses some challenging implications of climate change for conservationists. How will currently preserved land change in terms of habitat type and target species? The effects of a warming climate are hard to predict. Species may move in or out, and the habitat type may change. In response, conservation groups are developing various potential strategies that attempt to balance the current known conservation needs with the often-unknown future. For example, scientists are researching coral reefs that proved to be resilient against rising ocean temperatures during an El Nino event in the 1990s. Their findings could be used to restore damaged reefs. Another approach involves “corridors” connecting open space areas, which would allow species to migrate in response to a changing climate.

If the land is on the coast, how will it be affected by the two-foot rise in sea level over the course of the century, which is predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change? Some key habitats, such as beaches and coastal wetlands, are clearly vulnerable to this threat. The situation is worsened by the fact that they’re often bordered by development, which makes their expansion inland impossible. A great example of this is The Tijuana Estuary and the narrow beach along Seacoast Drive in Imperial Beach. Preserving these places will take a great deal of creativity and cooperation between preservationists, landowners and government.

-Thomas Holder