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Robert Croll

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Prioritizing Sites for Habitat Restoration to Enhance Connectivity in the Upper Midwest
Species are adapted to particular environmental conditions, but are threatened as climate change shifts habitat conditions. One way species can respond is by moving to new suitable locations, known as climate-driven range shifts. But some species can move more easily and/or more quickly than others, and some landscapes are more difficult to cross. In the upper Midwest, the movement potential of many species is reduced by broad expanses of row-crop agriculture, roads and other types of development that fragment the remaining habitat. It is important to sustain and improve connectivity across landscapes so they can continue to support biodiversity and ecosystem services like water filtration, carbon storage, pollinator...
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Assessing and Advancing Different Ways of Knowing in Climate Adaptation in the Midwest
The Midwest region faces unique challenges from climate change that affect forests, grasslands, lakes, rivers, wetlands, and the services and cultural values these ecosystems provide. These changes also occur in a wide range of land types and cultural settings, such as on and off Tribal reservation and treaty-ceded land, within and around towns and cities, and in farms and managed forests. The goal of adaptation science is to identify, test, and demonstrate management strategies that reduce the impacts of climate change. This project will advance the creation and distribution of adaptation science that addresses the natural resource needs of the Midwest through: 1) a synthesis project and research symposium that...
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Time to Restore: Developing Tools for Climate-Smart Restoration
Climate projections for the South-Central U.S. indicate increases of 2-5°F in average high temperatures by mid-century, declines of up to 4% in average precipitation, and increases in heatwaves and large rainfall events. This changing, more unpredictable climate makes it difficult to decide which species to plant when, or to know when certain species will bloom and go to seed. A refuge manager might ask: what species should be included in restoration plantings to ensure pollinators will have nectar ten years from now? Or a tribal member might wonder: when is the most effective time to visit prairie remnants to collect culturally significant plant seeds to grow for a restoration project? The Time to Restore project...
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Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center Consortium - Hosted by University of Minnesota (2021-2026)
The MW CASC strives to be collaboration-driven by bringing together scientists, natural and cultural resource managers, and members of the public to develop relevant, actionable science for the Midwest region, including Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. The MW CASC is a partnership between the U.S. Geological Survey and a consortium made up of 8 institutions: University of Minnesota (host), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Michigan State University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Indiana University, College of Menominee Nation, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, and The Nature Conservancy. During the period of 2021 - 2026, the MW CASC consortium...
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Assessment of Adaptation Plans and Practices for Natural and Cultural Resources
The project aims to understand the state of climate adaptation practice in sectors related to natural and cultural resource management and conservation in the Midwest region. An example of these efforts is developing plans that include natural resource management and conservation actions as part of a response to the impacts of climate change on nature and people. By learning from these plans, we aim to gain a comprehensive understanding of past and current adaptation efforts in the Midwest, as well as of the on-the-ground barriers and opportunities resource managers face in planning for climate adaptation in this region. Additionally, we seek to identify best practices in adaptation planning that can help resource...
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