March 28, 2015 Workshop – Living the paradigm shift through science and conversation Flooding Frequency• Salmon Stressors • Coastal Erosion • Wildfire Risk
Download a schedule – scroll down for presentation links.
- Where: Kenai Peninsula College
- When: Saturday March 28th from 9AM to 4PM
- Who: Everyone and Anyone – Children’s program and activities available
- Cost: Free – Refreshments and a Light Lunch Provided
Researchers from the Alaska Climate Center (USGS), U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Natural Resource Conservation Service and other area scientists shared their findings on local impacts from climate change. A Mayor’s Panel discussion took place in the afternoon with community members, and mayors and staff from Kenai, Soldotna, Homer, Seward, and the Kenai Peninsula Borough. Homer’s own award winning author Nancy Lord gave the keynote address, covering current climate change impacts, forecasted concerns, and how together we can increase Kenai Peninsula resiliency.
Sponsored by Central Peninsula League of Women Voters and Kenai Peninsula College KRC Student Union.
Videos
Here’s a link to a YouTube playlist presented at the workshop, packed with interesting short videos about climate change and adaptation from various sources.
Questions
At the workshop, we asked participants to write down the answers to several questions about our changing climate. Here are the interesting results in a word diagram:
“What are you doing about climate change?”
“What do you value about living on the Kenai Peninsula?”
Schedule:
9:00 Coffee & Storytelling
Click on links for videos of each segment.
Featured storytellers presented song, poems, and tales of life and change on the Kenai Peninsula: George Holly, Marge Mullen, Steve Schoonmaker, Hannah Heimbuch, and Haley Trefon
Welcome – Sammy Crawford, Central Peninsula League of Women Voters
The Alaska Flag Song with Sue Biggs and Jack Will
9:45 Introduction – Mayor Mike Navarre, Kenai Peninsula Borough
10:00-11:40 Presentations (Branden Bornemann, moderator)
Click on presentation title for a PDF of each talk.
10:00 – 10:25 Dr. Jeremy Littell, USGS Alaska Climate Science Center – Kenai’s climate in the context of global climate change
10:25 – 10:50 Dr. John Morton, USFWS Kenai National Wildlife Refuge – Kenai’s changing landscape and its effects on plants and wildlife
10:50 – 11:15 Mitch Michaud, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service – Kenai’s changing fire regime
11:15 – 11:40 Steve Baird, Kachemak Bay Research Reserve – Sea level rise and coastal erosion along the Cook Inlet
11:40 – 12:00 Break to network, visit information tables, and view videos
12:00 – 12:30 Lunch served
Children’s presentation in commons area during lunch break
12:30 – 1:00 Keynote Address by Nancy Lord, Author of Early Warming: Crisis and Response in the Climate-Changed North – Climate Change in Our Backyard: A Northern Perspective
1:00 – 1:50 Presentations continue
1:00 – 1:25 Sue Mauger, Cook Inletkeeper – Rising temperatures in Kenai’s salmon streams
1:25 – 2:00 Robert Ruffner, Kenai Watershed Forum – Solutions and ideas for mitigation and adaptation
2:00 – 2:30 Break to network, visit information tables, and view videos
2:30-3:50 Mayors’ Panel Discussion (Sammy Crawford, moderator)
Mike Navarre – Mayor, Kenai Peninsula Borough
Nels Anderson – Mayor, City of Soldotna
Rissie Casagrande – City Council Member, City of Seward
Brian Gabriel – Vice Mayor, City of Kenai
Beth Wythe – Mayor, City of Homer
Mayors and city council staff from Kenai, Soldotna, Seward, Homer, and the Kenai Peninsula Borough joined in a community discussion about climate adaptation and mitigation ideas.
3:50 – 4:00 Wrap-up and Final Discussion
Graphics design: http://www.natechambers.com