Climatewise: Helping Missoula County Communities Prepare For Global Warming

M|ssou|a County C||mate Act|on: Creat|ng a
kes|||ent and Susta|nab|e Commun|ty

November 2011

age 1

M|ssou|a County C||mate Act|on: Creat|ng a
kes|||ent and Susta|nab|e Commun|ty

Geos Inst|tute
Marnl L. koopman

C|ark Iork Coa||t|on
!lll Alban and 8rlanna 8andall

neadwaters Lconom|cs
Mark PaggerLy and 8ay 8asker

Support for th|s pro[ect was prov|ded by:
1he kresge loundaLlon
8ralnerd loundaLlon
uSuA loresL Servlce Mapped ALmosphere-lanL-Soll SysLems 1eam
LS8l ConservaLlon CranL rogram

Add|t|ona| mater|a|s and |nteract|ve assessments from the C||mateW|se process can be
found at http:]]www.geos|nst|tute.org]comp|eted-c||matew|se-pro[ects]

1A8LL CI CCN1LN1S

LxecuLlve summary 3
lnLroducLlon 7
SecLlon 1. CllmaLe change ln Mlssoula CounLy 9
LxpecLed cllmaLe change Lrends for Mlssoula CounLy 9
Local cllmaLe change pro[ecLlons 10
Models and Lhelr uncerLalnLy 13
WhaL are cllmaLe change adapLaLlon" and mlLlgaLlon"? 26
naLural sysLems as a cllmaLe change fllLer 18
1he role of weaLher versus cllmaLe 19
SecLlon 2. 1he people, economy, and land of Mlssoula CounLy 20
A hlgh quallLy of llfe and a dlverse, fasL-growlng economy 20
vulnerablllLles Lo cllmaLe change 21
SecLlon 3. lmpacLs and 8ecommended SLraLegles 22
CommunlLy parLlclpaLlon: Lhe CllmaLeWlse workshop 22
WaLer supply 23
Wlldflre 30
lloodlng and waLer quallLy 38
Specles and hablLaL change 44
Local lmpacLs of global change 30
Concluslons and nexL sLeps 37

2

S
LkLCU1IVL SUMMAk

Nissoula County is host to a uiveisity
of people, local inuustiies, intact
ecosystems, anu uiamatic sceneiy. Its
iiveis anu foiests pioviue abunuant
oppoitunity foi outuooi activities
while the univeisity anu bustling
uowntown Nissoula pioviue cultuie
anu enteitainment. When people aie
askeu why they live in Nissoula
County, they often iefei to the high
quality of life that is available heie.

Nissoula County's quality of life is at
iisk, howevei, fiom a vaiiety of
piessuies anu challenges that iange
fiom population giowth to eneigy anu
watei uemanus. 0nfoitunately, one
piimaiy thieat has the capacity to
oveiwhelm anu affect all otheis - the
thieat of climate change. Climate
change is expecteu to have substantial
impacts to the natuial systems of
Nissoula County, incluuing iiveis,
stieams, foiests, anu wilulife. These
impacts will in tuin affect
infiastiuctuie, emeigency iesponse
capacity, human health, touiism,
agiicultuie, foiestiy, anu many othei
facets of society.

We assesseu how a changing climate
might affect Nissoula County using the
latest science anu local expeitise in a
community-baseu piocess calleu
!"#$%&'(#)'. The ClimateWise piocess
incluueu climate change mouel output,
a community woikshop that involveu
expeit paiticipation fiom thioughout
uiffeient sectois anu inteiests, anu
close guiuance by a local Steeiing
Committee.

Buiing the ClimateWise piocess,
gioups of expeits anu leaueis fiom
acioss the uiffeient sectois of the
community uevelopeu a suite of
stiategies foi "climate change
auaptation" - the piocess of piepaiing
foi climate change to ieuuce oveiall
impacts to natuial anu human
communities. We view these
stiategies as a ciitical fiist step in
what will neeu to be an ongoing
piocess as the climate, scientific
unueistanuing of the eaith's
piocesses, anu othei uiiveis such as
population giowth, change ovei time.

By integiating auaptation stiategies
acioss the uiffeient sectois of society,
county leaueis will ieuuce conflict
among uiveise inteiests foi limiteu
iesouices, such as watei, while
incieasing communication anu
loweiing oveiall costs. Baseu on
climate change mouel piojections
fiom thiee global climate mouels, as
well as peei-ievieweu scientific
publications, local expeits anu leaueis
iuentifieu the following as changes
that aie likely to occui in Nissoula
County ovei the coming centuiy:

! S-1u F inciease in tempeiatuie
! Lowei late summei stieam flow
! Eailiei spiing iunoff
! Beclines in snowpack
! Changes to piecipitation patteins
! Changes in tiee species foi foiestiy
! Changes to fish, wilulife, anu plant
populations
! Noie wilufiie
! Incieaseu spieau of invasive
species
! Noie pests anu uisease in natuial
systems anu human populations

4
Woikshop paiticipants consiueieu
climate change anu on-the-giounu
vulneiabilities as they uevelopeu a
suite of iecommenuations foi
incieasing local iesilience in the face
of changing conuitions. Woiking in
mixeu gioups, they auuiesseu five
uiffeient inteiuisciplinaiy topics.
Theii guiuance is summaiizeu heie.

!"#$%&'())*+&
Paiticipants weie conceineu about
expecteu changes in watei supply
fiom loss of snowpack anu ueclines in
stieam flow. Beclines woulu impact
agiicultuie, iipaiian anu wetlanu
aieas, touiism, iecieation, business,
anu iesiuential watei useis.

They iecommenueu incieasing
natuial watei stoiage capacity in the
foim of beavei uams, wetlanus,
iipaiian aieas, anu floouplains. They
also iecommenueu changing watei
owneiship stiuctuies anu incieasing
euucation anu outieach. The gioup
suggesteu suppoiting the agiicultuial
inuustiy thiough incentives anu
euucation. They citeu a neeu to
leveiage effoits anu woik
collaboiatively acioss local
juiisuictions anu gioups. Finally, they
suggesteu showcasing successful
effoits thioughout the county anu
elsewheie as positive examples of
what can be accomplisheu.
&
!,*-.,%$&
The wilufiie gioup iuentifieu many
potential impacts associateu with
incieasing fiequency anu seveiity of
wilufiie. These incluue the iisk to
human safety, uecline in aii quality,
iising cost of suppiession, potential
inciease in insuiance iates, anu the
loss of impoitant natuial iesouices
anu caibon stoiage.

In iesponse, they suggesteu incieasing
euucation on wilufiie anu pioviuing
uemonstiation piojects foi people to
leain fiom. It was iecommenueu that
some fiies be alloweu to buin, theieby
incieasing the iesilience of foiest
ecosystems. Nechanical fuels
ieuuction was suggesteu foi specific
aieas anu foiest types. Thinning coulu
be combineu with biomass piouuction
foi fuel oi new maikets foi blue stain
pine anu othei foiest piouucts.

Reuucing wilufiie iisk by limiting
uevelopment in fiie-pione aieas was a
piimaiy iecommenuation of the
gioup. Foi existing homes that boiuei
foiest, they suggesteu suppoiting the
cieation of uefensible space anu fiie
iesistant stiuctuies.

.*//-,01&"0-&!"#$%&2("*,#+&&
Paiticipants uiscusseu the potential
foi laigei floous fiom iain-on-snow
events anu quickei spiing snowmelt.
These changes coulu leau to incieaseu
neeu foi goveinment anu emeigency
seivices, uamage to infiastiuctuie, a
loss of iecieational anu touiism
oppoitunities, anu toxins in
floouwateis.

Woikshop paiticipants maue
numeious iecommenuations foi
ieuucing floou iisk. 0ne incluueu
incieasing communication anu tiust
among piivate lanuowneis anu
agencies. State oi County assistance
foi lanuowneis with a vaiiety of goals
ielateu to lanu management anu
ienewable eneigy was suggesteu.

Piotecting anu enhancing ecosystems
that stoie anu filtei watei was
iuentifieu as an impoitant stiategy as
well. The gioup iecommenueu that
incentives be pioviueu foi a system of

S
natuial floou contiol measuies
(wetlanus, floouplains, etc.).

Iuentifying anu maintaining
vulneiable infiastiuctuie weie
iecommenueu as ways to ieuuce
oveiall iisk. Incieaseu piepaieuness
effoits woulu iesults in gieatei
effectiveness uuiing emeigencies.

34"01$'&#/&')$3,$'&"0-&
4"5,#"#'&
Natuial systems, like human systems,
will be uisiupteu uuiing floouing, fiie,
pest outbieaks, anu uiought. Species
aie expecteu to neeu to shift to new
aieas with climate change. Beclines of
many species aie expecteu. These
ueclines coulu leau to a loss of
ecosystems seivices, such as
pollination, watei filtiation, oi timbei
foi haivest. As moie people move to
the aiea, population giowth will
exaceibate the impacts of climate
change to native species anu habitats
of Nissoula County.

Nany iecommenuations weie maue
foi ways to inciease the iesilience of
native species anu habitats. 0ne
iecommenuation - maintaining anu
enhancing iipaiian aieas anu
wetlanus - is complementaiy to
pievious iecommenueu stiategies foi
maintaining watei supplies oi
ieuucing floou iisk. Reintiouucing
beaveis was also suggesteu.

Reuucing ongoing stiessois that cause
uegiauation anu fiagmentation was
iecommenueu to offset the auuitional
stiessois biought on by climate
change. The gioup suggesteu changing
foiest management to focus on
contiolling invasive species,
maintaining habitat connectivity, anu
maintaining uiveisity.

Finally, euucation anu outieach weie
suggesteu as tools to inciease
awaieness of oui uepenuence on
functioning ecosystems.

1*/5"*&34"01$&,6)"3#'&
Climate change impacts to Nissoula
County aie expecteu to be fai less
seveie than climate change impacts to
many othei paits of the nation.
Woikshop paiticipants expecteu
incieaseu immigiation to the aiea uue
to sea level iise, huiiicanes,
toinauoes, anu floouing that affect
othei iegions.

Woikshop paiticipants suggesteu
ievising the giowth stiategy foi the
county to account foi climate change
anu potential iesouice scaicity. Such
planning woulu neeu to weigh the
neeus of a vaiiety of inteiests,
incluuing low-income populations,
agiicultuie, touiism, iecieation,
uevelopment, anu tianspoitation.

Naintaining wilulife connectivity,
intact floouplains, agiicultuial lanus,
anu functional wateisheus, may be
most successfully achieveu thiough
iegulation oi zoning.

Finally, the woikshop paiticipants
suggesteu that suppoit foi uiveisifieu
business, manufactuiing, anu job
giowth, is impoitant. Effoits to
encouiage business shoulu focus on
inuustiies that use sustainable
piactices. New anu sustainable uses of
timbei iesouices, such as biochai oi
blue-stain pine inuustiies, aie woith
investigating anu suppoiting.
Agiicultuie, lanu conseivation, anu
the local foou movement aie othei
economic activities that shoulu be
suppoiteu at the local level.

6
As climate change piogiesses, it is
impoitant that communities aie
piepaieu in ways that piotect people
anu the natuial iesouices they uepenu
on. The ClimateWise piocess alloweu
local expeits anu leaueis to use the
latest science to assess what changes
aie likely acioss Nissoula County.
Recommenueu stiategies anu actions
that weie uevelopeu uuiing the
piocess can be incoipoiateu into
ongoing uecision making anu planning
piocesses at many uiffeient levels.
This effoit iepiesents a fiist step at
cieating a moie iesilient anu
sustainable Nissoula County in the
face of acceleiating change.

7

IN1kCDUC1ICN
&
Nontana isn't known foi its majoi
metiopolitan aieas. But ask almost
anyone in the state, anu they will iefei
to Nissoula as the "big city." Nissoula
is the seconu-laigest city in Nontana
aftei Billings, anu is the main uiban
centei between Spokane anu Salt Lake
City. Between the yeais of 2uuu-2u1u,
Nissoula County has giown by 14%.

Nissoula's bustling city centei sits
squaiely ovei a vital netwoik of
natuial iesouices: the Rattlesnake
Wilueiness, a gateway to the Ciown of
the Continent Ecosystem, sits just a
few miles fiom uowntown. Resiuents
iegulaily fish, hunt, anu hike next to
beais, mountain lion, wolves, bighoin
sheep, elk, anu ueei. Scatteieu
thioughout the countyespecially in
its less uevelopeu aieasaie healthy
populations of cainivoies, ungulates,
anu amphibians that live in neai-
piistine foiest anu iipaiian
communities. Anu, Nissoula County
hosts an extiaoiuinaiy iichness in
iiveis: the Blackfoot, the Bitteiioot,
anu Rock Cieek all join the Claik Foik
within a stone's thiow of the
metiopolitan aiea, weaving in
anu out of iuial ieaches,
neighboihoous, anu the business
uistiict. These wateis aie iconic
emblems of the outuooi heiitage
that uefines Nissoulians.

Yet these iiveis anu vital
iesouices aie at iisk fiom
changing conuitionsanu that
iisk is compounueu by the
impacts of a giowing population.
Piotecting the ecological,
economic, anu cultuial integiity
of Nissoula County will iequiie
integiating lanu anu watei
conseivation, the piivate with the
public sectoi, anu natuial capital with
built capital in a mannei that
piotectsanu enhancesoui
communities anu natuial iesouices in
the coming uecaues. As changes to the
climate, to local natuial iesouices, anu
to the county piogiess thioughout the
coming uecaue anu beyonu, pioactive
planning that anticipates change,
buffeis communities fiom negative
impacts, anu positions citizens to take
auvantage of new oppoitunities will
allow Nissoula County to ietain the
qualities so valueu by its iesiuents.

In 2u11, a seiies of woikshops anu
meetings was caiiieu out in Nissoula
as pait of the ClimateWise piocess.
ClimateWise is a piocess uevelopeu by
the ueos Institute that uses science to
help communities bettei unueistanu
what types of climate changes to
expect, how the uiffeient sectois of
the community will be affecteu, anu
how to piepaie in ways that pioviue
Clark lork CoallLlon

8
the gieatest benefit acioss the
community. The stiategies that weie
uevelopeu thiough this piocess aie
intenueu to make Nissoula County
moie iesilient anu moie collaboiative
in its appioach. These stiategies aie
beneficial to the community
iegaiuless of the tiajectoiy of futuie
change.

The piocess biings togethei cioss-
sectoi leaueis to uevelop science-
baseu, non-paitisan iisk assessments
aimeu at helping local communities in
theii planning piocesses. The Claik
Foik Coalition acteu as a convening
oiganization foi the ClimateWise
piocess. The ueos Institute pioviueu a
scientific assessment of how Nissoula
County is expecteu to change ovei the
coming uecaues. Beauwateis
Economics assesseu economic anu
social stiengths anu vulneiabilities in
Nissoula County, as well as
potential impacts fiom
changing conuitions. The
Nontana Association of
Conseivation Bistiicts, the
Nontana Wateisheus
Cooiuinating Council, anu a
local steeiing committee also
seiveu as stakeholueis in this
piocess.

Neaily 1uu citizens anu local
expeits came togethei foi a
two-uay woikshop in }une,
2u11. Bi. Steve Running, a
membei of the pioject steeiing
committee, piesenteu
infoimation on what types of
changes to expect in Nissoula
County. Paiticipants then
bioke into small, cioss-sectoi
gioups to iuentify impacts to
specific aieas of inteiest anu to
uevelop stiategies anu actions to
auuiess those impacts anu take
auvantage of new oppoitunities.

This iepoit pioviues a summaiy of the
output fiom the woikshop anu fiom
meetings with the local steeiing
committee. This iepoit ieflects the
collective effoits of many people in
Nissoula County, incluuing electeu
officials, county planneis, public
health officials, iesouice manageis,
anu business leaueis. The stiategies
outlineu heie ieflect the
conveisations, values, anu opinions of
numeious local expeits anu inteiesteu
citizens. Because of the gioup effoit,
the iecommenuations in this iepoit
shoulu not be attiibuteu to any
inuiviuual paiticipant, as many
uissenting viewpoints anu opinions
weie expiesseu anu uocumenteu.
Steer|ng Comm|ttee

CenLral Lo Lhe success of Lhls efforL was Lhe formaLlon of a
sLeerlng commlLLee LhaL ls represenLaLlve of Lhe many
varled secLors, values, lnLeresLs, and reglons of Mlssoula
CounLy. 1he SLeerlng CommlLLee acLed as a guldlng force
LhroughouL Lhe process of developlng sound sLraLegles for
a susLalnable communlLy. 1hey provlded balance, lnslghL,
and experLlse. 1he Mlssoula CounLy CllmaLeWlse SLeerlng
CommlLLee conslsLed of Lhe followlng volunLeers:

8eLh Schenk, SL. aLrlck PosplLal
8renL Campbell, WCM Croup
laLher !lm Pogan, ChrlsL Lhe klng arlsh
Cermalne WhlLe, ConfederaLed Sallsh & kooLenal 1rlbes
!lm Cusker, Cpen Lands Advlsory CommlLLee
Chase !ones, ClLy of Mlssoula
Mlchele LandqulsL, Mlssoula CounLy Commlssloner
ur. SLeve 8unnlng, unlverslLy of MonLana
1lm Pall, Mlssoula ConservaLlon ulsLrlcL
1lm Love, uS loresL Servlce, Seeley Lake 8anger ulsLrlcL
!lm 8urchfleld, unlverslLy of MonLana
aL C'Perren, Mlssoula CounLy 8ural lnlLlaLlves

CommlLLee Advlsor:
Clorla llora, SusLalnable CbLalnable SoluLlons

9
SLC1ICN I. CLIMA1L CnANGL IN MISSCULA CCUN1
&
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Climate change is a global
phenomenon that has local impacts on
agiicultuie, human health, natuial
iesouices, infiastiuctuie, emeigency
iesponse neeus, touiism, anu othei
facets of society. By iuentifying which
sectois of society aie most vulneiable
to impacts fiom climate change,
uecision makeis in Nissoula County
can inciease the iesilience of the
community anu the iesouices on
which it uepenus.

Piecisely pieuicting futuie conuitions
is not necessaiy foi implementing
sounu stiategies that ieuuce local
vulneiabilities. Foi instance, all
mouels pieuict, to vaiying uegiees,
waimei tempeiatuies anu lowei
snowpack, iegaiuless of piecipitation
tienus. Bioughts aie expecteu to be
moie fiequent anu seveie. Thus,
planning foi incieaseu iesilience in
the face of uiought is consiueieu a
"no-iegiets" stiategy - such a stiategy
woulu benefit the County iegaiuless
of climate change anu it auuiesses a
ielatively ceitain iisk.

Similaily, floous aie expecteu to
become moie common as stoim
systems inciease in seveiity anu iain-
on-snow events become moie
common. Reuucing the vulneiability
of the county's infiastiuctuie (homes,
ioaus, agiicultuie, etc.) to floouing
pioviues many benefits, incluuing
saving both money anu lives. While
climate change is the impetus foi this
effoit, auopting the stiategies
iecommenueu in this iepoit woulu
benefit iesiuents of Nissoula County
in a vaiiety of ways, iegaiuless of the
piecise tiajectoiy of the changing
conuitions.
4>CA&:9D;@>B;IJ&
0p to S F waimei by 2uSS-4S
Lowei anu extenueu low stieam flow
in late summei
Eailiei anu gieatei spiing iunoff
Shifts in species ianges foi wilulife
anu plants
uieatei likelihoou of seveie wilufiie,
especially uuiing waim phase PB0
Incieaseu spieau of invasive plants
anu animals
69<>H?&:9D;@>B;IJ&
0p to 1u F waimei by 2u7S-8S
Continueu ueclines in snowpack at
lowei elevations
Beclines in aquatic species such as
bull tiout anu cutthioat tiout
Beclines in alpine anu subalpine
species, incluuing subalpine fii,
Engelmann spiuce, big hoin sheep,
pika, anu mountain goat
Noie pest anu uisease outbieaks,
such as mountain pine beetle
*GK&:9D;@>B;IJ&
Becline in summei piecipitation
Inciease in wintei piecipitation
uieatest piecipitation change at
highei elevations
Bigh tiee species tuinovei, but
continueu foiest covei in many aieas
Beclines in Bouglas fii anu lougepole
pine; potential inciease in oaks oi
othei bioauleaf tiee species.

1u
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1
&

#9?89D@;HD9&@B<&8D9:>8>;@;>GB&M
Aveiage tempeiatuie is piojecteu to
inciease iegaiuless of which mouel is
useu, with acceleiateu inciease
towaiu the enu of the centuiy (Table
1). In contiast, mouel piojections foi
piecipitation in the aiea vaiy
substantially - by miu-centuiy

aveiage piecipitation coulu uecline by
29% oi inciease by 1u%, uepenuing
on which mouel is consulteu (Table 2).
By late centuiy (2u7S-8S), all thiee
mouels agiee on slightly uiiei
conuitions in summei anu slightly
wettei conuitions in wintei (Table 2;
Figuie 1). Bighei tempeiatuies
1ab|e 2. kLCII1A1ICN (both ra|nfa|| and snow water equ|va|ent)
ro[ecLed average preclplLaLlon (and percenL of hlsLorlc average) across all of Mlssoula
CounLy, based on ouLpuL from 3 dlfferenL global cllmaLe models. luLure preclplLaLlon ls
shown ln lnches, as compared Lo hlsLorlc averages (1961-1990).

n|stor|c 203S-4S 207S-8S

Annua| 31.1 lnches* 32.1 Lo 32.6 ln. (103-103) 33.8 Lo 33.7 ln. (109-113)

Summer** 3.6 lnches 4.0 Lo 6.2 ln. (71-110) 3.3 Lo 3.6 ln. (63-96)

W|nter*** 10.3 lnches 11.4 Lo 12.4 ln. (108-118) 12.7 Lo 14.3 ln. (121-137)
*ln conLrasL, Lhe average preclplLaLlon ln Lhe clLy of Mlssoula ls 13.7 lnches.
**Summer value was calculaLed as Lhe sum of preclplLaLlon for !une, !uly, and AugusL
***WlnLer value was calculaLed as Lhe sum of preclplLaLlon for uecember, !anuary, and
lebruary
1ab|e 1. 1LMLkA1UkL
ro[ecLed lncrease ln average LemperaLure ln Mlssoula CounLy, based on ouLpuL from
3 dlfferenL global cllmaLe models. luLure LemperaLure ls shown as change ln degrees
lahrenhelL, as compared Lo hlsLorlc averages (1961-1990).

n|stor|c 203S-4S 207S-8S

Annua| 40.3 l +2.3 Lo 4.8 l +3.7 Lo 10.0 l

Summer* 39.2 l +2.2 Lo 3.3 l +6.4 Lo 11.0 l

W|nter** 23.0 l +2.3 Lo 3.0 l +3.1 Lo 9.3 l
*Summer value was calculaLed as average LemperaLure for !une, !uly, and AugusL
**WlnLer value was calculaLed as average LemperaLure for uecember, !anuary, and
lebruary

1
Foi iefeiences anu moie uetails about local piojections, please uownloau the companion iepoit entitleu
Futuie Climate Piojections in Nissoula County anu the Westein Nontana Region at:
http:www.geosinstitute.oigcompleteu-climatewise-piojects

11
leauing to gieatei evapoiation aie
likely to offset any positive change in
piecipitation.
&
'BGK8@:N&M&A iecent stuuy has
uemonstiateu synchionous ueclines
in snowpack acioss the Rocky
Nountains since the 198us. &
Continueu ueclines aie expecteu as
tempeiatuies inciease.&Because many
cuiient watei stoiage stiategies iely
heavily on snowpack, a substantial&
stiain on supplies anu infiastiuctuie
coulu iesult.&&
&
4I<DG=GCI&M&Nissoula County has
alieauy expeiienceu&many changes in
hyuiology patteins. The snow watei
equivalent (SWE) of wintei snowpack
has ueclineu, stieam flow has ueclineu
(especially late summei flow), anu
watei tempeiatuies have incieaseu.
The timing of many events, such as
aveiage fieeze anu thaw uates, has
also changeu substantially ovei the
last Su-1uu yeais. Futuie expecteu
tienus incluue longei anu lowei
summei stieam flows, incieasing
floou iisk as moie piecipitation falls
as iain insteau of snow, incieasing
summei stieam tempeiatuies, anu
ueclining giounuwatei iechaige.
&
.GD9E;&@B<&O9C9;@;>GB&:A@BC9&- 76%
of Nissoula County is foiesteu.
0veiall, 0.S. foiests have become
moie piouuctive in the last SS yeais,

likely uue to a longei giowing season
anu highei C02 levels. As conuitions
become waimei anu uiiei in the
summei, many foiests aie expecteu to
become less piouuctive uue to lowei
!anuary Aprll !uly CcLober
.>CHD9&PQ&Piojections foi late centuiy (2u7S-8S) change in aveiage monthly
piecipitation acioss Nissoula County, as compaieu to histoiic (1961-199u),
baseu on thiee uiffeient climate mouels (NIR0C, BABCN, anu CSIR0). Baikei
gieen inuicates wettei conuitions while biown inuicates uiiei conuitions.

12
soil moistuie uuiing the giowing
season, tempeiatuie stiess, insect anu
uisease outbieaks, invasive species
pievalence, anu wilufiie.

We consulteu two uiffeient vegetation
mouels to assess futuie vegetation
patteins in Nissoula County. The
functional mouel (NC1) piojecteu a
steep contiaction of subalpine
vegetation at highei elevations, in the
noitheastein anu southwestein
poitions of the county, but continueu
conifeious foiest covei in most othei
aieas. In contiast, the climate
envelope mouel inuicateu a uecline in
favoiable conuitions foi many of the
county's common tiee species,
incluuing Ponueiosa pine, lougepole
pine, Bouglas-fii, anu subalpine fii.
Beciuuous tiees, such as oaks, may
finu moie favoiable conuitions.

!>=<F>D9&- Fiie seveiity can be
expecteu to inciease given waimei
anu uiiei conuitions. An assessment of
climate change anu foiest fiies ovei
Noith Ameiica piojecteu 1u-Su%
incieases in seasonal seveiity iating
(SSR) ovei most of the
0.S., implying incieases
in aiea buineu anu fiie
seveiity. Similaily, a
iecent stuuy pieuicts
substantial incieases in
fiie fiequency in the
uieatei Yellowstone
Ecoiegion (uYE). The
NC1 vegetation mouel
that we consulteu
showeu a 26-Su%
inciease in wilufiie in
Nissoula County.
Incieases in wilufiie aie
piimaiily expecteu in
the highei elevations.
';GD?&9O9B;E - Climate change coulu
inciease the seveiity of inuiviuual
stoim events, even if aveiage
piecipitation levels uo not inciease. As
tempeiatuies waim, moie
piecipitation will fall as iain insteau of
snow, anu moie iain-on-snow events
coulu occui. Beavy iainfall anu iain-
on-snow both inciease the iisk of
floouing. Such stoim events can be
exaceibateu by lanu use piactices anu
infiastiuctuie failuies, making the
impacts of floouing moie seveie.
When iainfall occuis in a shoit peiiou
of time, most watei iuns off quickly
without infiltiating soils oi iechaiging
giounuwatei aquifeis.

">D&RH@=>;I - Climate anu aii quality
aie closely coupleu. Conventional
pollutants such as ozone anu paiticle
pollution affect public health anu also
exaceibate climate change. Bighei
tempeiatuies cause incieaseu ozone
foimation, even without auuitional
pollutants. Incieaseu foiest fiie may
also affect aii quality.

Wlklmedla commons

1S
.>EA&@B<&K>=<=>F9&:A@BC9 - Wilulife
will iesponu in many ways to a
changing climate, incluuing iange
shifts, changes in migiation anu
bieeuing seasons, changes in
population size, incieases in uisease,
population ueclines, anu extinction. As
climate change acceleiates, it is
incieasingly expecteu to outpace the
ability of wilulife to iesponu anu
auapt. Appioximately Su% of all
species coulu be lost by 21uu.

Wilulife in Nissoula County expecteu
to be most vulneiable to climate
change incluues species uepenuent on
snow, such as wolveiine, lynx, anu
snowshoe haie.

Also vulneiable aie
high-elevation species such as big
hoin sheep, pika, mountain goat, anu
wolveiine,

as well as iosy finch anu
ptaimigan. 0thei species, such as elk,
may iesponu favoiably to waimei
wintei conuitions anu lowei
snowpack.

Noie fiequent wilufiies can iemove
the vegetation that stabilizes steep
slopes, iesulting in incieaseu
fiequency anu magnituue of
lanusliues anu uebiis flows, which can
uegiaue fish habitat. Nany aquatic
species aie especially sensitive uue to
theii uepenuence on cleai, colu watei
stieams anu theii inability to move to
new aieas. These
incluue bull tiout
anu westslope
cutthioat tiout.

In
the Rocky
Nountains, waiming
is piojecteu to cause
a loss of up to 42%
of cuiient tiout
habitat by the enu of
the centuiy.

Invasive species, incluuing noxious
weeus, pine anu spiuce beetles, anu
otheis, aie expecteu to continue to
spieau, paitly uue to ueclining oi
weakeneu native species anu waimei
tempeiatuies. Waimei wateis aie
also expecteu to benefit invasive
aquatic species anu aquatic pathogens.
Wlklmedla commons
Wlklmedla commons

14

'#%$"6'&!,#4/(#&!"#$%S
&
0ui iiveis anu stieams aie lifelines foi
people, fish anu wilulife. They pioviue
watei to fuel Nissoula County's
economy, anu suppoit oui vital
netwoik of foiests anu fielus.
Sometimes, though, competing
uemanus foi these limiteu watei
iesouices can uiy up these lifelines. &

In Nissoula County, we have seveial
stieams that aie listeu as "uewateieu"
by Nontana Fish Wilulife anu Paiks,
incluuing sections of Lolo, Ninemile,
anu uiant Cieeks, anu poitions of the
Claik Foik anu Cleaiwatei Riveis.
"Bewateieu" is uefineu as aieas wheie
fish habitat is inauequate uue to
ieuuceu stieam flow.
This is often tiiggeieu in
late summei when
lanuowneis use theii
watei iights foi valiu
out-of-stieam uses, like
ciop iiiigation.

With less snowpack
pieuicteu in the futuie,
Nissoula County
stieams may expeiience
moie uewateiing, anu
watei useis may face
moie competition to
fulfill theii watei iights.
Luckily, oppoitunities
exist foi paitneiing with
lanuowneis to impiove
stieam flows, incluuing
iiiigation efficiency
upgiaues, uiought
iesponse plans, oi
leaving watei in the
stieam uuiing the uiiest
months.

5+&#4$&0(65$%'J&
&
Nontana has a total of 4,S22 miles of
chionically oi peiiouically uewateieu
stieams anu iiveis.

Nissoula County is home to some of
the most iconic iiveis in the state.
Beie's how oui big iiveis faie (these
numbeis incluue the entiie length of
the iivei, not just poitions in the
County):

Claik Foik Rivei = 98 miles uewateieu
Blackfoot Rivei = S8 miles uewateieu
Bitteiioot Rivei = 17 miles uewateieu
!
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Legend
Dewatered Streams
Chronic Dewatering
Periodic Dewatering

1S
6/-$*'&"0-&#4$,%&(03$%#",0#+&

This iepoit pioviues mouel
piojections foi futuie conuitions
specific to Nissoula County. This
infoimation pioviues ieaueis with a
pictuie of what the futuie might look
like, anu what the magnituue of
change might be.

These mouels pioviue a simplifieu
iepiesentation of the physical,
chemical, anu biological piocesses
that foim the eaith's climate system.
Biffeiences among mouels stem fiom
uiffeiences in assumptions iegaiuing
which vaiiables (anu how many) aie
impoitant to best iepiesent oveiall
conuitions. vaiiation in climate mouel
output also uepenus on assumptions
about futuie emissions of gieenhouse
gases into the atmospheie.

In this iepoit, we pioviue a iange of
mouel output fiom thiee global
climate mouels (BauCN, NIR0C, anu
CSIR0), all baseu on the A2 emissions
scenaiio, which is often uesciibeu as
the "business-as-usual" scenaiio. We
chose to piesent output using this
scenaiio because it closely iesembles
the actual tiajectoiy of global
emissions ovei the last uecaue. A
companion iepoit pioviues moie in-
uepth coveiage of mouel types,
assumptions, emissions scenaiios,
unceitainty, anu piojections foi
Nissoula County (see link pg. 1u).

Regaiuless of the unceitainty in these
piojections, the likelihoou that futuie
conuitions will iesemble histoiic
conuitions is veiy low. We encouiage
iesouice manageis anu policy makeis
to plan foi an eia of change, even if the
piecise tiajectoiy oi iate of change is
unceitainQ
Why make changes |f the future |s uncerta|n?

Whlle Lhe models agree LhaL average
LemperaLure wlll lncrease, pro[ecLlons for oLher
facLors are hlghly varlable. Why would we
lnvesL Llme and resources lnLo plannlng for
such uncerLalnLy? 1here are 3 maln reasons:

#1 - |ann|ng for cont|nued h|stor|c cond|t|ons
sets us up for fa||ure. All of our currenL
plannlng mechanlsms use hlsLory Lo plan for
Lhe fuLure - such as droughL frequency and
severlLy, dam sLablllLy, and flood rlsk Lo
communlLles. ?eL no cllmaLe models predlcL
conLlnued hlsLorlc condlLlons. 8elylng on
conLlnued hlsLorlcal condlLlons for a
communlLy's needs, such as waLer for
resldenLs, lengLh of growlng season for crops,
or snow for recreaLlon, wlll llkely lead Lo fallure.

#2 - We p|an for uncerta|n cond|t|ons on a
regu|ar bas|s, and don't even rea||ze |t. C||mate
change |s no d|fferent. We harvesL Llmber
based on models of Lree growLh, plan new
freeways based on 20-40 year pro[ecLlons of
populaLlon growLh, and buy flre lnsurance for
Lhe unllkely evenL of a flre. lannlng based on
Lhe besL avallable lnformaLlon-wlLh
ad[usLmenLs as we galn new lnformaLlon-ls
Lhe mosL effecLlve way Lo move forward.

#3 - 1ak|ng act|on makes the commun|ty more
res|||ent and v|brant, regard|ess of the actua|
tra[ectory of c||mate change. 8esldenLs of
Mlssoula CounLy have a wonderful quallLy of
llfe, buL LhaL quallLy could be dlmlnlshed. 1he
CounLy has already sLruggled wlLh rapld
populaLlon growLh, poor alr quallLy,
compeLlLlon for waLer, and loss of agrlculLural
and naLural lands Lo developmenL. SLraLegles
LhaL address Lhese problems and LhaL beneflL
Lhe counLy regardless of uncerLaln pro[ecLlons
should be glven prlorlLy.

16
3=>?@;9&3A@BC9&T"<@8;@;>GBU&@B<&T6>;>C@;>GBU&
&
This iepoit summaiizes
iecommenueu stiategies anu actions
foi piepaiing local communities in
Nissoula County foi the impacts of
climate change, otheiwise iefeiieu to
as "climate change auaptation".
"Auaptation" effoits aie intenueu to
inciease the iesilience of oui
populations anu iesouices in the face
of changing conuitions. These effoits
iesult in new coping mechanisms anu
new oppoitunities foi communities,
baseu on obseiveu anu expecteu
changes. In contiast to auaptation
effoits, "mitigation" effoits aim to
ieuuce the long-teim seveiity of
climate change by loweiing the
gieenhouse gas concentiation in the
atmospheie. Nitigation is achieveu by
ieuucing gieenhouse gas emissions
anu incieasing caibon stoiage.&&

Auaptation measuies can be
effective in the neai-teim, but may
fall shoit ovei longei timefiames
without effective mitigation.

The City of Nissoula foimeu a
Climate Action Task Foice in 2u11
assigneu the task of uiafting the
"City of Nissoula's Conseivation anu
Climate Action Plan," which is a
mitigation plan foi municipal
opeiations. Thiough this plan, the
City hopes to ieuuce its gieenhouse
gas emissions anu ieach an
emissions ieuuctions goal in coming
yeais.
Theie aie many ways that mitigation
anu auaptation can woik hanu-in-
hanu. Foi example, planting tiees in
iesiuential aieas will ueciease the
neeu foi eneigy-intensive aii
conuitioning (mitigation), stoie
caibon (mitigation) anu inciease
neighboihoou livability as
tempeiatuies inciease (auaptation).

In some cases, auaptation anu
mitigation stiategies may
inauveitently unueimine each othei.
Foi instance, use of aii conuitioning
uuiing a heat wave is a sounu
auaptation iesponse, but it iesults in
moie gieenhouse gas emissions,
theieby unueimining mitigation
effoits. It's impoitant to weigh
potential consequences as
"M|t|gat|on" efforts a|m to
reduce the |ong-term sever|ty
of c||mate change by |ower|ng
greenhouse gas em|ss|ons.
"Adaptat|on" efforts are
|ntended to |ncrease the
res|||ence of our popu|at|ons
and resources |n the face of
chang|ng cond|t|ons.
Wlklmedla commons

17
communities auopt climate change
iesponse stiategies to avoiu
unintenueu conflicts.

Integiating auaptation oi mitigation
stiategies acioss uiffeient sectois can
yielu cost savings anu othei positive
syneigies. Foi example, some
stiategies that ieuuce floou iisk can
also inciease giounuwatei iechaige,
which can benefit agiicultuial
piouuceis anu people with
giounuwatei wells. Beveloping
stiategies that have benefits acioss
many sectois iequiies communication
anu collaboiation, anu will inciease
the success of inuiviuual stiategies
anu minimize competition foi limiteu
funuing iesouices. Regulai
communication among such uispaiate
gioups as faimeis, iancheis, state anu
feueial agencies, Native Ameiicans,
public health piofessionals, county
planneis, social seivices piofessionals,
lanu, watei, anu wilulife manageis,
anu many otheis is vital foi
ueveloping cohesive, effective, anu
efficient stiategies.

By planning aheau anu builuing
iesilience, Nissoula County can
inciease its auaptive capacity anu its
ability to iesponu to climate change in
a positive anu pioactive mannei. 0ne
impoitant point to iemembei is that
incieaseu iesilience is a positive
featuie foi any community, iegaiuless
of climate change.


18
0@;HD@=&'IE;9?E&@E&@&3=>?@;9&3A@BC9&.>=;9D&

Climate change is a global
phenomenon, but many iesiuents of
Nissoula County aie also noticing
changes at the local level. Initially,
these effects will continue to be most
noticeable in the natuial systems in
the county, incluuing oui foiests,
snowpack, wilulife, anu wateiways. If
natuial systems aie iesilient in the
face of change, the impacts to human
communities will be less seveie. In
essence, healthy ecosystems will filtei
the effects of climate change, iesulting
in less stiess anu continueu benefits
foi people.

Foi instance, intact wetlanus anu
meauows in the high countiy holu
watei uuiing the wintei anu spiing,
allowing longei stoiage of watei fiom
spiing iunoff, which will supplement
late-season flows in oui cieeks anu
iiveis uuiing longei, hottei summeis.
This will become an especially
impoitant function as snow pack
levels uecline anu iunoff occuis moie
quickly.
Intact floouplains anu healthy iipaiian
aieas will ieuuce the impacts of
laigei, moie seveie stoims on
uownstieam uevelopment. Similaily,
intact foiests with natuial fiie iegimes
may be less likely to expeiience
unchaiacteiistically seveie wilufiie.
0n the flip-siue, if these foiests,
floouplains, oi wetlanus have been
uegiaueu, people aie moie likely to
feel the effects of fiies, floous, oi
uioughts.

The benefits that we gain fiom
functioning natuial systems aie often
iefeiieu to as "natuie's benefits" oi
"ecosystem seivices." As climate
change piogiesses, these seivices will
become even moie impoitant, anu at
the same time, they coulu become
incieasingly stiesseu by climate
change anu by incieasing population
piessuie. By iuentifying anu
piotecting key ecosystem seivices, oui
community can bettei piepaie foi a
changing climate.

Wlklmedla commons

19
!9@;A9D&O9DEHE&3=>?@;9&

It's easy to confuse the teims
"weathei" anu "climate," oi be
tempteu to use them inteichangeably.
Bowevei, K9@;A9D anu :=>?@;9 uiffei
in teims of the timefiame ovei which
they aie measuieu.

Weathei is what we feel eveiy uay,
incluuing the tempeiatuie, iainfall,
snowfall, humiuity, oi winu speeu.
Climate, on the othei hanu, is the
combination of uaily weathei
aveiageu ovei long peiious of time.
Changes in climate become appaient
when long-teim aveiages (Su, Su, oi
1uu yeais) aie upuateu to incluue
moie iecent uata. Long-teim changes
in climate have been uocumenteu in
oui iegionmoie piecipitation is
falling as iain, aveiage stieam flow in
August is lowei, anu aveiage spiing
snowpack is lowei. These changes
iesult in a vaiiety of noticeable shifts
in oui uaily lives in Nissoula County.
Foi instance, common floweiing
plants aie blooming eailiei, foiest fiie
seasons aie lasting longei, anu some
aieas aie expeiiencing moie fiequent
floou events.

Nissoula County also expeiiences
shoitei-teim vaiiations in climate,
which occui iegionally, such as El
Nio anu the Pacific Becaual
0scillation (PB0). These iegional
patteins neeu to be consiueieu when
assessing changes in climate, as they
can act to amplify oi mute the effects
of global climate change, uepenuing
on the cuiient position of the cycle.
The PB0 cycles between a waim
phase anu a cool phase (Figuie 2).
0vei the last centuiy, these cycles
have lasteu about 2u-Su yeais.

Some of the chaiacteiistics of the
waim phase of the PB0, specific to the
westein pait of Nontana, aie hot uiy
summeis, waimei than aveiage
winteis, anu ieuuceu snowpack. The
waim phase of the PB0 has been
linkeu to incieaseu wilufiie anu baik
beetle outbieaks. Embeuueu within
the uecaues-long cycles of the PB0 aie
the one- to two-yeai cycles known as
El Nio-Southein 0scillation (ENS0).
When the waim anu uiy cycle of the
PB0 coinciues with the uiy yeais
biought by ENS0, extieme uiought
anu wilufiie can occui.

I|gure 2. A cenLury of aclflc uecadal CsclllaLlon, based on Lhe uC lndex. uaLa
collecLed slnce 1998 (noL shown) lndlcaLes poLenLlal movemenL back Loward a
cool phase of Lhe uC.
Source: 8lg Sky lnsLlLuLe, MonLana SLaLe unlverslLy

2u
SLC1ICN II. 1nL LCLL, LCCNCM, AND LAND CI MISSCULA
CCUN1

Similai to natuial systems, local iesiuents anu economic systems of Nissoula County
will expeiience less stiess if they aie moie iesilient in the face of changing
conuitions. Cuiient stiengths anu vulneiabilities will uictate how the community
iesponus to extieme events. Beie, we piesent a snapshot of Nissoula County's
socioeconomic systems
2
in oiuei to assess likely impacts anu available stiategies foi
ietaining the high quality of life that Nissoula's iesiuents enjoy.

"&4>CA&2H@=>;I&GF&*>F9&@B<&@&->O9DE9V&.@E;WCDGK>BC&$:GBG?I&

Nissoula County (with moie than
1u9,uuu people) anu the City of
Nissoula (population aiounu 67,uuu)
aie pait of a giowing iegional tiaue
centei that is uiveise. It is composeu
of a few laige employeis, such as the
univeisity, iegional hospitals, anu
feueial lanu management agencies,
anu numeious small businesses.
Ninety peicent of woikeis woik foi
small businesses of 2u employees oi
fewei, anu one out of foui people in
Nissoula County aie self-employeu.
Nissoula County is euucateu; 24% of
the auult population has a bacheloi's
uegiee anu anothei 1S% have
giauuate oi piofessional uegiees.

Employment, anu peisonal income
have giown steauily ovei the last Su
yeais, but have sloweu iecently uue to
the iecession. Bowevei, population
giowth, fueleu mainly by in-migiation,
has continueu. Noie than a thiiu of
total peisonal income is fiom
ietiiement, investments, anu othei
non-laboi income. This foim of
income is likely to giow in Nissoula
County as the baby-boomei
geneiation continues to ietiie.
Accoiuing to Nissoula aiea
economists anu electeu officials, one
of the ieasons foi Nissoula's steauy
anu continueu giowth has been its
high quality of life. Nissoula County is
moie than 1.6 million acies in size,
76% foiesteu, anu moie than half in
public owneiship. The City of Nissoula
is suiiounueu by some of the most
spectaculai mountain ianges in the
state. The iegion suppoits summei
iecieation in the foim of boating,
fishing, anu hiking, as well as wintei
skiing anu snowboaiuing.

Economic sectois like tiavel anu
touiism aie impoitant not just foi the
ievenue they geneiate fiom visitois,
but aie also inuicatois of a high
quality of life foi local iesiuents. An
aiipoit with uaily access to majoi
maikets anu population centeis, an
euucateu woikfoice, anu a high
quality of life have positioneu the
county foi continueu economic
giowth, some uiiven by amenity-
baseu migiation, anu much of it by
people who alieauy live anu play in
the aiea.
2
Foi iefeiences anu moie uetails about local conuitions, please uownloau the companion iepoit entitleu
The People, Economy, anu Lanu of Nissoula County at:
http:www.geosinstitute.oigcompleteu-climatewise-piojects

21
XH=B9D@Y>=>;>9E&;G&3=>?@;9&3A@BC9

#A9&>?8GD;@B:9&GF&A9@=;AI&FGD9E;EV&
:=9@B&@>D&@B<&:=9@B&K@;9D&M&Bealthy
foiests anu clean aii anu watei aie
key to futuie economic piospeiity in
Nissoula County, yet these aie aieas
wheie the county is vulneiable to
climate change. While aii quality has
impioveu ovei time uue to iegulations
anu a changing mix of inuustiies,
paiticulate mattei has incieaseu
uiamatically uuiing yeais when foiest
fiies buineu neaiby. With incieasing
foiest fiies, aii quality coulu be
ieuuceu, affecting human health anu
futuie economic well-being. &

Anothei vulneiability is in the
uevelopment of homes on fiie-pione
foiesteu lanusthe wilulanu-uiban
inteiface (W0I), uefineu heie as
piivate lanus within Suu meteis of
foiesteu public lanus. The incieaseu
fiequency anu seveiity of foiest fiies
that is expecteu with climate change
unueiscoies the benefits of managing
the pace, scale anu pattein of futuie
uevelopment on fiie-pione foiesteu
lanus, anu of euucating lanuowneis on
the uangeis of foiest fiies.

Incieaseu iuial iesiuential
uevelopment also piesents challenges
to watei quality, in paiticulai to the
Nissoula valley Aquifei. The top of the
aquifei, wheie septic systems exist,
feeus into the aiea's wateiways, which
in tuin feeu fish, wilulife, faims anu
ianches. Beaviei iain in the spiing
anu fastei suiface iunoff coulu cause
the washing of contaminants into the
aquifei. Anothei consequence may be
the loweiing of giounuwatei stoies as
iunoff occuis moie quickly.

'G?9&89G8=9&@D9&?GD9&OH=B9D@Y=9&M&
Climate change, especially if it affects
aii anu watei quality, may
uispiopoitionately affect the veiy
young, the elueily, anu people with
health challenges (foi example, those
with iespiiatoiy ailments), as well as
inuiviuuals with ieuuceu access to
health caie, such as the uninsuieu anu
the pooi, anu those with low
euucation levels. Native Ameiican
populations with highei poveity iates
may be paiticulaily vulneiable. &

With baby boomeis ietiiing, anu with
a well-uevelopeu iegional health caie
sectoi anu a high quality of life, the
county is poiseu foi the continueu
giowth of an oluei population.
Waimei tempeiatuies, moie
inveisions, anu pooi aii quality fiom
incieaseu foiest fiies coulu affect the
health anu safety of this population.
Wlklmedla commons

22
SLC1ICN III. IMAC1S AND kLCCMMLNDLD S1kA1LGILS

3G??HB>;I&)@D;>:>8@;>GBJ&#A9&3=>?@;9!>E9&!GDNEAG8&&
&
In }une of 2u11, neaily 1uu local
expeits anu community membeis
came togethei foi a two-uay
woikshop to uiscuss the potential
impacts of climate change in
Nissoula County, anu to iuentify
auaptation stiategies anu
implementation actions. A piimaiy
goal of the woikshop was to
uevelop iecommenueu stiategies
that suppoit local values in an
integiateu mannei, acioss uiffeient
sectois anu inteiests of the
community. Because actions taken
in one sectoi can influence
auaptation stiategies anu effoits in
othei sectois, integiation is vital foi
success.

We specifically askeu paiticipants
foi stiategies that woulu have the
gieatest syneigies anu efficiencies
acioss gioups anu inteiests. This
appioach is not only expecteu to
inciease the likelihoou of success,
but also to ueciease tensions anu
conflict in the county.

The Claik Foik Coalition conveneu
the woikshop, along with paitneis
fiom the Nontana Association of
Conseivation Bistiicts, the Nontana
Wateisheu Cooiuination Council,
ueos Institute, anu Beauwateis
Economics.

Foi moie quantitative anu
inteiactive iesults fiom the
woikshop, please visit the following
web link: http:www.geosinstitute.oigcompleteu-climatewise-piojects
ln order Lo gulde adapLaLlon sLraLegles
Loward Lhe feaLures of Lhe communlLy LhaL
are mosL valued by local resldenLs, we asked
workshop parLlclpanLs whaL Lhey value mosL
abouL llvlng and worklng ln Mlssoula CounLy.
1helr responses are summarlzed here.
What M|ssou||ans va|ue most: Votes
LcosysLem servlces 18
clean, lnexpenslve waLer (13)
clean alr (3)
carbon sLorage ln Lrees (1)
CuLdoor recreaLlon 14
oslLlve compasslonaLe, open
communlLy 13
naLlve flsh, wlldllfe, planLs 11
8ecreaLlonal vlewlng (6)
PunLlng (1)
SplrlLual (1)
MenLal healLh (1)
1rlbal culLure (1)
Cverall quallLy of llfe 9
Local food/agrlculLure 7
Scenery 6
Safe for klds, famlly frlendly 3
CulLure, arLs, enLerLalnmenL 4
SusLalnable llvlng 3
unlverslLy 3
loresL producLs 3
CuallLy educaLlon 2
CllmaLe/weaLher/seasons 2
!obs, nCCs 2
1rlbal culLure 2
lnfrasLrucLure 1

2S

Water Supp|y
&
$789:;9<&3A@BC9E&;G&;A9&*G:@=&4I<DG=GCI&

Futuie changes in the amount anu
timing of piecipitation aie highly
unceitain. Nouel piojections foi the
Nissoula County iegion show slight
incieases in piecipitation in wintei,
especially at highei elevations.
Summei piojections aie moie
vaiiable, with some mouels showing
uiiei conuitions anu otheis showing
slightly wettei conuitions. 0n aveiage,
piecipitation is expecteu to inciease,
but not enough to offset the inciease
in evapoiation fiom highei
tempeiatuies. Thus, soil moistuie anu
watei levels aie likely to uecline.

Beclines in aveiage snowpack uue to
highei tempeiatuies anu eailiei
spiing waim up aie highly ceitain,
especially at lowei elevations. As
moie piecipitation falls as iain insteau
of snow, iunoff is expecteu to occui
moie quickly, pioviuing less
infiltiation into soils anu giounu
watei stoies. Snowpack is an
impoitant mechanism thioughout the
west foi stoiing watei into summei
months, anu as that function is
uiminisheu, less watei availability in
late summei can be expecteu. With
eailiei spiing iunoff anu longei hottei
summeis, late summei stieam flow is
expecteu to be lowei anu waimei.

3=>?@;9&3A@BC9&,?8@:;E&

The bieakout gioup woiking on watei quantity issues iuentifieu the following as the
top conceins:
a. Incieaseu competition anu conflict ovei watei. Competition among local
uses incluues agiicultuie, fish anu wilulife, anu iesiuential use. Competition
with outsiue uses anu selling of watei to outsiue maikets coulu uiive up
piices. Low income populations anu aquatic species aie especially at iisk.
Faimeis anu lanuowneis might sell off watei iights. New uams might be
built, causing negative impacts to fish populations.
b. Beclining stieam flows anu changing iunoff timing, anu the iesulting impacts
to iipaiian anu wetlanu aieas, aquatic connectivity, touiism, iecieation,
business, agiicultuie, anu iesiuential useis
c. Waiming watei tempeiatuies anu pollution that affect people, colu watei
fishes, anu othei wilulife. Waimei watei also causes an inciease in aquatic
invasive species.
u. Lack of capacity to auuiess pioblems because the cuiient system of laws anu
iules is not auequate, especially because theie is little capacity, especially
with BNRC, foi enfoicement of cuiient laws anu stanuaius.

24

Some sectois aie moie vulneiable to
changes in watei availability uuiing
ceitain paits of the yeai. Local
agiicultuie, foi instance, is likely to
become moie ieliant on iiiigation as
climate change piogiesses, anu coulu
become less viable with lowei watei
supplies. Aieas wheie all the watei is
alieauy legally appiopiiateusuch as
Lolo, Nissoula uiban aiea, anu the
Blackfoot aieamay see moie conflict
between watei useis foi uiminishing
watei iesouices.

Nissoula County may be piessuieu to
expoit watei to othei aieas, anu costs
coulu iise fiom an inciease in
competition, inoiuinately affecting
faimeis, iesiuential useis, anu low-
income populations. Bighei watei
competition anu lowei flows might
leau to the constiuction of new uams,
which in tuin coulu have seiious
impacts to native fish populations anu
the touiism anu iecieational
inuustiies that iely on those fish
populations. Nissoula County is at an
auvantage compaieu to some othei
aieas, howevei, because much of the
snowpack is founu at high enough
elevations that it will continue to
function, although to a lessei extent,
as a valuable watei stoiage
mechanism even as tempeiatuies
continue to iise.


2S
%9:G??9B<9<&';D@;9C>9EV&":;>GBEV&@B<&,B;9CD@;>GB&)G>B;E&

Nissoula County iesiuents value clean
watei anu available watei to a gieat
extent. Watei is a way of life in
Nissoula County - iiveis anu lakes
pioviue abunuant iecieation, sustain
local foou piouuction, suppoit Native
Ameiican cultuie, anu pioviue a
scenic backuiop that affects quality of
life. Nany of the actions that weie
suggesteu by local iesiuents, uecision
makeis, anu expeits at the woikshop
can woik in conceit to pievent
incieaseu conflict ovei watei anu a
loss of impoitant seivices pioviueu by
the wateiways of Nissoula County.
Biveise gioups such as state anu
county agencies, city goveinment,
conseivation oiganizations, anu Nu0s
might want to paitnei on such an
effoit to maximize outieach effoits
anu oveiall efficacy.

Each iecommenueu stiategy in the
following list is supplementeu with a
suite of actions that can be taken to
achieve the given stiategy. The gioups
also iuentifieu wheie syneigies can
occui, anu wheie conflict may aiise,
specific to the iecommenueu actions.

While climate change is a new thieat,
many auaptation stiategies can be
incoipoiateu into existing planning
anu management effoits without
auuitional iesouices. We pioviueu a
list of "integiation points." These
integiation points aie ongoing effoits
anu existing gioups that can
potentially be leveiageu oi taskeu
with implementing some oi all of the
actions that weie iecommenueu.

The iecommenueu stiategies with the
highest level of gioup suppoit, as well
as some suggesteu actions to achieve
those stiategies, incluue the following:

';D@;9CI&ZPJ&&)DG;9:;V&D9E;GD9V&@B<&:D9@;9&F=GG<8=@>BEV&K9;=@B<EV&D>8@D>@B&@D9@EV&
@B<&E8@KB>BC&A@Y>;@;&&
&
Action 1. Reintiouuce beaveis into select aieas to inciease late summei flow,
pioviue natuial floou abatement, inciease biological uiveisity, anu enhance
giounuwatei iechaige.
'IB9DC>9EJ inciease late summei flows foi fish, angleis, anu faimeis;
ieuuces uownstieam floou iisk, enhances watei quality, incieases biological
uiveisity
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Beaveis pione to uispeising to aieas wheie they aie
not wanteu; uamage to tiees; uamage to agiicultuial infiastiuctuie

Action 2. Cieate small high elevation uams oi beavei-like stiuctuies that fulfill
the same functions as above. These stiuctuies woulu neeu to be shown to
not impeue fish passage anu shoulu be placeu stiategically foi maximum
giounuwatei iechaige anu maintenance of late summei stieam flows.
'IB9DC>9EJ similai to benefits above
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Coulu impeue fish passage if not well-uesigneu

26
& Action S. Cieate new wetlanus oi wetlanu banks foi watei stoiage anu
filtiation puiposes.
'IB9DC>9EJ Similai to benefits above
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ None iuentifieu

Action 4. Engage with local community, faimeisiancheis, anu goveinment
officials to inciease unueistanuing of the value of wetlanus anu iipaiian
aieas in stoiing watei, pioviuing floou abatement, filteiing out pollutants,
anu pioviuing wilulife habitat.
'IB9DC>9EJ Similai syneigies as wetlanu iestoiation above
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Coulu limit some types of economic uevelopment anu
lanuownei iights&&

Action S. Bettei piotection foi floouplains, wetlanus anu iipaiian zones, as well
as uisincentives foi ueveloping in these aieas.
'IB9DC>9EJ Can combine with othei outieach effoits on fiie iisk, watei
conseivation, lanu stewaiuship, anu othei topics
&
,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Nissoula Co. Ruial Initiatives: stewaiuship awaius foi
lanuowneis that piotect natuial iesouices. Restoiation effoits on public anu
piivate lanu: Tiout 0nlimiteu, Claik Foik Coalition, Wilulanus CPR, 0.S. Foiest
Seivice, Blackfoot Challenge. Nilltown Restoiation anu Reuevelopment: iestoiing
Claik Foik anu Blackfoot floouplain anu ueveloping a iiveisiue pait neai Bonnei.
National Foiest Plan upuates anu ievisions. Neighboihoou anu community councils.
0pen Lanus Committee.&

S*8*0%5*#!E.00.)<!

27
';D@;9CI&Z[J&3A@BC9&K@;9D&GKB9DEA>8&;G&8DG;9:;&6>EEGH=@&3GHB;I&O@=H9E&@B<&
=>O9=>AGG<E&&
&
Action 1. Piioiitize ceitain uses of watei in specific aieas, such as iesiuential,
agiicultuie, anu in-stieam flows foi fish. These uses shoulu be piioiitizeu in
a sustainable mannei, using a legal fiamewoik that ieplaces the cuiient
watei iights system.
'IB9DC>9EJ Watei iights might ieflect local values anu neeus; watei
competition woulu be minimizeu, allowing piices to stay lowei
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Some cuiient watei useis coulu lose theii watei
iights&&

Action 2. Complete ongoing aujuuication effoits that will auuiess outuateu
watei iights issues.
'IB9DC>9EJ Watei competition minimizeu, allowing piices to stay lowei
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Some impoitant values might not be iepiesenteu,
such as touiism anu iecieation

Action S. Cieate a system of watei tiusts anu watei banks to encouiage
ieuistiibution anu conseivation.&Watei tiusts woulu woik similaily to lanu
tiusts, with tiust holueis puichasing an easement on theii watei iights in
exchange foi limiting theii use of those watei iights. Watei banks woulu
pioviue a voluntaiy mechanism foi useis to ieallocate watei wheie it's most
neeueu thiough eithei a cieuit system oi by exchanging watei iights.
'IB9DC>9EJ Incieases lanuownei contiol; ieuuces competition; allows foi
maiket aujustments
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Lanu values coulu uecline if watei iights aie tieateu
sepaiately oi solu off

Action 4. 0btain public owneiship of municipal watei.
'IB9DC>9EJ Incieases ability to plan foi giowth anu uevelopment in a
sustainable mannei
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Watei iates may inciease

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&uiass valley Fiench Iiiigation Bistiict: pilot pioject to "maiket"
watei to offset new watei uses. Flow iestoiation piogiams to change consumptive
watei iights to in-stieam flow: Claik Foik Coalition, Tiout 0nlimiteu, NT Fish
Wilulife anu Paiks. Contiolleu uiounuwatei Aiea: petition thiough the Bept. of
Natuial Resouices anu Conseivation. Nontana Watei Policy Inteiim Committee:
cieates uiaft legislation anu options foi watei management foi the 2u1S Legislatuie.
Nountain Watei Company sale: encouiage public owneiship by offeiing to buy
utility fiom Cailyle uioup. Claik Foik Task Foice: upuating the state watei plan.&

28
';D@;9CI&Z\J&$<H:@;>GB&GB&E;9K@D<EA>8&@B<&:GBE9DO@;>GB&
&
Action 1. Pioviue euucation to local iesiuents about the finite natuie of
iesouices in Nissoula County anu the neeu to conseive watei anu eneigy,
especially as the population giows anu climate change piogiesses. Some
suggestions foi outieach effoits incluueu (1) infoimal community
gatheiings, potentially tieu to uances, baibeques, anu othei engaging events
(2) youth-taigeteu positive anu inspiiing communications; (S) engagement
leu by local leaueiship; anu (4) communication coming fiom local utilities.
'IB9DC>9EJ Can combine with othei outieach effoits on fiie iisk, watei
conseivation, lanu stewaiuship, anu othei topics

Action 2. Communicate with local lanuowneis on stewaiuship that affects
watei quality anu quantity. Some suggestions foi outieach effoits incluueu
(1) paitneiships among uiveise gioups to uevelop local stewaiuship
outieach mateiials anu messages; (2) infoimal community gatheiings with a
foium on natuial iesouice management; (S) euucation that encouiages
maintenance anu uevelopment of iipaiian aieas, wetlanus, floouplains, anu
intact foiest, foi theii ecosystem seivices values.
'IB9DC>9EJ Impioveu lanu management piactices can save money uue to
watei, eneigy, anu othei efficiencies; communication coulu be coupleu with
communication on foiest stewaiuship, wilufiie, anu ienewable eneigy
&
,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Local wateisheu gioups: Rattlesnake, Ninemile, Lolo,
Cleaiwatei. Cuiient euucation piogiams thiough Nissoula County Ruial Initiatives,
Nissoula Watei Quality Bistiict, Claik Foik Coalition, Wateisheu Euucation
Netwoik, Nontana Natuial Bistoiy Centei. Big Sky Wateisheu Coips: S new
AmeiiCoips positions in Nissoula County woiking with wateisheu gioups anu local
lanuowneis on piotecting watei iesouices.&

Wlklmedla commons

29
';D@;9CI&Z]J&)DGO><9&EH88GD;&;G&@CD>:H=;HD9&
&
Action 1. Pioviue euucation anu incentives to impiove iiiigation methous;
ieuuce seuiment, feitilizei, pesticiue, anu heibiciue iunoff into wateiways;
anu to buffei iipaiian zones, conseive native species anu habitats, anu
impiove giazing anu faiming methous to bettei piotect wateiways.
'IB9DC>9EJ Bettei woiking ielationships anu moie compatible messaging;
lowei piices foi local foous

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Blackfoot Rivei Biought Nanagement Plan. Natuial Resouice
Conseivation Seivice: Faim Bill incentive piogiams. Community Foou anu
Agiicultuie Coalition. Local foou suppoiting effoits: community suppoiteu
agiicultuie, faimeis maikets, Faim to SchoolFaim to College piogiams. Lanu anu
watei tiansactions that pioviue incentives to lanuowneis foi conseiving valuable
lanus oi iestoiing stieamflows.&

';D@;9CI&Z^J&*9O9D@C9&9FFGD;E&@B<&KGDN&:G==@YGD@;>O9=I&
&
Action 1. Connect gioups, locally anu iegionally, to encouiage smait giowth,
watei conseivation, anu sustainable appioaches to lanu anu watei
management. City goveinment, 0niveisity management, electeu leaueis,
non-piofits, state agencies, anu otheis can come togethei to uevelop a whole
community appioach to watei uistiibution, watei use, anu watei
conseivation.
'IB9DC>9EJ Bettei woiking ielationships anu moie compatible messaging
&
,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Nissoula 0pen Lanus Committee. Community anu
neighboihoou councils. Wateisheu gioups, confeiences, woikshops. Nissoula
Conseivation Bistiict.
&
';D@;9CI&Z_J&'AGK:@E9&EH::9EE&E;GD>9E&

Action 1. Piojects shoulu be caiiieu out anu useu as examples of positive
change so local iesiuents can bettei unueistanu cost savings, ecological
benefits, best management piactices, anu positive stewaiuship.
'IB9DC>9EJ Notivate inuepenuent gioups anu lanuowneis to take effective
action
&
,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Regulai confeiences, events anu woikshops aiounu the county,
hosteu by a vaiiety of gioups. Websites: county, paitneis, non piofits, 0niveisity of
Nontana.

Su

W||df|re
&
&
$789:;9<&3A@BC9E&;G&!>=<F>D9&

Wilufiie is a natuial pait of the
lanuscape in Nissoula County, anu the
community has expeiience with its
impacts on human communities,
businesses, anu infiastiuctuie.
Although wilufiies will always occui
seasonally, climate change is expecteu
to leau to moie fiequent, laigei, anu
moie seveie wilufiies.

The piojections iepoit piepaieu foi
Nissoula County (see link on pg. 1u)
uesciibes how climate change is
expecteu to leau to an incieasingly
eaily onset of spiingan occuiience
that is highly coiielateu with active
wilufiie seasons. 0thei climate change
impacts, such as highei aveiage
tempeiatuies anu moie seveie
uiought, will also contiibute to laigei
fiie seasons. Some ieseaich also
points to incieaseu lightning activity
uue to incieaseu caibon uioxiue in the
atmospheie, leauing to an inciease in
the fiequency of natuial fiie
occuiience.

Bighei wintei low tempeiatuies
(fewei seveie colu snaps) have also
facilitateu baik beetle spieau, which
many believe will exaceibate fiie
seveiity, although the majoiity of
stuuies have not founu incieaseu fiie
iisk subsequent to beetle outbieaks.
Buman factois also play a pait in
exaceibating the thieat of seveie
wilufiie. Buman activities aie
iesponsible foi 9u% of wilufiies in the
0.S. Becaues of iesiuential giowth in
the Wilulanu-0iban Inteiface (W0I)
have placeu moie people anu piopeity
in haim's way, iaising the stakes both
in teims of cost anu politics of wilufiie
suppiession anu foiest management.

Wlklmedla commons

S1
3=>?@;9&3A@BC9&,?8@:;E&

The bieakout gioup woiking on foiest anu wilufiie issues iuentifieu the following as
the top conceins:
a. Incieaseu iisk to human safety, especially in the W0I anu iuial communities,
in ielation to iecieation (camps anu tiails), anu uue to loss of access oi
escape ioutes uuiing emeigencies
b. Beclines in aii quality that coulu leau to incieaseu iespiiatoiy illness anu
asthma, especially among the young, elueily, anu those with compiomiseu
health
c. Rising costs associateu with fiie suppiession, especially as uevelopment
continues in the W0I
u. Bamage to infiastiuctuie anu piopeity fiom extieme fiie with
uispiopoitional impact on iuial communities; Incieaseu insuiance cost anu
ueclines in piopeity values
e. Loss of economic activity fiom loss of timbei iesouices, touiism, anu
iecieation
f. Natuial iesouice uamage anu management challenges uue to changes in
plant composition, laige scale habitat change, loss of soil capacity to holu
watei causing moie seuimentation anu iunoff, anu change in management
piioiity anu flexibility
g. Caibon ielease fiom foiests that exaceibates the magnituue of climate
change

The biggest concein with the potential
foi moie seveie wilufiie is foi human
health anu safety foi those uiiectly in
the path of wilufiie, anu fiom the
acute effects of smoke on at-iisk
populations. Also of concein was
insufficient planning capacity,
seivices, anu infiastiuctuie that may
leave Nissoula County vulneiable in
the case of incieasing fiequency oi
seveiity of wilufiie.

The potential impact on local
economic activity anu on natuial
systems was also a concein. The
potential loss of timbei iesouices was
impoitant to some membeis,
paiticulaily as the timbei inuustiy
stiuggles to ietain infiastiuctuie anu
a skilleu woikfoice amiu ueclining
logging acioss the iegion. Past
expeiience has also shown significant
ueclines in touiism activity uuiing
moie seveie fiie yeais. Wilufiie anu
the associateu thieats to aii quality
anu natuial systems can also uampen
the quality of life in Nissoula County,
an impoitant factoi attiacting
families, businesses, anu ietiiees to
the County.

Extieme fiies can affect natuial
systems. Loss of vegetation can cause
loss of impoitant habitats foi wilulife,
species ueclines anu uestabilization of
soils. Incieaseu iunoff anu

S2
seuimentation into stieams can
impact fisheiies. While wilufiie is a
natuial anu impoitant component of
foiest ecosystems in the West,
unchaiacteiistically seveie wilufiie
biought on by climate change is
expecteu to ielease auuitional caibon
into the atmospheie, incieasing the
magnituue of climate change.

Finally, woikshop paiticipants
uesciibeu the potential uifficulties
with implementing auaptation
stiategies, anu how these challenges
can actually become thieats
themselves. Foi example, conflict in
the community ovei uevelopment
iestiictions, fees oi othei financial
incentives oi uisincentives, anu ovei
foiest management goals may be
exaceibateu to the point that
community seivices aie cut insteau of
bolsteieu, anu foiests aie less iesilient
to fiie, iathei than moie so.

%9:G??9B<9<&';D@;9C>9EV&":;>GBEV&@B<&,B;9CD@;>GB&)G>B;E&
&
While wilufiie is a natuial anu accepteu pait of the Nissoula County lanuscape,
action is neeueu to ieuuce uisiuptions, costs, anu health impacts that coulu occui
with an inciease in seveiity anu fiequency of wilufiie. Nany of the actions that weie
suggesteu by local iesiuents, uecision makeis, anu expeits at the woikshop can
woik in conceit to impiove lanu use planning, eneigy efficiency, watei quality, anu
economic uiveisity. The list below outlines wheie syneigies can occui, anu wheie
conflict may aiise, specific to the iecommenueu actions.

The iecommenueu stiategies with the highest level of gioup suppoit, as well as
some suggesteu actions to achieve those stiategies, incluue the following:

';D@;9CI&ZPJ&,B;9CD@;9&9<H:@;>GB&;G&@<<D9EE&?H=;>8=9&@E89:;E&GF&K>=<F>D9&
`'@F9;IV&!(,V&D>ENV&9:GEIE;9?&<IB@?>:EV&Y9A@O>GDV&9;:Qa&&

Action 1. Inciease access to euucation about wilufiie anu the uynamic natuie of
ecosystems, fiie (ecology, histoiy, cultuie).&
'IB9DC>9EJ Euucation on climate change anu wilufiie can be integiateu with
othei euucation topics. Euucation is the top stiategy acioss all thieats
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ None iuentifieu&&

Action 2. Pioviue uemonstiation piojects anu aieas.
'IB9DC>9EJ Bettei piepaieu citizens uuiing emeigencies; impioveu lanu
management piactices that leau to lowei stiess
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Buuget limitations

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&0niveisity of Nontana College of Foiestiy: Lubiecht Foiest has
on-going iestoiation tieatments anu fiie suiiogate stuuiesuemos. Collaboiative
Foiest Lanuscape Restoiation - Southein Ciown of the Continent (piivate lanu

SS
owneis, lanu management agencies, timbei companies, conseivation oiganizations,
extension seivice). Nontana Natuial Bistoiy Centei euucation piogiams.

';D@;9CI&Z[J&%9<H:9&F>D9&E9O9D>;I&&

Action 1. Allow some fiies to buin.&
'IB9DC>9EJ Coulu iesult in impioveu ecosystem health anu wilulife habitat
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Public iesistance to letting fiies buin; aii quality &

Action 2. 0se mechanical fuels ieuuction (thinning) specific to fiie iisk, foiest
type, anu past management. Apply management in low to miu-elevation
foiests that mimics natuial fiie to inciease iesilience (eg. Biometiic fiie -
Aino's book Nimicking Natuie's Fiie).
'IB9DC>9EJ 0sing ecological anu mechanical techniques to iestoie natuial
fiie anu piotect iesouices will integiate with othei stiategies to maintain
ecological iesilience anu uiveisity (fuels ieuuction ieuuces insect
infestation)
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Conflict ovei appiopiiateness of thinning

Action S. Reuuce competition within foiests foi watei anu nutiients to inciease
iesilience.
'IB9DC>9EJ None iuentifieu
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Buman uemanu foi foiest iesouices

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Nissoula County buugeting piocess: incoipoiate fiie costs into
annual buuget paiameteis, look foi funuing oppoitunities foi iestoiation piojects
on foiest lanus. Fuels foi schools: woou biomass as a ienewable eneigy oi heating
souice in local schools anu the 0niveisity of Nontana (pioposeu biomass boilei).
uoou neighboi agieements between feueial anu piivate lanuowneis, incluuing
feueial matching funus foi piivate lanus fuel ieuuction.

';D@;9CI&Z\J&*>?>;&<9O9=G8?9B;&>B&;A9&!(,&&

Action 1. Raise tax iates in the W0I to uiscouiage uevelopment&
'IB9DC>9EJ The ievenue coulu be useu to piotect public health anu safety
uuiing wilufiie events anuoi othei natuial uisasteis (fiiefighting, piovision
of health seivices ielateu to pooi aii quality, etc.)
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ&It is politically uifficult to iaise tax iates.

Action 2. Raise insuiance iates in the W0I anuoi impose a fiie suichaige
'IB9DC>9EJ Imposing a fiie suichaige woulu geneiate funus foi wilufiie
emeigency iesponse.
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ It may not be economically auvantageous foi
insuiance companies to iaise iates in the W0I.

S4
Action S. Intiouuce builuing anu subuivision iegulations that limit new
subuivisions in the W0I
'IB9DC>9EJ Less subuivision in the W0I may limit spiawl anu associateu
factois such as long commutes that inciease emissions anu subuivision of
open space that uegiaues natuial amenities.
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ It will be uifficult to achieve consistency in
uevelopment stanuaius acioss the county with many juiisuictions in chaige
of peimittingieview (cities, county, state, anu insuiance iequiiements).
Also, builuing anu subuivision iegulations aie sometimes constiueu as
impinging upon piivate piopeity iights.

Action 4. Conuuct ieseaich on iisk anu fiie staits associateu with the W0I&
'IB9DC>9EJ Results coulu be useu foi euucation on wilufiie anu climate
change issues.
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ&Funuing

Action S. Nap ingiess anu egiess anu iequiie multiple options
'IB9DC>9EJ Impoitant foi emeigency iesponse in geneial
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Funuing

Action 6. Conuuct an analysis of tiaue offs (homes vs. timbei)
'IB9DC>9EJ Results coulu be useu foi euucation on wilufiie anu climate
change issues.
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Some of the tiaue offs aie ielateu to values anu not
easily quantifieu

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&
Nissoula County
subuivision iegulations:
ensuie W0I is
incoipoiateu as a
consiueiation in new
piojects. Reseaich
Effoits: Rocky Nountain
Reseaich Station,
Nissoula Fiie Lab,
0niveisity of Nontana
uepaitments.

S*8*0%5*#!E.00.)<!

SS
';D@;9CI&Z]J&,?8DGO9&97>E;>BC&:GB<>;>GBE&FGD&AH?@B&A9@=;A&@B<&E@F9;I&>B&!(,&&
&
Action 1. Cieate uefensible space anu fiie iesistant homes while maintaining
wilulife habitat anu visual qualities - Integiate Fiiewise with local
iegulations; Pioviue iebates foi fiie iesistant constiuction anu uefensible
space; Conuuct monitoiing of uefensible space in W0I.&
'IB9DC>9EJ Fiiewise euucation coulu be combineu with euucation on othei
climate change issues.
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ&Expense to lanuowneis. Expenses foi local
goveinment piogiams associateu with pioviuing incentives anu iegulations.

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Nissoula County subuivision iegulations: ensuie W0I is
incoipoiateu as a consiueiation in new piojects.

';D@;9CI&Z^J&.GE;9D&9:GBG?>:&<9O9=G8?9B;&&
&
Action 1. Pioviue ieplacement aieas if iecieation pioviueis aie shut out of an
aiea uue to wilufiie, anu pioviue wilufiie ielateu ecotouiism oppoitunities.&
'IB9DC>9EJ Touis of active fiies, iestoiation woik as woik vacation, biiu
watching, mushioom picking, meuicinal heibs, anu othei touiist activities in
buin aieas can be cooiuinateu with touiism iueas foi othei ecological assets
at iisk fiom climate change.
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ&Cooiuination between lanu manageis.

Action 2. Bevelop maiket foi biomass eneigy.&&
'IB9DC>9EJ Economic uevelopment integiates with ienewable eneigy
stiategy.
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Biomass eneigy might conflict with mitigation goals
if it iesults in highei emissions of gieenhouse gases.

Action S. Bevelop employment piogiams to iemove biomass in a sustainable
anu ecologically sounu mannei - Examples incluue AmeiiCoips tiaining anu
stewaiuship contiacting especially in W0I anu aieas accessible by ioau.
'IB9DC>9EJ&0sing ecological anu mechanical techniques to iestoie natuial
fiie anu piotect iesouices will integiate with othei stiategies to maintain
ecological iesilience anu uiveisity (fuels ieuuction ieuuces insect
infestation).

Action 4. Bevelop value-auueu maikets foi iestoiation piouucts - Examples
incluue blue stain pine, biochaibio-oil.&
'IB9DC>9EJ value-auueu mateiials fiom biomass can ieuuce tianspoitation
(foi example, shavings foi paiticle boaiu).
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ&None iuentifieu

S6

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Nontana Conseivation Coips anu AmeiiCoips piogiams:
pioviue cost-shaie foi human iesouices to auuiess foiest lanuscapes, policy, anu
planning in the County. Fuels foi schools: woou biomass as a ienewable eneigy oi
heating souice in local schools anu the 0niveisity of Nontana (pioposeu biomass
boilei).

';D@;9CI&Z_J&,?8DGO9&FGD9E;&?@B@C9?9B;&&
&
Action 1. Naintain uiveisity of habitat anu pioviue uisplacement habitat to
inciease oveiall species iesilience.&
'IB9DC>9EJ Euucation, incentives, anu iegulations aimeu at uiiecting
uevelopment away fiom climate ielateu hazaius coulu also impiove habitat.
Enhanceu touiism anu iecieational oppoitunities.
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ&Neasuieable outcomes neeu be iuentifieu so the
effect on species of inteiest can be assesseu.

Action 2. Rehabilitate buineu aieas - Post fiie loss of vegetation anu
hyuiophobic soil contiibute to flash floouing anu eiosion.&
'IB9DC>9EJ Rehabilitation of buineu aieas is pait of planning foi moie
fiequent floou conuitions that may iesult fiom climate change.

Action S. Integiate management of ioaueu anu ioauless aieas.
'IB9DC>9EJ&Cooiuination of lanu management objectives integiates with
objectives foi iecieation oppoitunities in the face of climate change anu
habitat management foi climate sensitive species.
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Cooiuination between lanu manageis.

Action 4. Suppoit anu invest in Fiie Labb&Conuuct ieseaich on ie-buin impacts
anu on the caibon footpiint of fiiefighting anu foiest management.&
'IB9DC>9EJ&Results coulu be useu foi euucation on wilufiie anu climate
change issues. The Fiie Lab coulu be an impoitant paitnei in investigating
othei questions such as iisk associateu with the W0I.
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ&Funuing

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Collaboiative Foiest Lanuscape Restoiation pioject with 0SFS
funus in the CleaiwateiBlackfoot. Blackfoot Community Conseivation Aiea
(BCCA): incluues foiest iestoiation, iotational giazing, euucational touis, anu moie.
Reseaich Effoits: Rocky Nountain Reseaich Station, Nissoula Fiie Lab, 0niveisity of
Nontana uepaitments.

S7
';D@;9CI&ZcJ&,?8DGO9&@>D&RH@=>;I&@B<&D9<H:9&978GEHD9&;G&E?GN9&A9@=;A&A@d@D<E&&
&
Action 1. Continue aii quality aleits thioughout the yeai, anu pioviue smoke-
fiee aieas anu public tianspoitation to these aieas.&
'IB9DC>9EJ Pioviuing seivices to at iisk populations ielateu to aii quality
will integiate with othei health seivices ielateu to climate impacts. Public
tianspoitation to iecieation centeis, museums, inuooi pools, etc. ieuucing
emissions. Woik at home piogiams uesigneu foi smoke emeigencies will
also ieuuce emissions.
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ&Funuing&&

Action 2. 0se piesciibeu fiie (to ieuuce fiie iisk) when inveision uays aie less
common.&
'IB9DC>9EJ Coulu iesult in impioveu ecosystem health anu wilulife habitat.
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Public iesistance to piesciibeu fiies.&&

Action S. Reuuce othei aii quality stiessois uuiing fiies using emeigency
iesponse action.
'IB9DC>9EJ&Public health anu safety integiates with stiategies foi avoiuing
othei natuial hazaius anu extieme events.
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Cooiuination.
&
,B;9CD@;>GB&?9:A@B>E?EJ&None iuentifieu
&
';D@;9CI&ZeJ&';GD9&:@DYGB&&
&
Action 1. 0se ie-giowth anu laige tiees to stoie caibon. Avoiu conveision of
foiest lanus to giasslanus oi shiublanus with lowei caibon stoiage
potential.&
'IB9DC>9EJ Foiests have significant economic anu ecological value as a
pioviuei of ecosystem seivices.
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ&Conveision of foiesteu lanus may uepenu heavily on
global gieenhouse gas emissions anu the magnituue of climate change.

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Climate Solutions 0niveisity: paitneiing on a mouel foiest
policy piogiam foi Nissoula County. Nissoula County buugeting piocess:
incoipoiate fiie costs into annual buuget paiameteis, look foi funuing oppoitunities
foi iestoiation piojects on foiest lanus. Collaboiative Foiest Lanuscape Restoiation
pioject with 0SFS funus in the CleaiwateiBlackfoot. Blackfoot Community
Conseivation Aiea (BCCA): incluues foiest iestoiation, iotational giazing,
euucational touis, anu moie. Reseaich Effoits: Rocky Nountain Reseaich Station,
Nissoula Fiie Lab, 0niveisity of Nontana uepaitments. Nontana Conseivation Coips
anu AmeiiCoips piogiams: pioviue cost-shaie foi human iesouices to auuiess
foiest lanuscapes, policy, anu planning in the County.

S8
I|ood|ng and Water ua||ty
&
$789:;9<&3A@BC9E&;G&6>EEGH=@&3GHB;I&!@;9D&2H@=>;I&@B<&.=GG<>BC&

Climate change is expecteu to cause
changes in hyuiological patteins,
making futuie snowfall, iunoff, anu
extieme stoim patteins associateu
with floous less pieuictable.
Nouel piojections foi piecipitation
aie less ceitain than those foi
tempeiatuie, but most mouels agiee
on a uiiei futuie foi Nissoula County,
especially ovei the longei teim.
Bespite uiiei conuitions, moie
extieme weathei is expecteu,
incluuing both laigei stoims anu
longei, moie seveie uioughts. The iisk
of floouing coulu inciease as moie
piecipitation falls at once in laigei
stoims with moie moistuie anu
eneigy. A seconu concein is the
potential foi incieaseu iain-on-snow
events in spiing, uue to waimei
tempeiatuies, which coulu cause
significant spikes in iunoff anu
floouing.

Watei quality conceins associateu
with floouing incluue an inciease in
seuiment anu pollutants washing into
stieams anu iiveis uuiing laige floou
events. These conceins aie
heighteneu by infiastiuctuie anu
inuustiial uevelopment in floouplains,
cieating potential contamination
iisks.

Wlklmedla commons

S9
3=>?@;9&3A@BC9&,?8@:;E&
&
The bieakout gioup woiking on watei quality anu floouing issues iuentifieu the
following as the top conceins:
a. Laigei floous anu incieaseu cost associateu with floous
b. Incieaseu neeu foi goveinment anu emeigency seivices, especially in ceitain
vulneiable aieas
c. Infiastiuctuie loss fiom floous
u. Loss of iecieational oppoitunity anu touiism fiom watei quality ueclines
e. Toxins in the floouwatei that affect peoples' health
f. 0npiotecteu floouplains that aie open to uevelopment, potentially
exaceibating issues associateu with emeigency iesponse anu watei quality

The biggest concein with the potential
foi laigei anu moie fiequent floouing
is foi human health anu safety, anu
the costs associateu with piopeity
uamage anu emeigency iesponse.

Some paits of the County thought to
be most vulneiable to floouing
impacts incluueu iuial aieas wheie
floouplains aie often not uelineateu,
incluuing the Rattlesnake aiea, Rivei
Roau neighboihoou, Towei Stieet,
Bitteiioot, Seeley Swan, anu }ocko.
People living in floouplains aie
especially at iisk, as aie low-income
populations. Insufficient escape ioutes
in ceitain aieas uuiing floou events
also exaceibate the iisk.

Anothei majoi concein is the iisk of
contamination fiom iesiuential septic
systems anu fiom inuustiial sites,
such as the Smuifit Stone containment
ponus, ieleasing pollutants into iaiseu
giounuwatei anuoi suiface watei
uuiing floous, exaceibating the iisk to
peoples' health.

Fish anu wilulife populations aie
expecteu to uecline as episouic
uistuibances, incluuing fiie anu floous,
inciease. This coulu leau to a loss of
outuooi oppoitunities such as hunting
anu fishing if angling iesouices aie
uamageu, oi access becomes moie
uifficult. In tuin, touiism coulu
uecline, with economic impacts to the
local community. Quality of life foi
local iesiuents who enjoy outuooi
activities is also expecteu to uecline,
also ieuucing the attiaction foi
businesses to ielocate to oi attiact
woikeis to Nissoula County.

With biggei stoims anu moie iain
iathei than snow, theie is a concein
that watei will iun off moie quickly
iathei than iechaiging giounuwatei
stoies. Channelizeu stieams,
uisconnecteu floouplains, anu lanu
management that causes compacteu
soils all exaceibate the thieat of moie
iapiu iunoff anu less giounuwatei
iechaige. Incieasing wilufiies aie also
expecteu to ieuuce infiltiation anu
inciease seuimentation, highlighting
the neeu to auuiess multiple thieats
simultaneously.

4u
%9:G??9B<9<&';D@;9C>9E&@B<&,?8=9?9B;@;>GB&":;>GBE&

Watei quality is highly valueu in Nissoula County. Yet lowei late-summei stieam
flow levels coupleu with highei, fastei iunoff in spiing coulu challenge the effoits to
maintain watei quality. The iecommenueu stiategies foi auuiessing this issue, with
the highest level of gioup suppoit, as well as some suggesteu actions to achieve
those stiategies, incluue the following:

';D@;9CI&ZPJ&3D@F;&@&:H=;HD9&GF&=@B<GKB9D&:GB;DG=&@B<&9<H:@;>GB&KA>=9&
>B:D9@E>BC&;DHE;V&:G==@YGD@;>GB&@B<&:G??HB>:@;>GB&Y9;K99B&@C9B:>9E&`F9<9D@=V&
E;@;9a&@B<&8D>O@;9&=@B<GKB9DE&&

Action 1. Inciease collaboiation anu ieuuce ieuunuancy.&
'IB9DC>9EJ Incieaseu level of tiust; cohesive lanu anu watei management
acioss bounuaiies; bettei cooiuination uuiing emeigencies
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Less autonomy foi piivate lanuowneis that
paiticipate&&

Action 2. Euucation anu outieach - Continue auveitising anu utilizing the
PLACE pioject, anu upuate with new maps, tools, anu uata on watei
iesouices in the County; 0se paiks, tiails, anu common aieas as examples of
how to impiove "ecosystem seivices" like watei quality by iestoiing anu
piotecting iipaiian aieas, native plants, anu wetlanus.
'IB9DC>9EJ Bettei piepaieu citizens uuiing emeigencies; impioveu lanu
management piactices that leau to lowei stiess
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Buuget limitations

Action S. Assist lanuowneis with goals, such as ienewable eneigy piouuction,
lanu management to ieuuce eiosion anu seuimentation of wateiways, watei
conseivation, etc.
'IB9DC>9EJ Woulu woik well in conceit with euucation anu outieach; Coulu
iesult in ieuuceu emissions, bettei watei quality, impioveu health anu
safety, impioveu wilulife habitat, anu bettei lanuownei ielationships
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Buuget limitations; tiust in goveinment

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&uiants foi iipaiian impiovements: Nissoula Conseivation
Bistiict, Futuie Fisheiies anu Bept. of Enviionmental Quality giants foi lanuowneis.
Nissoula Watei Quality Bistiict: euucation, uata anu technical iesouices foi
lanuowneis. Lanu anu watei tiansactions that pioviue incentives foi lanuowneis
who conseive lanu oi iestoie stieamflows: Claik Foik Coalition, lanu tiusts, 0pen
Space Bonu. Community councils, wateisheu gioups, homeowneis associations, anu
0pen Lanus Committee: volunteei collaboiative boaius of local lanuowneis.
&

41
';D@;9CI&Z[J&%9;@>B&@B<&9BA@B:9&B@;HD@=&EIE;9?E&@B<&9:GEIE;9?&E9DO>:9E&
&
Action 1. Biing uiveise gioups togethei to paitnei anu caiiy out showcase
piojects anu use these piojects to euucate otheis. Examples might incluue:
(1) beavei ieintiouuction in stiategic locations, such as heauwatei stieams
away fiom agiicultuial lanu, (2) iestoiation of floouplains to holu high
watei, (S) wetlanu cieation to inciease giounuwatei iechaige, (4) piotect
anu inciease spawning habitat.
& 'IB9DC>9EJ Incieaseu unueistanuing of the value of functioning systems
such as wetlanus anu floouplains; Incieaseu public safety; Impioveu watei
quality; Incieaseu public involvement in natuial iesouice management
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ &None iuentifieu

Action 2. Belineate floouplains foi iuial communities to assist in bettei lanu
use anu emeigency seivices planning.
& 'IB9DC>9EJ Impioveu planning anu piepaieuness foi emeigencies;
Impioveu ability to plan foi uevelopment that uoes not exaceibate floou
iisk; Impioveu oppoitunity to piotect floouplains foi theii ecosystem
seivices
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Potential inciease in insuiance iates in ceitain aieas

Action S. Change foiest management policy to inciease ecosystem seivices anu
natuial systems iesilience.
& 'IB9DC>9EJ Impioveu quality of life foi outuooi iecieationists; Lowei cost
foi pioviuing clean watei, floou abatement, fisheiies, watei stoiage, etc.;
Noie iesilient wilulife populations
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Some foiestiy, giazing, anu mining piactices may be
limiteu uue to theii impacts to ecosystem seivices.


42
,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Channel Nigiation Zone maps oi LIBAR mapping thiough
County oi the Nissoula Watei Quality Bistiict. Stieamsiue Nanagement Zone (SNZ)
iules foi Nontana foiestiy: upuate to incluue climate change ieseaich. Restoiation
effoits on woiking lanus with public anu piivate paitneis: Blackfoot Challenge
(Potomacuieenough), Tiout 0nlimiteu (Ninemile), Claik Foik Coalition (Lolo), anu
National Wilulife Feueiation (Evaio). Aimy Coips of Engineeis Stieam Nitigation
Piogiam anu Wetlanu Nitigation Piogiams.
&
';D@;9CI&Z\J&)DGO><9&9:GBG?>:&>B:9B;>O9E&FGD&@&EIE;9?&GF&B@;HD@=&F=GG<&:GB;DG=&
&
Action 1. Revenues woulu neeu to be cieateu, but woulu be offset by savings in
emeigency seivices. Some ievenue stieams coulu come fiom fees oi taxes on
touiism in the aiea.
'IB9DC>9EJ Lowei cost than tiauitional watei stoiage anu floou contiol
systems; Impioveu wilulife habitat; Reuuceu floou iisk to communities;
Impioveu giounu watei iechaige
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Economic impacts to touiism inuustiy oi othei
taigeteu population beaiing the taxes anu fees
&
Action 2. Stuuy the value of ueveloping in ceitain aieas veisus otheis using a
valuation mouel. Consiuei tiansfeiiing uevelopment iights (TBR) to piomote
uevelopment in the most appiopiiate aieas.
'IB9DC>9EJ Reuuceu health anu safety iisk uuiing floous, fiies, anu othei
extieme events; Incieaseu efficiency in emeigency iesponse; Incieaseu
iesilience of natuial habitats anu wilulife

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ Ripaiian impiovement giants thiough local anu state agencies.
Nissoula subuivision iegulations upuate oi ievision. Aimy Coips of Engineeis
Stieam Nitigation Piogiam anu Wetlanu Nitigation Piogiams. Natuial Resouice
Conseivation Seivice: Faim Bill piogiams pioviue incentives foi lanuowneis to
piotect wetlanus anu iipaiian aieas.

';D@;9CI&Z]J&%9<H:9&F=GG<&>?8@:;E&;G&>BFD@E;DH:;HD9&
&
Action 1. Builu new paitneiships to inciease efficiency anu effectiveness of
piepaieuness measuies while uiveisifying available iesouices.
& & 'IB9DC>9EJ Becieaseu conflict; Incieaseu efficiencies in meeting multiple
goals thiough cohesive planning
& & 3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ None iuentifieu

Action 2Q&Builu new ievenue stieams to suppoit infiastiuctuie maintenance
anu upgiaues to bettei withstanu climate change impacts.
& & 'IB9DC>9EJ Incieaseu human safety; Incieaseu watei quality; Bighei quality
of life foi iesiuents; Impioveu long teim planning

4S
& & 3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Potential foi economic impacts if iesouices oi
populations aie taxeu

Action S. Iuentify vulneiable infiastiuctuie, incluuing wastewatei tieatment
plants, Smuifit Stone ponus, tianspoitation coiiiuois, Stimson lumbei, anu
wells anu watei lines.
& & 'IB9DC>9EJ Incieaseu human safety; impioveu human health; impioveu
watei quality; long-teim savings
& & 3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Incieaseu potential shoit-teim cost to lanuowneis
anu business foi piepaiing foi emeigencies

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Nissoula County Ruial Initiatives PLACE Pioject: uatabase of
existing lanuscapes anu conuitions in Nissoula County &
&

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&
The bieakout gioup woiking on species anu habitat issues iuentifieu the following
as the top conceins:
a. Changes to episouic uistuibances, such as floouing, wilufiie, pest outbieaks,
anu uiought aie expecteu to cause changes in habitat anu population
ueclines foi many species of fish, wilulife, anu plants.
b. Species ueclines aie expecteu to iesult in a loss of ecosystem seivices,
incluuing watei filtiation, floou abatement, pollination, game foi hunting,
wilulife foi iecieational viewing, wilu foou iesouices, cultuial iesouices foi
Native Ameiicans, anu foiest covei foi timbei haivest anu iecieation.
c. Watei quality anu quantity aie both expecteu to uecline, iesulting in loss of
coluwatei fishes, othei aquatic species, iipaiian anu wetlanu uepenuent
species, anu otheis.
u. An influx of "climate iefugees" (people moving to finu moie uesiiable
conuitions) fiom othei aieas is expecteu to contiibute to fiagmentation of
habitat anu auuitional loss of species anu habitats fiom uevelopment.
e. An inciease in invasive species anu uisease uue to waimei conuitions
(especially waimei winteis), stiesseu populations, anu less competition fiom
native species.
f. Shifts in habitat as conuitions change. Nany shifts will be noithwaiu oi
highei in elevation, but otheis will be less pieuictable. As habitats shift, fish
anu wilulife will neeu coiiiuois anu connectivity in oiuei to move to new
aieas.
Some of the species thought to be
most at iisk incluue iipaiian anu
wetlanu uepenuent species. Bighei
tempeiatuies will cause incieaseu
evapoiation, anu longei, hottei
summeis coulu leau to incieasingly
uewateieu iipaiian anu wetlanu
habitats. Yet these habitats
inoiuinately suppoit high biological
uiveisity, with 9S% of species in the
aiea using wetlanus anu iipaiian
aieas. Some iepiesentative species
incluue pintails, swans, cianes,
hooueu meigansei, anu Lewis'
wooupeckei. Nany amphibians aie
also at iisk.

Alpine species aie also at iisk as
tempeiatuies iise. Alpine habitats aie
alieauy founu at the highest
elevations, so upwaiu shifts aie not a
possibility. Nany mountaintop
species, incluuing wolveiine, pika, anu
hoaiy maimot, aie alieauy ueclining
thioughout the west, anu they coulu
uisappeai as tempeiatuies continue to
iise anu snowpack ueclines.

Lowei elevation conifeious foiest,
incluuing Bouglas fii anu ponueiosa
pine, was iuentifieu as at iisk uue to
incieasing wilufiie. Some species
likely to be affecteu incluue
flammulateu owl, poicupine, lynx,

46
fishei, giay jay, Claik's nutciackei,
anu spiuce giouse.

Beclines in keystone species, such as
Claik's nutciackei anu Lewis'
wooupeckei, woulu have cascauing
effects on ecological communities
because of theii impoitant behaviois
that pioviue othei species with foou
oi sheltei. Beclines in pieuatois, such
as the lynx anu fishei, can also have
seveie cascauing effects. Beclines in
bats anu biius not only can affect
othei wilulife, but also can have
seiious effects on ciops anu gaiuens
because they pioviue insect contiol.

Incieasing pests, uisease, anu invasive
species weie all conceins uue to the
cost associateu with contiolling
invasions anu outbieaks. Also of
concein aie the potential loss of woou
piouucts to beetles anu othei pests,
wilulife ueclines fiom uisease, anu the
incieasing cost of weeu anu pest
contiol in agiicultuie. People aie also
at incieaseu iisk fiom vectoi boine
uisease with waimei tempeiatuies.

%9:G??9B<9<&';D@;9C>9E&@B<&,?8=9?9B;@;>GB&":;>GBE&
&
Fish, wilulife, anu plants aie expecteu to iesponu to a changing climate, often in
unexpecteu ways. Nany of the iecommenueu stiategies foi climate change
auaptation foi natuial iesouices aie simply to ieuuce some of the cuiient stiessois
to these species anu habitats in oiuei to inciease theii iesilience as climate change
piogiesses. If we maintain oi inciease intact habitat, connectivity, species uiveisity,
anu population size, we expect that many species will be able to shift anu auapt
iathei than uisappeai.&The iecommenueu stiategies with the highest level of gioup
suppoit, as well as some suggesteu actions to achieve those stiategies, incluue the
following:

';D@;9CI&ZPJ&6@>B;@>B&@B<&9BA@B:9&>B;@:;&D>8@D>@BV&K9;=@B<V&@B<&FGD9E;&A@Y>;@;&
YI&9B:GHD@C>BC&=@B<&HE9&8=@BB>BCQ&6@>B;@>B&>B;@:;&CD@EE=@B<&@B<&FGD9E;&A@Y>;@;&
;G&<9:D9@E9&>BO@E>O9&E89:>9E&E8D9@<Q&
&
Action 1. Iuentify key aieas that aie impoitant foi high biological uiveisity,
cuiient population stiongholus, futuie potential stiongholus, coiiiuois,
connectivity, buffeis, ecosystem seivices, iaie anu enuangeieu species, anu
impoitant ecological function. Inciease piotection of these aieas.&
& & 'IB9DC>9EJ Naintain ecosystem seivices; inciease species anu habitat
iesilience; maintain outuooi quality of life; suppoit touiism inuustiy
& & 3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Buuget limitations; uevelopment oi lanu use coulu be
limiteu in ceitain aieas

Action 2. Replicate Blackfoot Challenge effoit of biinging togethei uiffeient
gioups to impiove community cohesiveness, collaboiation, anu
conseivation.

47
& & 'IB9DC>9EJ Reuuces conflict ovei limiteu iesouices; Incieases community
cohesiveness; Leaus to sustainability; Incieases lanu, watei, anu eneigy
conseivation
& & 3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ None iuentifieu

Action S. Restoie native species anu habitats by ieuucing stiessois that cause
uegiauation.
& & 'IB9DC>9EJ Naintain ecosystem seivices; common aiea iestoiation anu
lanuownei involvement; inciease species anu habitat iesilience; maintain
outuooi quality of life; suppoit touiism inuustiy
& & 3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Limits activities on piivate anuoi public lanus

Action 4. Restoie wetlanus anu impiove stieam flow by ieintiouucing beaveis
at high elevations.
& & 'IB9DC>9EJ Naintain ecosystem seivices; inciease species anu habitat
iesilience; maintain outuooi quality of life; suppoit touiism inuustiy;
ieuuce floou iisk
& & 3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Beavei contiol effoits may become necessaiy if they
uispeise to unuesiiable aieas

Action S. Remove incentives foi subuivision while incieasing incentives foi
conseivation. Institute an impact fee foi activities with negative impacts to
wetlanus anu iipaiian aieas.
'IB9DC>9EJ Allows foi bettei lanu use planning. Potentially ieuuces
tenuency to builu in high iisk oi sensitive aieas such as floouplains anu fiie-
pione slopes
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Piices of iuial homes coulu iise

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Restoiation effoits on woiking lanus with public anu piivate
paitneis: Blackfoot Challenge (Potomacuieenough), Tiout 0nlimiteu (Ninemile),
Claik Foik Coalition (Lolo). voluntaiy uiought iesponse plan: Blackfoot Rivei.
Nissoula County subuivision iegulation upuate oi ievision piocess. Nissoula Weeu
Bistiict: incentives foi iemoving noxious weeus anu suiveys of aquatic invasive
species. Lanu conseivation effoits thiough local lanu tiusts anu the Nissoula County
0pen Space bonu. Bull Tiout Recoveiy Plan: 0.S. Fish anu Wilulife Seivice plan to
iestoie oi maintain ciitical bull tiout habitat in iiveis anu stieams.

';D@;9CI&Z[J&6@B@C9&FGD9E;&=@B<E&`8HY=>:&@B<&8D>O@;9a&;G&9BA@B:9&@B<&?@>B;@>B&
<>O9DE>;IV&:G?8=97>;IV&@B<&:GBB9:;>O>;I&
&
Action 1. Nonitoi anu contiol invasive species&- Regulate nuiseiy uistiibution
of invasive species; Regulate anu inspect boats foi invasive aquatic species
such as zebia mussels; Inciease uetection of noxious weeu spieau; Impiove
giazing piactices to ueciease invasive species spieau; Follow piinciples of

48
Integiateu Weeu Nanagement; Enhance anu piotect uesiiable native plant
communities fiom invasion; Bevelop new biocontiols.
& & 'IB9DC>9EJ Impioves iange quality foi cattle; Can ieuuce wilufiie iisk;
Incieases iesilience of native species; Pievents substantial futuie cost of
contiol anu loss of natuial iesouices
& & 3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Requiies substantial funuing anu staff iesouices

Action 2. Inciease lanu use planning foi communities
a. Plan foi wilulife connectivity (ciossing stiuctuies, blocks of intact habitat,
highei uensity iesiuential uevelopment to maintain open space, etc.).
b. Leveiage conseivation effoits by connecting gioups locally anu iegionally
(CFC, Nissoula 0LC, Smait uiowth, NWCC) anu integiating effoits. Reach
out to spoiting gioups, stock gioweis, health piofessionals, alteinative
eneigy leaueis, etc.
& & 'IB9DC>9EJ Incieases options foi pioviuing wilulife connectivity anu laige
blocks of open space; Reuuces floou anu fiie iisk to iesiuents; Reuuces cost
of public seivices, incluuing fiie contiol, schools, sewei, etc.; Reuuces watei
quality issues fiom septic systems
& & 3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Coulu limit options foi uevelopment on piivate lanu

Action S. Incoipoiate climate change, anu specifically the incieaseu neeu foi
maintaining uiveisity, complexity, anu connectivity, into existing planning
piocesses - Lolo National Foiest Plan anu Region 2 NT FWPState FWP
Compiehensive Plan.
& & 'IB9DC>9EJ Low cost because planning alieauy occuis; Noie iealistic anu
achievable goals; Naintain quality of life foi local iesiuents; Suppoits
touiism inuustiy
& & 3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Bifficult topic to uiscuss within agency gioups

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&National Foiest Plan 0puates. Nissoula County 0pen Lanus
Committee. Rocky Nountain Reseaich Station stuuies anu piojects. Lubiecht
Expeiimental Foiest thiough the 0niveisity of Nontana's College of Foiestiy.&

';D@;9CI&Z\J&.GE;9D&@B<&?@>B;@>B&A9@=;AI&@B<&:G?8@;>Y=9&EG:>G9:GBG?>:&
:GB<>;>GBE&
&
Action 1. Inciease economic iesilience of the iegion by woiking with
agiicultuie, touiism, iecieation anu othei sectois.
&
,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Community Foou anu Agiicultuie Coalition: mitigation
piogiams foi pieseiving piouuctive ag lanus. Nissoula Reuevelopment Agency anu
local community uevelopment coipoiations: tools to ienovate existing stiuctuies
anu lanu, iathei than using new lanu foi uevelopment. Neighboihoou councils anu
community councils.

49
';D@;9CI&Z]J&,B:D9@E9&9<H:@;>GB&@B<&GH;D9@:A&
&
Action 1Q&Inteiact with local foou gioweis to woik in conceit with
wilulifebiouiveisity maintenance, incoipoiate native plants, maintain anu
enhance iipaiian habitat, ieuuce seuiment iunoff anu eiosion, etc.

Action 2. Inteiact with touiism inuustiy to enhance conseivation effoits anu
woik collaboiatively to cieate new conseivation anu iecieational
oppoitunities.

Action S. Bevelop anu communicate local stoiies that illustiate economic,
natuial systems, anu lifestyle impacts (Five valleys Lanu Tiust example);
uevelop showcase piojects with positive messaging.

Action 4. Inciease communication anu outieach to electeu officials anu
inciease funuing stieams foi conseivation thiough taxes, easements, Lanu
anu Watei Conseivation Funu, anu othei avenues.

Action S. Link climate change mitigation effoits to climate change auaptation
effoits.

Action 6. Link to conseivation anu climate change cuiiiculum foi Confeueiateu
Salish anu Kootenai Tiibes.
&
,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Nissoula County Ruial Initiatives PLACE Pioject: online
uatabase of existing lanuscape anu habitat conuitions. 0niveisity of Nontana anu
Rocky Nountain Reseaich Station: link stuuents anu citizens to ongoing science anu
iepoits in the iegion. Confeueiateu Salish anu Kootenai Tiibes' euucation piogiams.


Su
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&
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Nany of the impacts to Nissoula
County fiom climate change aie
expecteu to oiiginate outsiue the
iegion. In an incieasingly globalizeu
economy, global maiket foices can
have substantial local effects (both
positive anu negative). Climate change
is expecteu to affect many of the
nation's foou giowing centeis, foi
example, causing uisiuptions in foou
supplies uue to seveie heat, uiought,
stoims, oi floouing. This, in tuin, will
affect local foou piices anu
competitiveness of
local faimeis in the
laigei maiket.
Similaily, climate
change is expecteu to
inciease the neeu foi
aii conuitioning in
summei, which coulu
in tuin leau to highei
eneigy piices.

While the likely impacts of climate
change to Nissoula County aie seveie,
they pale in compaiison to many of
the impacts being faceu by othei paits
of the nation. Nany low lying coastal
aieas, foi instance, will be inunuateu
oi batteieu by stoim suiges as sea
level iises. Some paits of the aiiu
Southwest coulu soon iun out of
watei. Still othei paits of the nation
aie expecteu to expeiience moie
seveie huiiicanes, heat waves, anu
othei natuial uistuibances.
&
&
&
&
1=GY@=&3A@BC9&,?8@:;E&
&
The bieakout gioup woiking on global issues iuentifieu the following as the top
conceins:
a. Noie people moving to the aiea uue to sea level iise anu othei climate
change impacts in othei paits of the nation
b. Incieaseu uemanu foi uomestically piouuceu eneigy, leauing to incieaseu
lanu use foi local piouuction anu new tiansmission coiiiuois
c. Incieaseu uemanu foi watei fiom a giowing population
u. Bighei lanu piices making it moie expensive to piouuce local foou
e. Bispiopoitionate effect of climate change on low-income populations
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S*8*0%5*#!E.00.)<!

S2
use, lanu management, anu iesiuential
anu eneigy uevelopment.

Some aieas especially at iisk incluue
iuial aieas (such as Seeley Lake,
Fienchtown, Potomac, Buson, Lolo),
agiicultuial lanus, anu piivate lanus. A
lack of lanu use planning in iuial aieas
is expecteu to exaceibate the impacts
of a giowing population. Public lanus
(0SFS anu BLN) anu conseiveu lanus
(Nontana Legacy Pioject, foi example)
aie expecteu to be less at iisk fiom
global change impacts. Theie coulu be
piessuie, howevei fiom the giowing
population to unuo cuiient
conseivation effoits like easements
anu open space, anu to inciease
eneigy uevelopment on public lanus.

Floouplains anu fiie pione hillsiues
aie incieasingly at iisk fiom
uevelopment, anu the cost of
piotecting homes fiom floous anu fiie
is expecteu to iise substantially as
natuial uisasteis become moie seveie
oi moie fiequent. Public systems in
iuial aieas, incluuing emeigency
seivices, schools, health seivices,
watei uistiibution systems, septic anu
sewei systems, anu tianspoitation
systems aie vulneiable.

%9:G??9B<9<&';D@;9C>9E&@B<&,?8=9?9B;@;>GB&":;>GBE&
&
As climate change piogiesses at the global anu national level, people aie likely to
move to aieas of lowei stiess anu gieatei iesouices. Recommenueu stiategies to
piepaie foi population giowth coulu expeiience wiue suppoit because the County
has alieauy expeiienceu fast giowth ovei the pievious uecaues. The iecommenueu
stiategies with the highest level of gioup suppoit, as well as some suggesteu actions
to achieve those stiategies, incluue the following:

';D@;9CI&ZPJ&%9O>E9&CDGK;A&E;D@;9CI&FGD&;A9&3GHB;I&@B<&>?8DGO9&=@B<&HE9&
8=@BB>BC&&
&
Action 1. Establish a bioau baseu woiking gioup that ieviews anu suggests
ievisions to the County giowth stiategy. Factois to take into consiueiation
incluue (1) expecteu climate change impacts, (2) low income populations,
(S) local values, (4) watei iesouices, (S) likely veisus uesiieu iates of
population giowth, (6) agiicultuie, (7) wilulife, anu (8) long teim
tianspoitation neeus.
'IB9DC>9EJ Woulu incoipoiate new knowleuge on climate change impacts;
Coulu ieuuce conflict among uiffeient gioups
& & 3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Coulu limit options on some piivate lanus

Action 2. 0se Smait uiowth piinciples to uevelop uensity uesigns that aie
attiactive anu highly functional; Pioviue incentives foi clustei uevelopment,
community watei anu sewei systems; biing iealtois anu uevelopeis on
boaiu.
'IB9DC>9EJ Benefits effoits to maintain open space anu habitat connectivity;
Reuuces watei quality impacts; Incieases walkability anu human health

SS
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Coulu be moie expensive than tiauitional
uevelopment

Action S. 0se lanu use planning anu tools, incluuing zoning anu othei
iegulation, to maintain habitat connectivity foi wilulife, maintain
agiicultuial lanus, anu piotect iipaiian aieas, floouplains, anu wateisheus.
'IB9DC>9EJ Naintains watei supply anu quality; Naintains habitat
connectivity foi fish, wilulife, anu plants; Piotects homes fiom floouing;
Pieseives agiicultuial lanus foi foou secuiity
3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Limits options on some piivate lanus

Action 4. Remove incentives foi some subuivisions
'IB9DC>9EJ Reuuces cost of emeigency seivices in iuial aieas; Naintains
habitat connectivity foi fish, wilulife, anu plants
&
,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&0pen Lanus Auvisoiy Committee: appointeu county citizens
auvising Commissioneis on open space anu agiicultuial issues. Nontana Watei
Policy Inteiim Committee: exploiing options foi encouiaging community
wateisewei systems befoie the 2u1S Legislatuie; Nissoula County subuivision
iegulation ievision oppoitunities. &

';D@;9CI&Z[J&-9O9=G8&9<H:@;>GB&@B<&>B:9B;>O9E&8DGCD@?&@DGHB<&E@O>BC&9B9DCIV&
K@;9DV&@B<&B@;HD@=&D9EGHD:9EQ&)DGO><9&9<H:@;>GB&GB&:=>?@;9&:A@BC9Q&59:G?9&
@&EHE;@>B@Y=9&:G??HB>;IQ

Action 1. Belp householus conseive eneigy thiough fiee eneigy auuits anu
consultations.
& & 'IB9DC>9EJ Reuuces impacts to low income iesiuents fiom eneigy cost
incieases

Action 2. Incluue eneigy consumption as a factoi when consiueiing competing
bius foi County anu city piojects.
& & 'IB9DC>9EJ Suppoits sustainable business
& & 3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Potentially highei cost

Action S. Taiget youth with positive messages anu euucation on conseivation
of watei, eneigy, anu natuial iesouices. 0se science anu technology to
inciease efficacy.
incieases

S4
Action 4. Woik with utilities to uevelop outieach anu communication mateiials
on eneigy anu watei conseivation.&
incieases

Action S. Replicate Blackfoot Challenge mouel of outieach anu collaboiation
acioss the community foi effective conseivation.&
incieases

Action 6. Refiame the message of "zoning" - uevelop new appioach anu
teiminology that allows foi sustainable lanu use planning while suppoiting
inuiviuual iights. Woik collaboiatively.
'IB9DC>9EJ Naintains watei supply anu quality; Reuuces conflict; Piotects
homes fiom floouing; Pieseives agiicultuial lanus; Naintains habitat
connectivity foi fish, wilulife, anu plants

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Nissoula Co. Ruial Initiatives: stewaiuship awaius foi
lanuowneis that piotect natuial iesouices. Non-piofit Community: pioviue
euucational couises thiough N0B, Claik Foik Coalition, Wateisheu Euucation
Netwoik, Nontana Natuial Bistoiy Centei, etc. Noithwestein Eneigy: fiee auuits
anu weatheiization kits. uieen Blocks anu Cool uieen Bome Awaius: incentives foi
homeowneis on eneigy anu watei efficiency. City of Nissoula Conseivation anu
Climate Action Plan foi Nunicipal 0peiations: a mitigation plan. Incentives thiough
Nissoula Conseivation Bistiict oi Nissoula Weeu Bistiict foi lanuowneis.

S*8*0%5*#!E.00.)<!

SS
';D@;9CI&Z\J&'H88GD;&<>O9DE>F>9<&YHE>B9EEV&LGY&CDGK;AV&E9DO>:9EV&@B<&
?@BHF@:;HD>BC&
&
Action 1. The Best Place Pioject has alieauy begun to woik to attiact anu ietain
jobs. This effoit shoulu also consiuei how it can best integiate with the
othei neeus anu stiategies outlineu in this iepoit. Foi instance, businesses
that use a lot of eneigy anuoi watei might be lowei piioiity compaieu to
those that biing in ienewable eneigy oi piomote local agiicultuie.
'IB9DC>9EJ Incieases collaboiation acioss sectois; Incoipoiates climate
change into ongoing planning piocesses

Action 2. Bevelop an association of local businesses that can act as "business
incubatois". They coulu iuentify neeus anu offei funuing anu tiaining foi
inuiviuuals inteiesteu in staiting new businesses.
'IB9DC>9EJ Coulu cooiuinate with effoits to inciease sustainable timbei
piouucts anu ienewable eneigy
& & 3GBF=>:;E&GD&Y@DD>9DEJ Coulu leau to moie eneigy, watei, anu lanu use with
negative impacts to touiism, native species anu local quality of life
&
Action S. Piomote anu suppoit outuooi iecieation anu touiism; uevelop
auaptation tools foi continueu touiism when wilufiies occui - iuentify
backup aieas in case of wilufiie, uevelop activities like mushioom picking
anu biiu watching in buineu aieas, anu encouiage iestoiation woik in
buineu aieas.

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Best Place Pioject: economic coalition foimeu to attiact new,
uiveise businesses to Nissoula. Sustainable Business Council: membeiship
oiganization piomoting sustainable events anu oppoitunities. Nissoula Bowntown
Association: membeiship oiganization suppoiting a livable, viable uiban
community.

';D@;9CI&Z]J&-9O9=G8&B9KV&EHE;@>B@Y=9V&@B<&K>E9&HE9E&FGD&;>?Y9D&D9EGHD:9EV&
>B:=H<>BC&8DG<H:;E&@B<&9B9DCIb&'H88GD;&D9B9K@Y=9&9B9DCI&;9:ABG=GCI&@B<&
<9O9=G8?9B;&>B&@&EHE;@>B@Y=9&K@I&;A@;&?@>B;@>BE&RH@=>;I&GF&=>F9&FGD&=G:@=&
D9E><9B;EQ&

Action 1. Pioviue stait-up loans, iemove baiiieis to entiy, anu help uevelop
maikets foi businesses that pioviue value-auueu woou piouucts, such as
small uiametei timbei piouucts, blue stain pine, biochai, biofuel, etc.

Action 2. Expanu technologies foi micio-hyuio eneigy piouuction (neeu to
assess feasibility, timing foi flows, impacts, etc.).

S6

Action S. Pioviue incentives, stieamline peimitting piocesses, anu iemove
baiiieis foi ienewable eneigy piouuction. The County coulu woik with
NCAT anu AER0 on the issue.

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&0niveisity of Nontana anu local school biomass heating
piojects. National Foiest Plan upuates. Collaboiative Foiest Lanuscape Restoiation
Pioject in the BlackfootCleaiwatei.

';D@;9CI&Z^J&'H88GD;&@CD>:H=;HD9V&=@B<&:GBE9DO@;>GBV&@B<&;A9&=G:@=&FGG<&
?GO9?9B;&
&
Action 1. Belp uevelop local foou piocessing to auuiess futuie tianspoitation
costs anu suppoit local agiicultuial piouuction.
'IB9DC>9EJ Biings in new business while ieuucing gieenhouse gas
emissions

Action 2. Pioviue incentives anu othei suppoit foi Community Suppoiteu
Agiicultuie, faim-to-maiket piogiams, uowntown gaiuens, etc.
'IB9DC>9EJ Biings in new business while ieuucing gieenhouse gas
emissions

Action S. Inciease futuie foou secuiity by conseiving lanus foi agiicultuie,
similai to conseiving open space anu paik lanus.

Action 4. Suppoit effoits on faims anu ianches to piotect iipaiian zones,
pioviue wilulife habitat, impiove giazing methous, impiove iiiigation
efficiency, anu othei sustainable piactices.

,B;9CD@;>GB&8G>B;EJ&Community Foou anu Agiicultuie Coalition: faimlanu
mitigation pioposal. Expanu oi suppoit Faimei's Naikets, Faim to College, Faim to
Schools, anu Community Suppoiteu Agiicultuie piogiams. CFAC (Community Foou
anu Agiicultuie Coalition).

S7
CCNCLUSICNS AND NLk1 S1LS
&
Nissoula County is home to stoiieu
iiveis, lanuscapes, anu wilulifeas
well as neaily 11u,uuu people.
Resiuents iecieate, woik, anu live
alongsiue unpaialleleu natuial beauty,
anu the majoiity of citizens cite
quality of life as the ieason they live in
Nissoula. This quality of life is highly
uepenuent on functioning natuial
systems that pioviue clean watei,
wilulife, piotection fiom wilufiie anu
floous, anu aesthetic qualities.

Bespite having some of the healthiest
populations of fish anu wilulife in the
West, Nissoula County is faceu with
incieasing stiessois fiom lanu use,
population inciease, anu climate
change. The iegion is alieauy
expeiiencing uistuibances fiom
climate change, as measuieu by highei
tempeiatuies, ieuuceu snowpack,
lowei stieam flows, flashiei floous,
anu thiistiei foiests.
The ClimateWise piocess alloweu
iesiuents, leaueis anu expeits of
Nissoula County to use science to
assess what changes aie most likely
anu how they might impact people
anu the natuial iesouices they iely on.
The gioup iuentifieu some of the
gieatest thieats to be incieasing
wilufiie, changing species anu
habitats, loweieu watei availability
anu watei quality, incieaseu iisk of
floous, the spieau of uisease, pests,
anu invasive species, anu local
impacts fiom global change.

Because climate change is a ielatively
new thieat to the iegion, it is
impoitant to incoipoiate the latest
infoimation anu piojections foi
change into oui ongoing planning
stiuctuies anu piocesses. By uoing so,
we can move away fiom planning foi
continueu histoiic conuitions anu
insteau, begin to plan foi changing anu

S8
moie vaiiable conuitions. Such an
appioach incieases the iobustness of
the planning effoit iegaiuless of
actual futuie tiajectoiies, theieby
iesulting in a moie iesilient citizeniy,
economic base, anu natuial
enviionment.

We hope this integiateu iepoit offeis
a fiist step towaius biokeiing climate
change planning foi iesouice-iich anu
socioeconomically uiveise Nissoula
County. Actions that will benefit the
people of Nissoula County go hanu-in-
hanu with the actions that will keep
oui watei anu lanu clean anu healthy:
pieventing iesiuential floouing by
iestoiing floouplains, meauows, anu
wetlanus; piotecting the iecieation
economy by keeping watei in stieams;
keeping people safe fiom wilufiie by
impioving uevelopment piactices in
the Wilulanu-0iban Inteiface; anu
pieventing cost incieases foi
insuiance anu public seivices by
impioving lanu use piactices.

Continueu effoits ielateu to this
iepoit incluue uevelopment of a moie
uetaileu implementation summaiy,
uiscussions with County officials
about ongoing planning piocesses foi
integiating this woik, communication
with electeu leaueis on climate change
impacts anu stiategies, anu othei
outieach activities. Thiough this
effoit, we plan to builu a uuiable
constituency in Nissoula County
ueuicateu to piotecting oui
community, economy, anu invaluable
natuial iesouices foi the long haul.

Climatewise: Helping Missoula County Communities Prepare For Global Warming

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M|ssou|a County C||mate Act|on: Creat|ng a

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