Consequences of Change
The numbers and data we can glean from climate data analysis may not be especially meaningful to us, but what do these mean for what the region will be like in 50 or 100 years? Will we still have snow cover in the winter? Will we have to cool our houses all summer? Will our forests be healthy? Will we still be able to see boreal chickadees in the Adirondacks? Our understanding of the significance of projected changes is central to answering these questions and identifying adaptation strategies we need to put in place.
One way to better understand the signficance of projected changes is to look at some observed ways in which the past century's changes in climate have impacted our lives. The following links illustrate the ways that we have already seen our world change.
The following links illustrate ways that we have already seen our world change:
Ice cover on Lake Champlain
Deer population changes
Lyme disease spreading
2 Case studies from the New England Regional Assessment:
Maple sugar production
Impacts of ozone on hiker health
In many ways, climate change and the business of projecting impacts is an exercise in thinking about winners and losers. This is true whether talking about species, geographic regions, or economic sectors. In contrast with other regions, the Adirondacks as a whole is unlikely to be a huge loser under climate change scenarios – for example, sea level rise does not threaten the livability of the entire region. Yet as a northern region with a distinct culture and traditions that are built on the seasons, the northern forest, and long, snowy winters, the Adirondacks is likely to lose much of its identity.
The following pages are designed to help us better understand some of the practical questions we are facing and the projected consequences of climate change.
Water quality
Winter economy
Road salt
Ecological and phenological issues
Predicted forest cover changes
Land use