On the Front Lines: How the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission Adapts to Climate Change
--- Eric Hoffer
The world is changing – that is irrefutable. However, how that future unfolds is uncertain. The North American fish and wildlife agencies are at the frontlines of addressing changes to their trust resources. The agencies’ missions must remain relevant and their policies effective while ensuring that their stakeholders priorities are addressed. How agencies adapt in the face of change is a daunting challenge. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is responding to threats related to a changing climate by building a program to develop resources, processes, and projects that can anticipate changes to landscapes and seascapes, identify species and systems that are most vulnerable, and devise adaptation strategies that increase the adaptive capacity of fish and wildlife resources. This program is designed to build internal capacity through education, develop partnerships, and reduce uncertainty. Importantly, the FWC climate activities are focused on developing a more adaptive agency, increasing the resilience of the resources under their stewardship, and instilling a culture of considering a changing climate when developing the Agency’s work plans.