USGS announces new consortia for North Central and Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Centers

The two CASCs, which continue to be hosted by the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Arizona, respectively, welcomed seven returning and five new consortium partners with new agreements that went into effect September 2024. The centers thank the institutions leaving the consortiums for the knowledge and excellence they contributed to the network during the previous funding cycle.

"Climate change impacts people and nature differently in the high Rockies and the Sonoran Desert. Working with regional partners ensures we produce science that meets their needs," says Doug Beard, Senior Administrator of the National Climate Adaptation Science Center. "They add capacity development and community engagement that compliments what we do in the USGS. We look forward to working with new and returning partners."

Each of nine regional CASCs is made up of a network of researchers and resource managers with the common goal of helping fish, wildlife, water, land, and people adapt to a changing climate. CASCs generate science and tools to help partners develop climate adaptation strategies that meet on-the-ground needs in their regions.

Host institutions and consortia are chosen through a competitive process and recompete every 5 years. This allows new institutions to bid to host or join the consortia and enables the universities and USGS to renegotiate funding for staffing, student research opportunities and other program activities.

Member institutions were selected after an open competition and extensive review by scientific experts:

• The North Central CASC will continue to be hosted by the University of Colorado Boulder and welcomes back consortium partners the Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance, South Dakota State University and the University of Montana. It will also include new consortium partners Colorado State University, The Nature Conservancy and the University of Wyoming.
• The Southwest CASC will continue to be hosted by the University of Arizona and welcomes back consortium partners Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, University of California Davis, University of California Los Angeles and Utah State University. It will also include new consortium partners Northern Arizona University and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Learn more about the CASC Network >>