Tuesday, May 11, 2010

FWC launches climate change website

Find out what fish and wildlife managers are doing to help wildlife adapt to potential climate change impacts. Measure your carbon footprint. Tap into age-appropriate climate change lessons. These exciting features and more can be found on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) new website, MyFWC.com/ClimateChange. The website is dedicated to educating the public about the impacts of climate change to the state’s fish and wildlife resources and how the agency is addressing those impacts.
“We hope the FWC climate change website will become a must-visit resource for individuals and organizations wanting to learn more about climate change and its impact on wildlife,” said Doug Parsons, the FWC’s climate change program coordinator. “The FWC has established itself as a leader nationally on this issue, and we look forward to working with our wildlife partners to improve the information on the website as this issue unfolds in the years to come.”
Florida’s geography and position as home to threatened and endangered wildlife puts the state in a unique position for experiencing the effects of climate change. Acknowledging that fact, the FWC began addressing climate change in 2007, when the commission passed a resolution directing staff to develop recommendations for conserving fish and wildlife in the face of climate change. In 2008, the FWC hosted a climate change summit, which brought together leading experts and professionals in the field to share their knowledge. Immediately following the summit, the FWC formed climate change teams. The website confirms the FWC’s commitment to addressing this complex issue.