Ecological transformations are occurring as a result of climate change, challenging traditional approaches to land management decision-making. The resist–accept–direct (RAD) framework helps managers consider how to respond to this challenge. We examined how the feasibility of the choices to resist, accept, and direct shifts in complex and dynamic ways through time. We considered 4 distinct types of social feasibility: regulatory, financial, public, and organizational. Our commentary is grounded in literature review and the examples that exist but necessarily has speculative elements because empirical evidence on this newly emerging management strategy is scarce. We expect that resist strategies will become less feasible over time as managers encounter situations where resisting is ecologically, by regulation, financially, or publicly not feasible. Similarly, we expect that as regulatory frameworks increasingly permit their use, if costs decrease, and if the public accepts them, managers will increasingly view accept and direct strategies as more viable options than they do at present. Exploring multiple types of feasibility over time allows consideration of both social and ecological trajectories of change in tandem. Our theorizing suggested that deepening the time horizon of decision-making allows one to think carefully about when one should adopt different approaches and how to combine them over time.

The Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance's Water and Climate Conference

The Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance's Water and Climate Conference, held September 18 - 19, 2024, was a resounding success. We were deeply honored to have Arvol Looking Horse...

New Cooperative Agreement to Advance Climate Adaptation in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains

The University of Colorado Boulder has been awarded a 5-year cooperative agreement with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to host the North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center (NC CASC), one of nine regional climate centers.

Importance of Indigenous Inclusion in Water Management

The history of removing Indigenous peoples from the land and excluding them in water management decisions highlights the need for new co-production efforts. Check out this new blog by CAST student, Dustin O'Brien.

Dr. Christy Miller Hesed recognized by CIRES!

Congratulations to our regional climate adaptation scientist for NC CASC, Dr. Christy Miller Hesed, who was recently recognized by CIRES! She is passionate about using social science to learn how climate change impacts communities and identify ways to address climate injustice.