The NC CASC Rapid Climate Assessment Program (RCAP) aims to create a series of Rapid Climate Assessments (RCAs) which are a synthesis of science information that can be used as a baseline for further research and a foundation for future stakeholder engagement. These RCAs include key elements of collaborative climate adaptation science, including co-production by stakeholders and researchers, status and vulnerability assessments, and identification of challenges and solutions for the given topic.
Each RCA project is led by a team that includes NC CASC research scientists and graduate research assistants (GRAs). The Summer 2023 RCAP topics and teams are:
- Synthesis of Climate Change Impacts on the Mixed/Tall-Grass Prairie Ecosystems in the Northern Great Plains: Imtiaz Rangwala (NC CASC Lead), Kyra Clark-Wolf (NC CASC Co-Lead), Sam Ahler (GRA), Cami Dixon (US FWS) and Chelsea Nagy (NC RISCC)
- Synthesis of Climate Adaptation in Mountain Ecosystems in the North Central Region: Imtiaz Rangwala (NC CASC Lead), Kyra Clark-Wolf (NC CASC Assisting), Meagan Oldfather (USGS Co-Lead) and Aly Ennis (GRA)
- Synthesis of Social Science Related to Resource Management and Climate Change in the Great Plains: Christy Miller Hesed (NC CASC Lead), Heather Yocum (NC CASC Co-Lead) and Sarah Gonzalez Coffin (GRA)
- Supporting Grassland Managers to Conserve Grassland Ecosystems and Adapt to Climate Change in the North Central Region: Heather Yocum (NC CASC Lead), Christy Miller Hesed (NC CASC Co-Lead) and Elizabeth Woolner (GRA)
- Grasslands GIS: Heather Yocum (NC CASC Lead), Christy Miller Hesed (NC CASC Co-Lead) and Sarah Jaffe (GRA)
- Examination of Large-Scale Drivers of Water Availability in the US Great Plains: Imtiaz Rangwala (NC CASC Lead) and Prasad Thota (GRA)
- Ecologically and/or Infrastructurally Impactful Weather and Climate Extremes in the North Central Region: Bill Travis (NC CASC Lead) and Elizabeth Bannister (Undergrad RA)