The Climate Learning Network (CLN) has been hard at work for the last quarter and has made great progress towards its goals and deliverables this quarter. Main efforts included the delivery of 4 webinars covering climate communication, vulnerability assessments and agricultural adaptation practices. The information from these webinars will be used to develop eLearning modules to provide Extension Agents and Agriculture and Forestry Professionals with greater knowledge in these areas.
Progress on specific CLN deliverables includes:
- Continued develop of stakeholder database (3000+ contacts).
- Beginning development of the Extension climate tools database.
- Beginning Extension needs assessment survey development
- Delivering 4 webinars that can be accessed at climatewebinars.net
- Webinar #1: Communicating Climate Change Impacts and Options to a Disbelieving Audience – Part 1 (Steve McNulty) August 6, 2015.
- Webinar #2: Communicating Climate Change Impacts and Options to a Disbelieving Audience – Part 1 (Steve McNulty) September 3, 2015.
- Webinar #3: Vulnerability Assessments (Chris Swanston) September 15, 2015.
- Webinar #4: Agricultural Adaptation (Mark Risse, Brenda Ortiz, Clyde Fraisse) September 17, 2015.
CLN leadership also worked with the eXtension innovation team to identify innovative methods for reaching Extension Agents. This exercise will be used to inspire efforts at the upcoming eXtension Annual Conference in March. The CLN also continued its collaborative work with the Climate, Forestry and Woodlands Community of Practice.
CLN leadership also took to the road presenting our efforts to several stakeholder groups including Georgia ANREP, The North Carolina Agriculture and Forestry Adaptation Summit, the Southern Extension Directors and the Southern ANR Program Leaders.
Immediate Plans for the CLN include 2 more webinars: October 15 (Stories from the Field – Laura Lengnick) and November 19 (Forest Adaptation – Mark Megalos, Eric Taylor). Progress toward deliverables will also continue including work on eLearning modules, stakeholder database, Extension climate tools database and distribution of the needs assessment survey. CLN will also be represented at the Northeastern Climate Hub Partners Meeting in Annapolis, MD.