The Colorado office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which administers 8.4 million acres
of Colorado’s surface acres, and more than 29 million acres of sub‐surface mineral estate, has been
charged with developing a climate adaptation strategy for BLM lands within the state. The
assessments presented herein present a statewide perspective on the potential future influences of
a changing climate on species and ecosystems of particular importance to the BLM, with the goal of
facilitating development of the best possible climate adaptation strategies to meet future
conditions.
The Colorado Natural Heritage Program conducted climate change vulnerability assessments of
plant and animal species, and terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems (“targets”) within a time frame
of mid‐21st century. Our assessments 1) evaluate the potential impact of future climate conditions
on both species and ecosystems by identifying the degree of change expected between current and
future climate conditions within the Colorado range of the target, and 2) address the potential
impact of non‐climate factors that can affect the resilience of the target to climate change, or which
are likely to have a greater impact due to climate change. Climate change vulnerability assessments
are not an end unto themselves, but are intended to help BLM managers identify areas where action
may mitigate the effects of climate change, recognize potential novel conditions that may require
additional analysis, and characterize uncertainties inherent in the process.