Adaptation Resources for Agriculture: Responding to Changes in Climate in Alaska

Alaska is a land of extremes. This includes its climate, which ranges from mild to maritime in its southeast, to arctic in its northern slope. Alaska is also at the forefront of experiencing changes in climate and climate variability, including higher temperatures and more precipitation. Over the past century, changes in climate have already led to a longer growing season that has expanded areas suitable for agricultural production. Along with improving opportunities for agricultural production, climate change will also bring challenges, such as increased risks of invasive species, pests, and diseases. With these opportunities and challenges, farmers and ranchers can take actions to reduce negative effects on their operations from climate change and to promote positive outcomes by implementing different adaptation strategies. This publication provides agricultural producers in Alaska with adaptation strategies and tactics to help farmers take actions to improve resilience of their operations to weather extremes and a changing climate. This is a structured and flexible guide to help identify and evaluate climate change impacts, challenges, opportunities, and operation-level resilience tactics. These methods provide guidance on understanding, planning for, and responding to climate change impacts to agriculture in Alaska. Technology transfer specialists and producers can work through the information provided herein to consider different strategies for producers to implement to achieve production goals in the face of rapidly changing and variable climate conditions.