Rising Temperatures

Rising temperatures impact mountain ecosystems in dramatic ways, including an increase in the duration and intensity of drought, higher tree stress and mortality due to more habitable conditions for insect pests, and an increase in river, stream, and creek temperatures that damage or destroy terrestrial and aquatic species and habitat. In addition, pollinators, migratory birds, and mammals that exist at high-alpine regions are particularly vulnerable to warming temperatures.

Increasing Wildfire Risk

Although wildfire is an essential tool in managing ecosystem health, climate change is exacerbating the size, intensity, and duration of wildfires. Catastrophic wildfires can have devastating impacts on important habitat and vital ecosystem functions: this includes damaging or destroying sensitive wetland and riparian areas, imperiling threatened and endangered species, encouraging invasive species, and endangering native plant communities. Wildfires can also fragment and reduce habitat, compromising foraging areas and protective cover for prey animals, thereby increasing predator pressures [1].

Increasing Drought

Drought conditions impact natural systems in several important ways. For example, higher temperatures and drought conditions have contributed to the reduction in streamflow of the Colorado River by 17-50% between 2000 - 2014 [2], impacting water availability for wildlife and terrestrial and aquatic species and habitats. The health of our aquatic ecosystems are entirely dependent on the amount, timing, and variability of the stream flows in our rivers, creeks, and streams [3].

Create wildfire resilient landscapes.

How It Helps: The wildfires of the past few years highlight current and future risk to our communities, particularly areas that are in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). This risk will continue to increase due to climate change, but resilient landscapes can limit the extent of the fires, allow plant and animal species to rebound more rapidly, and lower the occurrence of catastrophic fires.

Actions: 

• Use prescribed fire (when appropriate) to manage noxious weeds and to ensure fuel buildup does not occur. 

• Expand wildfire regulations, authority, and enforcement. 

• Increase social and political acceptance through education and success stories to increase acceptance that wildfire is a natural and integral part of the landscape.

Create resilient wildlife populations by maintaining healthy ecosystems and habitat connectivity.

How It Helps: Healthy wildlife depends on healthy ecosystems. Lowering non-climate related stressors, such as pollution, will allow species to better respond to and survive periods of extreme weather (such as droughts). Limiting habitat fragmentation and increasing habitat connectivity will allow animals to move to new areas as conditions continue to change.

Actions: 

• Cultivate partnerships with organizations focused on enhancing wildlife and ecosystem health.

• Plan, fund, and implement wildlife habitat restoration projects, especially in riparian zones. 

• Protect wildlife travel corridors through smart growth and development. 

Adopt and enforce requirements that improve water quality and quantity.

How It Helps: Eagle County is a complex social and environmental system where we rely on nature for a variety of services, including clean drinking water. Growing populations and development can put additional demands on water sources and increase pollution. Thus, enhancing our investments in these areas will ensure that all residents have access to clean water for decades to come.

Actions: 

• Reestablish the Urban Runoff Group with expanded scope for Eagle River watershed. 

• Support infrastructure planning to mitigate runoff after a wildfire (i.e., pollutants/sediment filtered through retention ponds before reaching waterways). 

• Adopt county codes focused on setbacks from waterways and floodplains to protect riparian habitat.

Encourage adoption of innovative indoor and outdoor water efficiency programs and strategies. 

How It Helps: Decreasing water use (particularly outdoors during the summer) will create a buffer that we can use in times of drought and to support continued population growth. Being more efficient also saves money and frees up resources at both the neighborhood and regional level that can be used in other ways to build resilience.

Actions:  

• Adopt water efficiency codes and ordinances that optimize outdoor water use. 

• Support water planning efforts focused on potential community growth levels so as not to exhaust the Eagle River’s water supply solely for human consumption. 

• Initiate a turf rebate program to encourage xeriscaping, low water use, and native vegetation.

Create a multi-jurisdictional program to develop and implement best management practices for post-fire recovery.

How It Helps: Wildfires are a natural part of life in our forests. Being ready for wildfire means not just responding appropriately during the fire, but taking actions post-fire that help the ecosystems and our communities recover quickly and enhance preparedness for future fires.

Actions:  

• Integrate source water protection planning efforts across Eagle County. 

• Enact pre-fire risk studies and post-fire rehabilitation plans. 

• Identify who will coordinate long-term multi-jurisdictional post-fire recovery on both public and private property including fundraising/volunteer coordination.

Implement educational programs to encourage responsible use of resources and protect ecosystem health. 

How It Helps: Residents and visitors to Eagle County inevitably impact natural resources that we rely on to support our economy and our ways of life. Increasing our understanding of how individuals, families, neighborhoods, and communities can affect resource abundance or the health of our ecosystems will impact how we use and care for those resources.

Actions:  

• Create an education program focused on recreational fishing temperature standards (local anglers and guides would halt fishing when river temperatures are too high). 

• Integrate "ecoliteracy" into school curriculums, community educational programs, and materials. 

• Provide educational resources on ways home and property owners can mitigate invasive species.