Austin Climate Vulnerability and Land Management Plan

Innovative open space planning uses a vulnerability analysis to inform management strategies that support natural systems and preserve their ability to adapt to urban pressures and changing climate conditions.

The 2019 City of Austin Wildfire Preparedness Audit highlighted a limited capacity to manage natural areas and recommended the creation and implementation of land management plans for high-risk areas. When The 2019 City of Austin Wildfire Preparedness Audit highlighted a limited capacity to manage natural areas and recommended the creation and implementation of land management plans for high-risk areas. Blackland Collaborative led this plan to guide the Austin Parks and Recreation Department in restoring and managing natural areas to mitigate risk, improve resilience, and provide ecosystem services to Austin residents into the future.

Biohabitats focused on the spatially explicit climate vulnerability analysis and helped craft the guiding document, which is now used to inform management goals and priorities, work plans, monitoring and adaptive management, community driven vision plans and use policies. The team undertook significant field work, spatial analysis, and a thorough literature review to establish the plan’s knowledge base, then crafted recommendations.

The final Land Management Plan uses both a natural-system and site-specific lenses to characterize land management strategies at both system and local scales. Using an adaptive management approach allows managers to adjust based on regular monitoring and review. This phased approach builds system understanding and supports communication about the City’s developing land management philosophy and approach.

TAGS

• Analysis+Planning
• Assessment+Monitoring
• Climate Adaptation + Resilience