Southwest Adaptation Forum (SWAF) 2026
Registration open now! Register here →
Free to register; space is limited. RSVP by October 1.
SWAF 2026
Where climate adaptation science meets practical solutions.
Join us for the fifth regional gathering of climate adaptation leaders, researchers, and practitioners!
The Southwest Adaptation Forum (SWAF) is a 3-day, interactive conference filled with discussion-based sessions and networking opportunities. Come learn about the latest research and efforts, meet new collaborators, and lay the groundwork for future partnerships and projects.
The SWAF will be held on November 4-6, 2026, at the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, AZ.
Register by Oct. 1 →
Free to register; space is limited.
Agenda Overview
Group Sessions & Four Concurrent Tracks
At the 2026 SWAF, there will be four main science themes, or "tracks." In addition to full-group sessions, there will be concurrent breakout sessions to dive deeper into key issues. Whether you stick with something familiar or broaden your horizons (or hop between tracks) – the choice is yours!
Track 1: Wildfire Adaptation and Management
How do we adjust to changing/growing wildfire regimes in the Southwest? What steps can we take pre- and post-fire to build more resilient ecosystems?
Track 2: Watershed Restoration
How are we using watershed restoration as an adaptation tool? What research and partnerships are needed to maximize this approach?
Track 3: Wildlife in a Changing Climate
What are issues in adaptation and transformation for wildlife and habitat? How can we improve connectivity and use different frameworks to think about wildlife adaptation and management?
Track 4: Adapting to Extreme Heat
How are rural and Tribal communities in the Southwest adapting to extreme heat? What research gaps and needs can help address these issues?
Keynote Speaker Event
The Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center is excited to welcome conservationist and writer William deBuys as the SWAF keynote speaker!
Bill deBuys is a Pulitzer Prize Finalist who has authored more than ten books, including A Great Aridness: Climate Change and the Future of the American West, River of Traps, and The Trail to Kanjiroba: Rediscovering Earth in an Age of Loss. He has been a Kluge Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Library of Congress (2018), a Guggenheim Fellow (2008-2009), and a Lyndhurst Fellow (1986-1988). He was the founding Chair of the Valles Caldera Trust, responsible for administering the 89,000-acre Valles Caldera National Preserve in northern New Mexico. He lives on the farm he has tended since 1976 in the remote village of El Valle in New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo mountains.
This special evening event will be open to the public at 6-7pm on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Venue & Lodging
Meeting Location
The SWAF 2026 will be at the Environment and Natural Resources 2 (ENR2) Building on the University of Arizona main campus in Tucson, AZ. See parking options – the Sixth Street Garage is closest to ENR2.
Hotel Block
There is a hotel block at the Graduate by Hilton near campus. Use this booking link by October 6, 2026.
The Graduate Hotel
930 E 2nd St
Tucson, AZ 85719
Other nearby hotels include Marriott University Park and Aloft by Marriott.
The Southwest Adaptation Forum 2026 is hosted by the Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (SW CASC) and the partners below.
For questions, contact SW CASC Program Manager, Kat Ko, at katherineko@arizona.edu.
