Vision

The Southwest’s ecosystems, communities and cultures are resilient and thriving as the climate changes. Resource management decisions are informed by climate adaptation science. 

Mission

We develop actionable science and implementable climate adaptation solutions in partnership with natural and cultural resource managers, policy makers, Native Nations, and researchers across the Southwest.

Respect: We operate with respect for partners, cultures, traditions and Indigenous knowledge systems. 

Collaboration and reciprocity: We strive to build authentic, sustained and mutually beneficial collaborations and partnerships. 

Co-production: We prioritize co-developing actionable science, underpinned by authentic partnerships.

Inclusivity: Justice, diversity, equity and inclusion are central to our work.

Scientific integrity: We believe that science plays a critical role in the development of lasting climate solutions. 

Commitment: We are committed to seeking nature-based solutions* to climate adaptation challenges, for the future wellbeing of our interconnected ecosystems, cultures, and communities. 

*Nature-based solutions are actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits.

The Southwest region is home to a number of distinct landscapes ranging from the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts, the California Coast, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Colorado Plateau, the Southern Rockies, the Great Basin, and the Madrean Sky Islands. Along with a number of diverse ecosystems, the Southwest region is also home to a diversity of Indigenous peoples and communities. With respect to Indigenous peoples’ practices and their relationships to the natural world, the Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (SW CASC) is committed to ensuring that the 4 R’s - Respect, Relationship, Responsibility, and Reciprocity are centered in all of our Tribal engagement efforts. Understanding how climate change impacts Indigenous peoples’ ways of life also gives us the ability to continue to support resilience through adaptive measures, actions, and strategies for solutions. The SW CASC Tribal Engagement Strategy report provides a vision for tribal engagement in the SW CASC region, which covers California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona.