About Us

Image of a lynx with vertical blue and red stripes

The Climate Action Tool (CAT) is designed to inform and inspire local action to protect the natural resources of the northeastern U.S. from a changing climate. It was developed for local decision-makers, conservation practitioners, large landowners, and community leaders, originally in Massachusetts but, due to broad interest, expanded a decade later across the region. 

The 2025 expansion of the CAT was accomplished by the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center and the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment. This tool was initially developed in partnership by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, UMass, the Northeast Climate Science Center, and the U.S. Geological Survey’s Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, with resources from Integrating Climate Change into Northeast and Midwest State Wildlife Action Plans. It is now revitalized with  up-to-date climate change resources and conceptualized information for Northeastern U.S. habitats and species from the “A regional synthesis of climate data to inform the 2025 State Wildlife Action Plans in the NortheastU.S.”.

With this tool, you can:

  1. Access information on climate change impacts and vulnerability of species and habitats, especially fish and wildlife species inhabiting coasts, forests, and wetlands, as well as
  2. Explore adaptation strategies and actions, related to connectivity, conservation planning, and forestry, among other relevant areas, that seek to increase the adaptation and health of natural communities. 

 

You can learn more about using the tool in our User Guide.

For information on the climate change data used, see our Learning About Climate Change page.

Please see the Contact and Feedback page to provide your thoughts and feedback.

Acknowledgments

This tool was developed by the Climate Action Tool Development Team:

2025 expansion 

  • Toni Lyn Morelli, US Geological Survey (USGS), Northeast Climate Science Center (NE CASC)

  • Cybil Nicole Cavalieri “Nikki” , NE CASC

  • Scott Jackson, University of Massachusetts - Amherst (UMass), Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment (CAFE)

  • Heather Siart, UMass/NE CASC

  • Melissa Ocana, UMass CAFE

  • Jessica Szetela, UMass CAFE

  • Evonne Gong, UMass CARE

  • Tom Hoogendyk, Coherent Bytes, LLC

  •  Grace Mundinger, Refugia Research Coalition

  •  Common Media

2015

  • John O’Leary, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

  • Michelle Staudinger, Northeast Climate Science Center

  • Stephen DeStefano, USGS Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

  • Melissa Ocana, UMass

  • Ana Rosner, USGS

  • Katie Theoharides, Theoharides Consulting

  • Jonathan Brooks, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

  • Tom Cairns, UMass

  • Marilyn Castriotta, Antioch University New England

  • Paul Catanzaro, UMass

  • Tony D'Amato, University of Vermont

  • Nicole DeAngelis, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

  • Laura Hilberg, EcoAdapt

  • Stephen Jane, UMass

  • Toni Lyn Morelli, NE CASC

  • Emily Silver Huff, Michigan State University

  • Mikaela Heming, UMass

  • Steven Mattocks, UMass

  • Elisabeth Hamin, UMass

The Massachusetts Climate Adaptation Partnership and Climate Action Tool Development Team would like to thank all those who helped develop and improve this tool by providing expertise, data, testing, and valuable feedback. In particular, we thank:

  • Common Media, Inc. team

  • Beth Armour and Andy Slocombe, UMass Amherst Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment

  • Dan Koch and Kevin Robicheau, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

  • Alex Bryan, NE CASC

  • Hector Galbraith, EcoSolutions

  • Ambarish Karmalkar, NE CASC/UMass

  • David Paulson, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

  • Chris Duncan, GIS Matters

  • Eric Roberts, Consensus Building Institute

  • Margot Mansfield, Office of Coastal Zone Management

  • Amanda Davis, UMass

  • Emily Powell, US Fish & Wildlife Service