Exploring Climate Adaptation at IALE

Editor’s note: Each semester, students in the Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. program can apply for a Geospatial Analytics Travel Award that supports research travel or presentations at conferences. The following is a guest post by travel award winner Louis Goodall as part of the Student Travel series.

Attending the IALE (International Association for Landscape Ecology) conference was an invaluable experience that allowed me to share my research and connect with some truly inspiring scientists. I had never been before and was excited to learn from others in our field. While at the conference, I presented on simulating climate-adaptive harvesting techniques under drought-driven climate scenarios. Specifically, I explored how different harvesting methods impact ecosystem services—such as water yield, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity—and how these services may interact and trade off with each other as the climate changes. The goal of this research is to help land managers make more informed decisions about forest management in the face of increasing climate uncertainty.

The conference itself was a gathering of landscape ecologists from around the world, offering a unique space to discuss the intersection of ecology, climate science, and land management. I had the opportunity to present my findings to other landscape ecologists who provided valuable feedback and raised new questions that will help me refine my work. One of the most engaging parts of the conference was learning about the research being done by others in related fields.

A highlight of my time at IALE was meeting Dr. William Hargrove from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), who presented on identifying corridors of fuel in fire-prone ecosystems. His work on mapping and understanding fuel patterns in fire-prone areas was both impressive and one of the most engaging talks I had ever attended. We had interesting discussions about how forest management and climate adaptation strategies can be aligned to address both drought and fire risks, which are becoming increasingly critical as climate change intensifies and becomes increasingly variable.

This experience has also inspired me to think more deeply about how we can design climate adaptation strategies that are both flexible and robust, considering the uncertainty of future climate conditions. The work presented at IALE underscored societies’ need for innovative approaches to ecosystem management. The lessons I took away from this conference will certainly inform my future research and hopefully contribute to the ongoing conversations around climate change and ecosystem resilience. I’m excited to continue working towards solutions that not only protect our ecosystems but also provide the essential services that we all depend on.