RAD Decisions in Rad Landscapes: Climate Adaptation for Sonoran Pronghorn

In the southwestern United States, climate change is contributing to rapid transformations in desert plant communities. Sonoran pronghorn (Antilocapra americana sonoriensis) is a federally endangered species threatened by ongoing habitat degradation and fragmentation associated with human development, drought, and increasing temperatures. Much of the current range of Sonoran pronghorn overlaps with wilderness, which further complicates recovery efforts. This report summarizes research and activities relevant to the RAD Decisions in Rad Landscapes: Climate Adaptation for Sonoran Pronghorn case study. The overarching goal of this case study was to provide United States Fish and Wildlife Service staff and their partners with knowledge and tools to support intentional and transparent decision-making for pronghorn through climate change-driven ecological transformation. Scientists from the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute (ALWRI) conducted research to illuminate the potential ecological consequences of climate change for pronghorn as well as managers’ perceived ability to respond to ecological change. Additionally, scientists at ALWRI facilitated a 2-day workshop which engaged FWS staff, state agency managers, and non-profit partners in an adaptive management process to clarify values and desired conditions, generate decision alternatives under the resist-accept-direct (RAD) framework, and evaluate the potential social, legal, and ecological implications of alternatives for pronghorn.