The 2015 Vermont Town and City Management Association Fall Conference was held in Burlington, Vermont on October 22 and 23. Dr. Asim Zia, Associate Professor of Community Development and Applied Economics at UVM, and a Science Leader for Vermont EPSCoR, Research on Adaptation to Climate Change in the Lake Champlain Basin (RACC) program was an invited presenter.
Speaking to about fifty Vermont Municipal Managers and Administrators, Dr. Zia presented a decision making tool designed by the VT EPSCoR RACC team to assist town leaders in their action plans to help with water quality. He explained the critical role that land use around the Lake plays in the water quality of the Lake. Dr. Zia also demonstrated a new tool designed by the VT EPSCoR RACC team that considers climate change scenarios over the next 40-100 years and couples that with different scenarios that towns could implement to affect various outcomes on lake water quality. For example, with the change in climate, the potential for greater growing seasons could exist and with this, the potential for more agricultural land. The result would be positive for growers, but could have a negative effect on water quality if no measures were taken to absorb this potential increase.
By looking at climate change scenarios and projecting outcomes over the next 40 to 100 years based on land use patterns, Dr. Zia encouraged the town managers and administrators to consider taking preventative measures to help ease the phosphorus load into Lake Champlain, and help ensure a healthy Lake in the future. The new scenario tool is offered to Town Managers and Administrators for use. To learn more, please contact Dr. Asim Zia at Asim.Zia@uvm.edu or epscor@uvm.edu
Speaking to about fifty Vermont Municipal Managers and Administrators, Dr. Zia presented a decision making tool designed by the VT EPSCoR RACC team to assist town leaders in their action plans to help with water quality. He explained the critical role that land use around the Lake plays in the water quality of the Lake. Dr. Zia also demonstrated a new tool designed by the VT EPSCoR RACC team that considers climate change scenarios over the next 40-100 years and couples that with different scenarios that towns could implement to affect various outcomes on lake water quality. For example, with the change in climate, the potential for greater growing seasons could exist and with this, the potential for more agricultural land. The result would be positive for growers, but could have a negative effect on water quality if no measures were taken to absorb this potential increase.
By looking at climate change scenarios and projecting outcomes over the next 40 to 100 years based on land use patterns, Dr. Zia encouraged the town managers and administrators to consider taking preventative measures to help ease the phosphorus load into Lake Champlain, and help ensure a healthy Lake in the future. The new scenario tool is offered to Town Managers and Administrators for use. To learn more, please contact Dr. Asim Zia at Asim.Zia@uvm.edu or epscor@uvm.edu