Sara Schlesinger

A red-bellied woodpecker in Rock Creek Park, Washington, DC

Environmental Justice Mapping Tools: Use and Potential in Policy Making to Address Climate Change

Green spaces benefit people and wildlife alike. In cities, green spaces can store water to provide flood protection and create shade to reduce the “urban heat island effect.” As climate … Read more

Farmland protected by a wetland buffer in the Prairie Potholes region, Iowa.

A Change in FEMA Policy Spells Good News for Communities, Wildlife, and Wildplaces Alike

In recent years, a great deal of science has confirmed the ability of natural infrastructure—such as healthy wetlands, floodplains, forests, coral reefs, and beaches—to reduce risk to human communities and … Read more

Satellite image of Hurricane Laura at 2:50 a.m. CDT on August 27, 2020.

7 Ways Congress Could Help Safeguard Communities and Wildlife From Hurricanes

This year is already bringing an unusually active hurricane season, with more than a dozen named storms, including five hurricanes, halfway through the season. NOAA is predicting we may see … Read more

Natural Climate Solutions Can Store Carbon and Enhance Resilience to Climate Change

Restoring, conserving, or creating natural systems can aid in carbon sequestration and storage while mitigating climate impacts on human communities. The National Wildlife Federation defines the concept of natural climate … Read more

Compounding Challenges: Extreme Heat Threatens Communities and Wildlife More Than Ever in The Age of Climate Change and COVID-19

Rising average global temperatures are one of the most direct indicators of climate change that can be felt and seen today. In the first half of 2020, global average temperatures … Read more

The Protective Value of Nature

A new report shows how natural systems can reduce risks from natural disasters and provide other benefits. The National Wildlife Federation and Allied World recently released The Protective Value of … Read more

Heating Up: Climate Change Harms Alaska’s Communities & Wildlife

Rising temperatures in the Bering Sea could disrupt fisheries and are linked to massive seabird die-offs, shifts in the local ecosystem, and hardship for Alaska Natives. In 2019, seabirds off … Read more

Nature-based Climate Strategies Protect People & Wildlife

The National Wildlife Federation’s Natural Climate Solutions Platform recommends nature-based strategies to benefit people, wildlife, jobs, and infrastructure. The National Wildlife Federation recently released Natural Climate Solutions: A Federal Policy … Read more

Swept Away: Protecting Midwest Communities & Wildlife From Extreme Flooding

Last spring, heavy precipitation caused massive, long lasting flooding events that plagued the Midwest. This phenomenon proved fatal for people and wildlife alike: at least three deaths in the region … Read more

Unnatural Disasters Map 2.0: Interactive Map Illustrates Growing Climate Impacts

Today, the National Wildlife Federation launches the second iteration of an interactive story map to illustrate where natural disasters, many of which are exacerbated by climate change, have hit in … Read more