Introduction
Natural Climate Solutions, also called Nature-Based Solutions, are actions that reduce emissions and increase carbon storage in forests, farms, grasslands and wetlands, while providing a host of additional benefits for people and the environment.
Practices that could be included are actions like encouraging farming techniques that retain carbon in the soil, such as planting cover crops; conserving and replanting forests; conserving and restoring coastal wetlands; and reducing the loss of natural areas, planting trees, and providing parks in communities.
Not only do these efforts help address climate change – they can improve water quality, prevent natural disasters like wildfire, drought, and flooding, protect wildlife habitat, and provide opportunities for hiking and fishing. Best of all, these solutions are cost effective, and can often improve local economies.
Below you can explore how people in Montana are benefiting from implementing nature-based solutions in their community through a diverse set of resources from USN4C members and others, including blog articles, videos, comprehensive reports, and more.
Blog Articles
Photo Credit: Ashley Mattson / Montana DNRC for American Forests
American Forests Article: New Greenhouse Seeds Hope for Montana’s Reforestation Effort
Photo by Leon LaSalle
U.S. Nature4Climate/Native American Agriculture Fund Article: Leon LaSalle and the Chippewa Cree Tribe: Making USDA Programs Work For Tribal Producers
- SCIENCE: Environmental Defense Fund Article: New Research Could Help Resource Managers Improve the Health and Resilience of the Mississippi River Basin
- 2024 CONSERVATION IN THE WEST SURVEY: Colorado College Conservation in the West Landing Page: 2024 Conservation In The West Survey
- Hispanic Access Foundation Press Release: Latinos Show Concern about Water and Public Lands in the 14th Annual Conservation in the West Poll — see Spanish language version here
- National Wildlife Federation Press Release: Westerners Flag Growing Concerns for Future of Public Lands Water, Wildlife
- Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Nature-based Solutions Interactive Map: Montana – Ninemile Valley Abandoned Mine Restoration
Forests:
- The Nature Conservancy Article: Restoring Western Montana Forests
- American Forests Article: Two Years Later: The Fight to Save the Whitebark Pine Continues
- U.S. Nature4Climate/American Forests Article: Conserving and Restoring Whitebark Pine
- USDA Forest Service Fact Sheet: Forest Legacy 2024 Funded Projects
- SCIENCE: University of California-Davis: Ecological Applications Study:Moderating Effects of Past Wildfire on Reburn Severity Depend on Climate and Initial Severity in Western U.S. Forests
- National Wildlife Federation Article: A Tremendous Year of Growth for Trees for Wildlife
- National Association of Conservation Districts Press Release: NACD Announces Urban and Community Conservation Grants for 35 Recipients
- SCIENCE: The Nature Conservancy Article: Comprehensive Science Review Shows Fuel Treatments Reduce Future Wildfire Severity
- SCIENCE: Forest Ecology & Management Study: Tamm review: A Meta-Analysis of Thinning, Prescribed Fire, and Wildfire Effects on Subsequent Wildfire Severity in Conifer Dominated Forests of the Western US
- Trust for Public Land Statement: Major Conservation Milestone: 13,000 Acres of Timberlands Permanently Protected by Trust for Public Land, Green Diamond Resource Company, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Lost Trail Conservation Are
- USDA Forest Service Article: Wildfire: A Modern Day Paradox
- Pew Charitable Trusts Article: Rising Wildfire Risks Prompt States to Look for New Approaches to Resilience
Agriculture:
- The Nature Conservancy Article: Restoring Streams Within the Sagebrush Sea
- National Wildlife Federation Article: Grasslands: A Disappearing Ecosystem
- Pew Charitable Trusts Article: Public Wants Stronger Protection of Sage-Grouse Habitat in West
- Pew Charitable Trust Press Release: Poll Shows Strong Support for Strengthening Sage-Grouse Habitat Protections
- National Wildlife Federation Statement: Bureau of Land Management Must Adopt Durable, Science-Based Management Approaches to Reverse Sage Grouse Declines
- SCIENCE: Nature-Based Solutions Study: Short Rotation Willow to Restore Degraded Marginal Land and Enhance Climate Resiliency within the Prairie Pothole Region: A Potential Nature-Based Solution
- SCIENCE: The Land Institute Article: Case Study 2024: Perennial Baki Bean
- U.S. Nature4Climate Article: Climate Solutions in the Sagebrush Steppe
Wetlands:
Reports
The Nature Conservancy Report: Montana Annual 2024 Impact Report
Videos & Podcasts
The Nature Conservancy Video: Fire and Thinning Keep Trees from Invading the Sagebrush Sea
Environmental Defense Fund Video: Regenerative Agriculture in Action: Insights from Tribal Producer April Martin
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Video: Hope and Restoration: Saving the Whitebark Pine
- The Nature Conservancy Video: Prescribed Burns: Fighting Fire with Fire
Explore More!
A new national survey conducted by U.S. Nature4Climate shows that voters across party lines support natural climate solutions more than ever, suggesting fertile ground for bi-partisan cooperation and consensus-building, opening up new avenues for climate action. Learn more.
Explore U.S. Climate Alliance‘s Climate Policy Database.
Explore Nature4Communities, a resource that shows you how nature-based solutions are critical for your community’s well-being and become a better advocate for their implementation.