Belmont Forum Collaborative Research: ClimateWIse: Climate-Smart Watershed Investments
in the Montane Tropics of South America

ClimateWIse will close an important knowledge gap by assessing the impact of land-use and climate change on water resources in montane tropical South America. In this region, hydrologic impacts of changing land use and changing climate are poorly characterized yet have tremendous impact on water security for both urban and rural communities. Millions of people depend on water from páramo grasslands and Andean and Atlantic forests, so it is critical to ensure clean, secure water through climate-resilient source water protection.

An existing network of Investment in Watershed Services (IWS) projects provides an unparalleled opportunity to assess and model current and future water resources in the region. We will answer critical questions about the hydrologic impacts of changing land use and changing climate by addressing two persistent questions about IWS: 1) Are IWS successfully delivering water services now? 2) How can IWS be climate resilient?

Our goals are to enhance sustainable water management by improving understanding of the hydrologic impacts of land-use and climate change in the montane tropics, increase the scientific foundation for ecosystem services-based management, and enhance outcomes for water users throughout the region.

Collaborators: Kate Brauman (University of Minnesota), Humberto Rocha (University of São Paulo), Martina Floerke (University of Kassel), Leah Bremer (University of Hawaii), Perrine Hamel (Stockholm University).

Funded by the Belmont Foundation and NSF Integrative and Collaborative Education and Research.

http://environment.umn.edu/discovery/gwi/our-work/climatewise/