Center Retreat
In the spring of 2025 (date and time TBD), we plan to host a retreat in partnership
with Professor Maggie Bourque with Climate Wayfinding to engage in a process to develop
individual and collective strategic plans, build relationships between interdisciplinary
faculty across campus, and begin to brainstorm future projects for the Center for
Rural Resilience and Innovation. If you are interested in engaging, please reach out
to us.
National Climate Assessment Authorship
In 2024, the 5th National Climate Assessment was published. The Northern Great Plains chapter, a chapter that covers the region encompassing Wyoming, Montana, North & South Dakota,
and Nebraska, was led by Dr. Knapp, a Co-PI for the Center. This publication provides
valuable synthesis and context of some of the drivers of change impacting this region.
In 2024, Dr. Knapp led multiple engagement events across the region, including online
webinars, workshops in Montana and Nebraska, and public lectures and outreach across
the region.
Informing NRCS Conservation Practices
The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) funds conservation practices on private
lands that benefit producers as well as leading to conservation benefits. Working
through the Meridian Institute, Dr. Knapp is a lead author on synthesizing literature
to understand whether and how existing conservation practices are “climate smart”. Their work will result in a public report assessing the evidence for existing and
emerging climate smart conservation practices.