wildlife-wildlands-toolkit-map-small.png

Click on the map of U.S. eco-regions to see a larger version.

The Wildlife and Wildlands Toolkit divides the country into 11 distinct eco-regions based on a number of factors including geography and habit type. Below, you can explore the eco-regions and find case studies and activities that will bring alive the climate change impacts on and solutions for wildlife and wildlands.

• Case studies for each of the eco-regions include regional impacts of climate change, spotlight on species on public lands that are being affected by climate change, and strategies being employed by climate stewards in each region who are helping ecosystems adapt to a changing world.
• Activities for students for each of the eco-regions include science, social science, math, language arts, and art activities. Developed by master teachers in the 2008 Albert Einstein Fellowship Program, the activities are fun, educational, and easily adapted to a variety of settings and ability levels. The specific Climate Literacy Guidelines and National Education Standards are referenced for each activity.

The 11 Eco-Regions

The Caribbean eco-region includes the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and part of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Desert/Arid eco-region includes the Mojave, Sonoran, Great Basin, and Chihuahuan deserts, as well as the Colorado River and Rio Grande basins and the surrounding mountain ranges.

The Eastern Coastline eco-region extends from Florida's beaches, barrier islands, bays, estuaries, and tidal marshes, to the colder reaches and rocky coastline of Maine.

The Eastern Forests and Woodlands eco-region encompasses the rugged Adirondack Mountains in New York and the Appalachian Mountains that span the entire eastern seaboard, to rolling hills, valleys, and plains.

The Great Lakes eco-region includes Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Superior, and Lake Ontario.

The Gulf Coast eco-region stretches in an arc from the tip of Florida to the tip of Texas, passing through the southern areas of Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi.

The Pacific Islands eco-region includes the State of Hawaii, and territories and jurisdictions such as, the territories of Guam and American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

The Polar/Subpolar eco-region is composed of the vast, deep, ice-covered Arctic Ocean, surrounded by the continental landmasses that include Alaska, Northern Canada, and Eurasia.

The Prairie Grasslands eco-region begins with the Great Plains at the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains and extends all the way to the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern part of the country.
 
The Western Coastline eco-region includes the coastal zone that stretches from southern California through Oregon, Washington, and up to southern Alaska.

The Western Forests and Mountains eco-region stretches east from the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Ranges to the Rocky Mountains.