The Pacific Northwest's outstanding natural resources have lured increasing numbers of new residents to this region of our nation. The resulting rise in population has been accompanied by human activities that have potentially compromised the region's bountiful natural resources. Moreover, changes in climate as projected by climate models for the Pacific Northwest, could pose further risk and/or changing distributions for the region's natural resources, including the region's water resources, forests, salmon, and coastal areas.

Although the projected climate change and related impacts presented here are derived from climate models that are generally more regarded on a global, rather than regional, scale, they nonetheless offer a valuable approach for looking at potential future climates. By challenging us to consider plausible "what if" possibilities and options for addressing them, we can better prepare ourselves for climate change impacts, especially in areas that have experienced effects over the past century.