Staudinger receives Honorable Mention for the 2023 Climate Adaptation  Leadership Award for Natural Resources

Michelle Staudinger, associate professor at the University of Maine School of Marine Sciences and Darling Marine Center, was awarded an honorable mention for the 2023 Climate Adaptation Leadership Award for Natural Resources.

Staudinger was recognized in the “Federal Government” category for demonstrating exemplary leadership in reducing climate related threats and promoting adaptation of the nation’s natural resources as science coordinator for the U.S. Geological Survey’s Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center. During her tenure, Staudinger initiated and led a climate change synthesis for states’ 2015 and 2025 Wildlife Action Plans; established a regional Climate Change Working Group of federal, state, academic and NGO partners; and initiated annual symposia for the Northeast Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (NEAFWA). She will continue to work with state agencies at UMaine.

The Climate Adaptation Leadership Award for Natural Resources was established in 2016 to honor outstanding projects or activities advancing the resilience of the nation’s fish, wildlife and plant resources in a changing climate. Award winners for 2023 were celebrated during a hybrid ceremony at the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) Annual Meeting on Sept. 25.