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The iterative steps of AM closely parallel those of the conservation planning process and include: prob- lem assessment, designing the management action, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and adjust- ment (Figure 5 -6). Thus, adaptive management offers a structured yet flexible framework to deal with the new challenges of climate change. Implementing, monitoring, and evaluating actions are among the most critical, and often overlooked, steps in the conservation planning process. The AM process allows managers to learn about complex systems by designing management actions around clearly stated objectives, monitoring the results of implementing the strategies, and adjusting manage- ment actions and priorities based on those results. Monitoring key indicators that are tied explicitly to stated goals and objectives will also allow agencies to assess whether conservation actions are effective or are having had the desired impact. Results from monitoring in an adaptive management framework are used to test multiple competing hypotheses or measure progress towards stated goals and objectives. Learning is promoted by comparisons of model estimates against predictions. These steps are then repeated in an iterative process to improve over- all management of the system. Wildlife managers committed to the principles of AM will be able to Figure 5 -6. The adaptive management process (Adapted from: Williams et al. 2009) better anticipate the effects of climate change, refine management actions based on research and monitor- ing, and be flexible in responding to new threats. 15,2 111 rPll'; "ll Il ton il"' oIf''Wml1i'd "Y'r'ai111 oIP ii°rr Iln ',oIf''wmervatIll.i"on PlanIf� lilPlg fro ' 111111'' "'rf llll "fir' Change Adq�,,:74atlolr'lr' In the context of climate change, the term adaptation is currently used to describe adjustments in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects. These adjustments moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities in response to climate change. However, the term adaptation continues to cause confusion and debate, both over the precise use and definition and over what defines an "adaptation project." Some of the confusion stems from the widely used scientific defi- nition, which states that adaptation is the process of genetic change within a population due to natural selection in which the average state of a character within a species population becomes better suited to some feature of the environment through evolu- tion. This type of adaptation, also referred to as autonomous adaptation (IPCC 2007), is a biological response to climate conditions and does not involve human intervention or management. In this report, climate change adaptation refers to strategies taken by wildlife managers to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to the expected impacts of climate change that will allow target species, habitats, and ecosys- tems to respond to change. Throughout a conservation planning process to develop adaptation strategies, there are a number of over - arching considerations: engaging partners, coordinating across boundaries, recognizing appro- priate spatial and temporal scales, addressing uncer- tainty, incorporating vulnerability assessments, and implementing an adaptive management framework. These considerations are especially important within the context of climate change adaptation.