CLIMATE CHANGE WORKING GROUP
Envisioning Frederick County through the lens of climate change
The Climate Change Working Group (CCWG) of Frederick County was founded in 2016, to bring together community volunteers to address climate change at the local level. We research aspects of climate change that affect our community (see diagram) and apply a holistic approach to analysis that focuses on the way the aspects interrelate. Our goal is to address climate change from a systems perspective. We discuss recommendations based on our research and advocate for them through outreach, education, planning and policy development. We welcome alliance and cooperative work with others seeking similar goals. Meetings are open to all.
CCWG affiliations include the Smarter Growth Alliance, Envision Frederick County, and the Heart of Maryland Stewardship Work Group. We have actively participated in Frederick County government initiatives, such as Livable Frederick and the Monocacy Scenic River Plan. We have broadened our reach through the formation of the Multi-faith Alliance of Climate Stewards. We have worked on legislative issues with the Sierra Club and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.
Vision: A resilient creative community, with a healthy self-sustaining local economy that is not dependent on fossil fuels. Some things this might mean include:
- “Zero waste” policies and practices
- A local ecosystem returned to balance, with migration corridors that allow climate-stressed plants and animals to move north or to higher elevations
- Protected water sources that are safe and sufficient for aquatic species, agriculture, wildlife, and humans to thrive
- An electric public transportation system along well-planned population corridors that reduces reliance on cars
- Abundant employment opportunities that enrich the community via profits that circulate locally
Mission: To prepare Frederick County administrators and residents to adapt to and mitigate the impact of a changing climate through responsible planning, education and advocacy.
Contact: Karen Russell, founder
Karen Russell is a native Marylander. Born in Baltimore, she has lived all over the state. She graduated from Frostburg State University and the University of Baltimore and spent summers working in Ocean City. After a career in public relations, marketing and project management, she started a pottery business, making and selling functional stoneware. Since 2013, she has been involved in environmental education and addressing climate change at the state and local level. Her experience includes teaching classes on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed to elementary and middle school students, as a volunteer for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Chesapeake and Coastal Services division, receiving Maryland Master Naturalist certification and completing the Maryland Climate Leadership Academy sponsored by the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Association of Climate Change Officers. She is responsible for the biodiversity recommendation in the August 2021 Frederick City/County Climate Emergency Mobilization Work Group report entitled “Climate Response and Resilience.” Her passion is engaging others in collaborative work.