Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center


The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) is a federal-university partnership with the mission to deliver science to help fish, wildlife, water, land and people adapt to a changing climate. Their focus is Idaho, Oregon, Washington and surrounding river basins. NW CASC is one of eight similar science centers and works within a multi-university consortium.

These different organizational relationships create a challenge for their brand and logo. NW CASC is hosted by the University of Washington, so it is important the the logo work alongside the UW brand materials while maintaining a separate NW CASC identity. The same principle applies for the other universities brand identities.

Similarly, the NW CASC identity needed to co-exist with the other seven climate adaptation science centers while representing the characteristics of the Northwest. Our goal was to represent the diverse landscapes with the Northwest region in a mark that is appropriate, recognizable, highly useable, and attractive.

NWCASC logo variations

NW CASC is already putting their new logo to good use. From their post introducing the new logo:

We hope that the vibrant colors of our new logo evoke visions of the iconic landscapes that define the Northwest region. From the rugged coastlines, temperate rainforests and snow-covered mountains in the West, to the rolling hills, sun-drenched wheat fields and sagebrush steppe in the East, our remarkable diversity of landscapes and resources support countless plant and animal species and a range of human livelihoods. Look closely at our logo and you may also see the jagged, increasing lines of climate data – a reminder that the impacts of climate change are already being felt here in the Northwest. The need for climate change information and adaptation actions is more important now than ever, and we hope that our new look helps to recognize and energize the critical climate adaptation efforts across our region.

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