Adaptation strategies and approaches for forested watersheds

Intentional climate adaptation planning for ecosystems has become a necessary part of the job for natural resource managers and natural resource professionals in this era of non-stationarity. One of the major challenges in adapting ecosystems to climate change is in the translation of broad adaptation concepts to specific, tangible actions. Addressing management goals and values while considering the long-term risks associated with local climate change can make forested watershed management plans more robust to uncertainty and changing conditions. We provide a menu of tiered adaptation strategies, which we developed with a focus on forests of the Midwest and Northeastern U.S., as part of a flexible framework to support the integration of climate change considerations into forested watershed management and conservation activities. This menu encapsulates ideas from the literature into statements that signify climate adaptation intention and provide examples of associated tactics to help ground the concepts in specific actions. Finally, we describe two demonstration projects, shared through the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science’s Climate Change Response Framework, that have used this Forested Watershed Adaptation Menu and Adaptation Workbook in project-level planning

Beyond planning tools: Experiential learning in climate adaptation planning and practices

In the past decade, several dedicated tools have been developed to help natural resources professionals integrate climate science into their planning and implementation; however, it is unclear how often these tools lead to on-the-ground climate adaptation. Here, we describe a training approach that we developed to help managers effectively plan to execute intentional, climate-informed actions. This training approach was developed through the Climate Change Response Framework (CCRF) and uses active and focused work time and peer-to-peer interaction to overcome observed barriers to using adaptation planning tools. We evaluate the effectiveness of this approach by examining participant evaluations and outlining the progress of natural resources projects that have participated in our trainings. We outline a case study that describes how this training approach can lead to place and context-based climate-informed action. Finally, we describe best practices based on our experience for engaging natural resources professionals and helping them increase their comfort with climate-informed planning

Effects of land use and forest management on soil carbon in the ecoregions of Maryland and adjacent eastern United States

The impacts of forest-related land use and management on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks have been investigated through years of primary research and review articles. This attention is justified given the importance of land use and management to greenhouse gas mitigation, soil and forest productivity, and other ecosystem services. However, there is a gap of scale and scope between site-level studies that control for sources of variation, producing high-confidence results for limited locations, and the broad reviews that offer more general conclusions. The present analysis is intended to fill that gap. Here, we focus on six ecoregions of the eastern United States, and integrate meta-analysis of published literature with synthesis of geo-referenced soil observations to: (1) test whether common land use and management practices quantitatively impact SOC; (2) identify key sources of variation in these effects; (3) assess how sources of variation translate to decisions about land use and management at ecoregional to landscape levels. Results corroborate general trends, such as O horizon SOC losses with harvesting and fire and SOC gains during reforestation, but provide greater detail about the influence of specific practices and site-level controls on SOC stocks and change in the study region. Results also show that: (1) harvest impacts depend upon landform and soil taxonomy; (2) harvesting forests that are recovering on previously cultivated lands decreases SOC; (3) tree biomass and SOC recovery increase concurrently during reforestation; (4) specific harvest, site preparation, and fire management practices affect the magnitude and variability of changes in SOC. Perhaps more importantly, ecoregional classification and soil taxonomy provide spatial frameworks for placing quantitative estimates of SOC stocks and changes in the geographic context of the study region, providing greater detail and specificity for individuals and institutions concerned with SOC management at more localized levels

The impact of climate change on forest systems in the northern United States: projections and implications for forest management

The northern United States is both the most heavily forested and the most densely populated quadrant of the nation. Forests in the region cover 69.6 million hectares, or 42 percent of the land area. In this chapter we characterize mid- and long-term projected climate change impacts for trees and forests of the region. Selected examples at the regional, subregional, and local level suggest some potential pathways for managers seeking to reduce or otherwise mitigate potential impacts on forests. In the medium term (2010-2060), we projected that changes in regional demographic and economic patterns—not in climatic factors themselves—will be the principal influence on these forests. Unless natural disturbance or anthropogenic activities such as biomass harvesting increase considerably, the current middle-aged forest cohort will continue to age with time. Forest types near population centers, such as oak-hickory, are projected to suffer a disproportionate share of land use conversion due to urban and suburban expansion

Adaptation strategies and approaches for forested watersheds

Intentional climate adaptation planning for ecosystems has become a necessary part of the job for natural resource managers and natural resource professionals in this era of non-stationarity. One of the major challenges in adapting ecosystems to climate change is in the translation of broad adaptation concepts to specific, tangible actions. Addressing management goals and values while considering the long-term risks associated with local climate change can make forested watershed management plans more robust to uncertainty and changing conditions. We provide a menu of tiered adaptation strategies, which we developed with a focus on forests of the Midwest and Northeastern U.S., as part of a flexible framework to support the integration of climate change considerations into forested watershed management and conservation activities. This menu encapsulates ideas from the literature into statements that signify climate adaptation intention and provide examples of associated tactics to help ground the concepts in specific actions. Finally, we describe two demonstration projects, shared through the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science’s Climate Change Response Framework, that have used this Forested Watershed Adaptation Menu and Adaptation Workbook in project-level planning. Keywords: Climate change, Adaptation, Water resources, Forest management, Hydrology, Infrastructur

Vulnerability of forests of the Midwest and Northeast United States to climate change

© 2017, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht (outside the USA). Forests of the Midwest and Northeast significantly define the character, culture, and economy of this large region but face an uncertain future as the climate continues to change. Forests vary widely across the region, and vulnerabilities are strongly influenced by regional differences in climate impacts and adaptive capacity. Not all forests are vulnerable; longer growing seasons and warmer temperatures will increase suitable habitat and biomass for many temperate species. Upland systems dominated by oak species generally have low vulnerability due to greater tolerance of hot and dry conditions, and some oak, hickory, and pine species are expected to become more competitive under hotter and physiologically drier conditions. However, changes in precipitation patterns, disturbance regimes, soil moisture, pest and disease outbreaks, and nonnative invasive species are expected to contribute forest vulnerability across the region. Northern, boreal, and montane forests have the greatest assessed vulnerability as many of their dominant tree species are projected to decline under warmer conditions. Coastal forests have high vulnerability, as sea level rise along the Atlantic coast increases damage from inundation, greater coastal erosion, flooding, and saltwater intrusion. Considering these potential forest vulnerabilities and opportunities is a critical step in making climate-informed decisions in long-term conservation planning

Beyond Planning Tools: Experiential Learning in Climate Adaptation Planning and Practices

In the past decade, several dedicated tools have been developed to help natural resources professionals integrate climate science into their planning and implementation; however, it is unclear how often these tools lead to on-the-ground climate adaptation. Here, we describe a training approach that we developed to help managers effectively plan to execute intentional, climate-informed actions. This training approach was developed through the Climate Change Response Framework (CCRF) and uses active and focused work time and peer-to-peer interaction to overcome observed barriers to using adaptation planning tools. We evaluate the effectiveness of this approach by examining participant evaluations and outlining the progress of natural resources projects that have participated in our trainings. We outline a case study that describes how this training approach can lead to place and context-based climate-informed action. Finally, we describe best practices based on our experience for engaging natural resources professionals and helping them increase their comfort with climate-informed planning