Adapting Forested Watersheds to Climate Change - Approaches for Action (Midwest)

ADAPTING FORESTS TO CLIMATE CHANGE

www.forestadaptation.org

Approaches for Action

Danielle ShannonMarch 15, 2017

Adaptation in the real worldWhat does adaptation look like in forested watershed management?

Stay tuned!•Dale Higgins•Dean Paron• Joe Shannon

…but first what is adaptation?

Our goal: Develop local examples

of adaptation

Forestadaptation.org/demos

+200Projects

underway

Climate Responses•Mitigation: Actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance carbon sinks.

•Adaptation: Actions to reduce the vulnerability of natural and human systems against climate change effects.

www.nca2014.govIPCC 2007

Adaptation is the adjustment of systems in response to climate change.

Parry et al. 2007, SCBD 2009, Groves et al. 2010

Taking action to prepare for anticipated changes and risks, and responding to effects.

But how…? Assess future risk and

vulnerabilities Design a response in line with your

management goals and needs

Keep in mind….

• There is no single “right” way to respond to climate change

• Activities can build upon and complement sustainable management and conservation actions

Intentionality• Explicitly consider and address climate change

• Sure we might get lucky…

• Intentionally assessing risk and vulnerabilities makes our plans more robust!

QuestionsWhat do you value?

How much risk are you willing to tolerate?

Manage for Persistence:Ecosystems are still recognizable as being the same system (character)

Resistance

Transition(Response)

Resilience

Manage for Change:Ecosystems have fundamentally changed to something different

Adaptation ConceptsReduce impacts / Maintain current conditions

Forward-looking/Promote change

Improve the defenses of the ecosystem against effects of change.• Short-term• High-value

Millar et al. 2007Photo: USFS

Resistance (persistence)

Required,

or

otherwise

worth the

risk

Desired Future Condition

TIME

Climate ChangeTrajectory

?


Desired Future Condition

TIME


?

Increasing resources needed to maintain desired conditions

Higher risk


Accommodate some degree of change or disruption, but be able to return to a similar condition after disturbance.

Holling 1973, Millar et al. 2007

Photo: USFS

• Thinning stands to improve overall health & vigor• Management of vegetation following disturbance

Resilience (persistence)

BAU, but

risk may

increase

over time

TIME


?

Increasing resources needed to maintain desired conditions

Higher risk

Resilience (persistence)

Intentionally encourage change, help ecosystems respond in a targeted fashion

Millar et al. 2007

• Foster well-adapted native species• Managed relocation/assisted migration• Increased connectivity for migration• Maintain refugia

Transition (change)

Mixed risk.

Challenges

values and

precautionar

y principle.

TIME


?

Transition (change)

• Restoring ecosystem function• Returning an altered

system to its previous state with the intention of:• Reestablishing the

structure• Productivity• Diversity …that we think was originally present in the system, in a past climate

Restoration

• Can be complementary to adaptation if:• Helps the

system better cope with climate changes.

Restoration

• Restoring can put a system at a higher risk if the restored state has greater vulnerability to climate change.

Planning Adaptation

Adaptation actionsAdaptation actions may not look that different from current management actions, especially in the near term.Same

actions– climate

change just makes them that much

more important

Small “tweaks” that improve effectiveness

New & different

actions, even some that

seem wild & crazy

Forest Adaptation Resources

www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/40543 and www.AdaptationWorkbook.org

• Practical process to intentionally consider climate & customize adaptation actions

• Designed to be flexible – for diverse goals, and values

• Does not make recommendations

• New online version! Swanston and Janowiak 2016; www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/52760

AdaptationWorkbook.org

http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/52760

Forest Adaptation Resources

Adaptation Workbook

Strategies & Approaches

Menu of adaptation actions

Structured process to integrate climate change considerations into management.• Workbook

approach

Swanston and Janowiak 2016; www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/52760

Also online: AdaptationWorkbook.org



A structured process to integrate climate change considerations into management planning

and activitiesVulnerability assessments,

scientific literature, and other resources

Menu of Adaptation Strategies & Approaches

Adaptation Workbook

Swanston and Janowiak 2016; www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/52760


Menu of Adaptation Resources: Forested Watersheds

1: Maintain and enhance hydrologic processes

2: Protect water quality

3: Protect and restore forests and vegetative cover

4: Facilitate forest community adjustments through tree

species transitions

5: Accommodate altered hydrologic processes

6: Design and modify infrastructure to match future conditionsDraft v1 (2017)

Strategies

Translating concepts to actionsAdaptation Concepts = 3• Resistance, Resilience,

TransitionStrategies = 6• Regionally specific

conditionsApproaches = 30• Actions for a specific

ecosystem or forest typeTactics = infinite• Prescriptions for local

conditions and mgmt. objectives

CONCEPT

ACTION

STRATEGIES

APROACHES

TACTICS

Menu of Adaptation Resources: Forested Watersheds

1. Maintain and enhance

hydrologic processes

CONCEPT

ACTION

STRATEGIES

APROACHES

TACTICS

Adaptation Strategies and Approaches

1.1: Maintain or enhance infiltration and water storage capacity of forest

soils

CONCEPT

ACTION

STRATEGIES

APROACHES

TACTICS


CONCEPT

ACTION

STRATEGIES

APROACHES

TACTICS Alter the timing of forest operations to minimize disruption (e.g. limiting operation to frozen soil conditions)


CONCEPT

ACTION

STRATEGIES

APROACHES

TACTICS Plant future-adapted oak, pine and other species on south-facing slopes


4.1 Favor or restore native

species that are expected to be

adapted to future conditions.

CONCEPT

ACTION

STRATEGIES

APROACHES

TACTICS


4. Facilitate community adjustments

through species transitions

CONCEPT

ACTION

STRATEGIES

APROACHES

TACTICS



CONCEPT

ACTION

STRATEGIES

APROACHES

TACTICS

Concept: Transition(facilitate change)

Why it’s important:Helps connect the dots from broad concepts to specific actions for

implementation.

Management Goals &

ObjectivesClimate Change

Impacts

Intent of Adaptation (Option)

Make Idea Specific(Strategy, Approach)

Action to Implement(Tactic)

Challenges & Opportunities

Responding to Climate Change

A customized approach

Select approaches most applicable to your management goals.

Goal: Protect soil and water resources

Impacts of concern:•Altered precipitation•Extreme precipitation•Flooding

Approaches related to BMPs for Water Quality• Maintain infiltration and water storage

capacity of soils (Approach 1.1)

• Protect hydrologic function of forested wetlands (Approach 1.5)

• Reduce soil erosion and sediment loading (Approach 2.3) • Reduce overland flows (Approach 5.5)

• Reroute or minimize road infrastructure on the landscape (Approach 6.2)

Goal: Protect soil and water resources

Adjust Management to Changing Conditions• Protect forested wetland function

(1.5)

• Moderate stream temperature increases (2.1)

• Protect sensitive and unique habitats (3.4)

• Adapt forests to new or changing water levels (4.6)

Goal: Promote Healthy Forest Wetlands & Riparian areas

Impacts addressed:• Warmer air and

water temperatures• Altered precipitation• Altered streamflows• Extreme events• Changes in tree

species distribution• Enhanced forest

stressors

Adapt Forests to Changing Conditions Favor native species expected to be adapted to future conditions (4.1)

• Encourage new mixes of native species. (4.2)

• Disfavor species that are maladapted. (4.3)

• Introduce species that are expected to be adapted to future conditions (4.5)

Goal: Promote Healthy ForestsImpacts addressed:• Warmer

temperatures• Altered

precipitation• Changes in tree


stressors

Improved Road Crossings• Restore hydrologic connectivity

(1.2)

• Moderate stream temperature increases (2.1)

• Restore stream channel form and function – mimics natural channel design (1.3)

• Reduce negative effects of flooding and extreme high flows (5.4)

• Stronger and more robust infrastructure (6.1)

Goal: Restore Channel ConnectivityImpacts addressed:•Warmer air and water temperatures•Altered precipitation•Extreme precipitation• Flooding•Altered streamflows

Protect & Restore Veg. Cover• Maintain forest and vegetative

cover in uplands, wetlands, and riparian areas (3.1)

• Revegetate areas impacted by disturbance (3.2)

• Prevent invasive species establishment (3.3)

• Enhance species and structural diversity in forests (3.5)

Goal: Maintain Forest and Vegetative CoverImpacts addressed:• Warmer

temperatures• Altered precipitation• Altered streamflows• Extreme events• Changes in tree


stressors

Next StepsAdaptation Strategies and Approaches for

Forested Watersheds!Develop menu Literature review Testing workshop –

Midwest (Mar 15-16) Testing workshop –

Northeast (Apr 4-5) Additional comments Peer review &

publicationHelp Support Managers Create more

Adaptation Demonstrations

Training workshops

Details at:www.forestadaptation.org/water

http://www.forestadaptation.org/water

http://www.forestadaptation.org/water

What can you do…?• Prioritize actions based on site vulnerability to enhance the ability to cope• Reduce risks and plan ahead• There is no single “right” way to respond • Emphasize actions that maintain flexibility • ACT! The time is now

Thank you!Danielle [email protected]

Adapting Forested Watersheds to Climate Change - Approaches for Action (Midwest)

Environment

Transcript of Adapting Forested Watersheds to Climate Change - Approaches for Action (Midwest)