Climate Change Adaptation in Forestry: Concepts, tools and lessons learned

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CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION IN FORESTRY: Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

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Climate Change Adaptation in Forestry: Concepts, tools and lessons learned. May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│ [email protected]. Two Questions:. Why does climate change matter? What can forest managers do?. Why Does Climate Change Matter?. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Transcript of Climate Change Adaptation in Forestry: Concepts, tools and lessons learned

Page 1: Climate Change Adaptation in Forestry:  Concepts, tools and lessons learned

CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION IN FORESTRY: Concepts, tools and lessons learned

May 17, 2012MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning CommitteeStephen Handler│ [email protected]

Page 2: Climate Change Adaptation in Forestry:  Concepts, tools and lessons learned

TWO QUESTIONS:1. Why does climate change

matter?2. What can forest managers

do?

Page 3: Climate Change Adaptation in Forestry:  Concepts, tools and lessons learned

WHY DOES CLIMATE CHANGE MATTER?Climate change increases the number and severity of many threats to forests

Disturbance

More disturbance

Stress

More stress

Page 4: Climate Change Adaptation in Forestry:  Concepts, tools and lessons learned

WHY DOES CLIMATE CHANGE MATTER?Climate change increases the risks associated with forest management

Long-term productivity

Forest cover

Ecosystem Services

Products

Values

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Ecosystem-based adaptation activities build on sustainable management, conservation, and restoration of forests.

WHAT CAN MANAGERS DO? ADAPT.Adaptation is the adjustment of human or natural systems in response to climate change.

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

Page 6: Climate Change Adaptation in Forestry:  Concepts, tools and lessons learned

ADAPTATION. −Actions to reduce the vulnerability of forests to

climate change −Positions forests to become more healthy, resistant,

& resilient

MITIGATION.−Use of forests to sequester carbon, provide

renewable energy from biomass, & avoid carbon losses from fire, mortality, conversion, etc.

THESE ARE DIFFERENT, BUT CAN WORK TOGETHER.

Spittlehouse and Stewart 2003, Malmsheimer et al. 2008

FOREST ADAPTATION & MITIGATION

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ADAPTATION OPTION #1: RESISTANCE

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Improve the defenses of the forest against effects of change.

Short-termHigh-value

ADAPTATION OPTION #1: RESISTANCE

Millar et al. 2007Photo: USFS

Page 9: Climate Change Adaptation in Forestry:  Concepts, tools and lessons learned

Accommodate gradual change, usually returning to a prior condition after disturbance

ADAPTATION OPTION #2: RESILIENCE

Millar et al. 2007

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

Photo: USFS

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Intentionally accommodate change, enabling ecosystems to adaptively respond

ADAPTATION OPTION #3: RESPONSE

Scheller, White, & Duveneck

Millar et al. 2007

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Strategies and approaches fill the gap between concepts and action:

ADAPTATION PRINCIPLES: #1

Options

Broad concepts:

Resistance ResilienceResponse

Strategies

Regionally-specific

ecological and

managerial conditions

Approaches

Actions that can be

applied to a single

ecosystem or forest type

Tactics

Prescriptions for individual

sites and management

objectives

Applicable across large areas Location & situation specific

Janowiak et al. 2011

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Strategies can serve multiple purposes: ADAPTATION PRINCIPLES: #2

Swanston and Janowiak 2012

Page 13: Climate Change Adaptation in Forestry:  Concepts, tools and lessons learned

ADAPTATION PRINCIPLES: #3

Three R’s can occur in tandem across the landscape

Specific tactics are unique to each individual owner and manager

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Management goals and PLACE should drive the process

ADAPTATION PRINCIPLES: #4

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Use a variety of information sources to locally interpret climate projections

ADAPTATION PRINCIPLES: #5

Change (F)

8

4

0

-4

-8

Summer Temp

Winter Temp

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Learn by doingADAPTATION PRINCIPLES: #6

Swanston and Janowiak 2012

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ADAPTATION PRINCIPLES: #7Take action slowly & deliberately

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ADAPTATION PRINCIPLES: #8Think about the bigger picture

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ADAPTATION PRINCIPLES: #9

Desired Future Condition vs. Desired Future Function

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ADAPTATION PRINCIPLES: #10Plan for a range of future climate conditions

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FOREST ADAPTATION RESOURCES Menu of approaches and strategies for climate change

adaptation Designed for a variety of land managers Tailored to local forest types Workbook process Does not make recommendations

or decisions for managers Published version for northern WI

www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/40543

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THANK YOUwww.climateframework.org

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DISCUSSION QUESTION:

How could Landscape Planning incorporate the ideas of climate change adaptation?

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WHAT CAN MANAGERS DO? ADAPT.

Desired Future Condition

TIME

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WHAT CAN MANAGERS DO? ADAPT.

Desired Future Condition

?Climate ChangeTrajectory

TIME

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WHAT CAN MANAGERS DO? ADAPT.

Desired Future Condition

?Climate ChangeTrajectory

Increasing resources needed to maintain DFC

TIME

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WHAT CAN MANAGERS DO? ADAPT.

Desired Future Condition

?Climate ChangeTrajectory

Adaptation

TIME