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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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C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

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Page 1: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

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

May 17, 2012

MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee

Stephen Handler│ [email protected]

Page 2: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

TWO QUESTIONS:1. Why does climate change

matter?

2. What can forest managers do?

Page 3: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

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: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

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

Long-term productivity

Forest cover

Ecosystem Services

Products

Values

Page 5: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

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: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

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

Page 7: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

ADAPTATION OPTION #1: RESISTANCE

Page 8: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

Improve the defenses of the forest against effects of change.

Short-termHigh-value

ADAPTATION OPTION #1: RESISTANCE

Millar et al. 2007Photo: USFS

Page 9: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

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

Page 10: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

Intentionally accommodate change, enabling ecosystems to adaptively respond

ADAPTATION OPTION #3: RESPONSE

Scheller, White, & Duveneck

Millar et al. 2007

Page 11: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

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

Page 12: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

Strategies can serve multiple purposes: ADAPTATION PRINCIPLES: #2

Swanston and Janowiak 2012

Page 13: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

ADAPTATION PRINCIPLES: #3

Three R’s can occur in tandem across the landscape

Specific tactics are unique to each individual owner and manager

Page 14: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

Management goals and PLACE should drive the process

ADAPTATION PRINCIPLES: #4

Page 15: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

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

Page 16: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

Learn by doingADAPTATION PRINCIPLES: #6

Swanston and Janowiak 2012

Page 17: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

ADAPTATION PRINCIPLES: #7Take action slowly & deliberately

Page 18: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

ADAPTATION PRINCIPLES: #8Think about the bigger picture

Page 19: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

ADAPTATION PRINCIPLES: #9

Desired Future Condition vs. Desired Future Function

Page 20: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

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

Page 21: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

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

Page 22: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

THANK YOUwww.climateframework.org

Page 23: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

DISCUSSION QUESTION:

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

Page 24: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

WHAT CAN MANAGERS DO? ADAPT.

Desired Future Condition

TIME

Page 25: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

WHAT CAN MANAGERS DO? ADAPT.

Desired Future Condition

?

Climate ChangeTrajectory

TIME

Page 26: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

WHAT CAN MANAGERS DO? ADAPT.

Desired Future Condition

?

Climate ChangeTrajectory

Increasing resources needed to maintain DFC

TIME

Page 27: C LIMATE C HANGE A DAPTATION IN F ORESTRY : Concepts, tools and lessons learned May 17, 2012 MFRC Northeast Landscape Planning Committee Stephen Handler│

WHAT CAN MANAGERS DO? ADAPT.

Desired Future Condition

?

Climate ChangeTrajectory

Adaptation

TIME