Managing Forests for Adaptation to Climate Change

Managing Forests for

Adaptation to Climate Change

Zoltán RakonczayWWF – European Forest Programme

Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood24-27 March, 2003, Braşov, Romania

24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania

Outline

Climate Change and Impacts on Forests

Natural Adaptation Mechanisms

Adaptation Measures

Implications for the Use of Wood


Climate Change is Happening„An increasing body of observations gives a collective

picture of a warming world and other changes in the

climate system” (IPCC TAR)

It is “very likely” to be happening

Caused by anthropogenic sources of GHGs

Burning of fossil fuels is the main culprit (CO2)

Main issues: adaptation and mitigation



Changes in the Environment Temperatures are likely to increase

– (0.1-0.4°C/decade) Precipitation

– increase in the north, decrease in the south– changed seasonal pattern

Extreme weather events more frequent– storms, floods, droughts

Increased CO2 concentration




Likely Impacts on Forests

Shifting range boundaries– towards the north– towards higher elevations

Changes in phenology– lengthening of the growing season– higher evapotranspiration– functional groups may disintegrate due to

differing responses to environmental change


Likely Impacts on Forests (2) Changes in the carbon balance (???)

– higher growth (initially?)– higher decomposition/respiration (!)

Increased incidents of abiotic damage– windthrow, fire, snow/ice

Increased incidents of biotic damage– new pests moving in– increased susceptibility due to stress



Adaptation Mechanisms Physiological acclimation

– trees can tolerate changes within the historic range of environmental variability

– exceeding this range can be catastrophic



Adaptation Mechanisms Physiological acclimation

– trees can tolerate changes within the historic range of environmental variability

– exceeding this range can be catastrophic In-situ evolution

– typically a slow process, many life cycles– adequate genetic diversity is a prerequisite– losses of diversity (on the short run)– speciation (on the long run)


Adaptation Mechanisms (2) Migration

– the most effective adaptation strategy by far– requires freedom of movement along environmental

gradients– rate of change is a crucial factor– functional groups have to migrate together (keystone

species) Refugia

– areas where the special microclimate allowed the survival of species


What is Special AboutCurrent Climate Change?

The rate of change seems to be extraordinarily fast

The landscape is no longer pristine– fragmentation– altered ecosystems– degraded/stressed ecosystems– invasive/introduced species

Ecosystems serve basic human needs– we cannot afford losing crucial functions


Implications for the Use of Forest (use of wood - broad sense)

Biomass use for energy– fossil fuel substitution

Carbon sequestration– lack of use of wood

Adaptation measures – protection/management of forest for

biodiversity benefits– to secure services for the long run

For global climate benefits


Adaptation Measures Nature reserves

– sufficient size– full range of forest types

Connectivity– avoid fragmentation– restore connectivity (corridors)

Protect climatic refugia / migration corridors– different scales (microhabitats to ecoregions)– historic migration corridors are often degraded


Adaptation Measures (2) Protect primary forests Provide buffer zones to protected areas Practice low-intensity forestry

– small canopy openings to protect microclimate– reasonably complete set of species

Maintain genetic diversity at all levels Identify and protect functional groups Monitor changes (adapt mgmt. if needed)


Implications for the Use of Wood (strict sense)

Forest utilisation should give priority to adaptation measures:

Use efficiently what forests do provide, instead of trying to grow what you think the market will demand in the distant future.

– technological advances (targeted research)

– consumption habits of end users (marketing)


Conclusions

Climate change is happening

Forests are likely to suffer major impacts

Adaptation should be facilitated – recommended measures differ little from sound

management under static climate


Conclusions (2) Adaptation measures should be given

priority (precautionary principle)

Efficient use of available wood should be promoted

– novel technologies

– awareness raising / marketing


Zoltán Rakonczay

WWF Forest - Climate Change [email protected]

tel: +36 1 214 5554

Managing Forests for Adaptation to Climate Change

Documents

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use of woodstrategies

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romaniaclimate change

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