Journeying into the Anthropocene - Scots pine and eastern hemlock over the next 400 years

Abstract

Our native trees are much loved and valued components of our forests and fields, towns and cities. For a host of reasons - conservation, landscape, shade, and their sheer visual glory, we want our trees to grow big and old. But it takes time - often several centuries - from planting a tree to the desired outcome. This means that we need to choose trees today, which can grow successfully long into the Anthropocene era. In forest conservation, the standard view is that only locally native trees will deliver the objectives of conservation. The examples of Eastern Hemlock and Scots pine illustrate the challenge of the uncertain Anthropocene future - we cannot guarantee the long-term viability of these (or any) trees. Yet traditional forest conservation approaches do not offer any robust alternative to maintain the functions of those trees. If our aim is to pass on the benefits of big old hemlocks and pines to our descendants, we can no longer place all our eggs in one basket. A key way to reduce the risk of failure is to add diversity and redundancy - to grow a broader range of tree species including non-natives that have similar attributes.

Parent Publication

• Forest conservation and management in the Anthropocene: Conference proceedings

Citation

Stone, Duncan. 2014. Journeying into the Anthropocene - Scots pine and eastern hemlock over the next 400 years. In: Sample, V. Alaric; Bixler, R. Patrick, eds. Forest conservation and management in the Anthropocene: Conference proceedings. Proceedings. RMRS-P-71. Fort Collins, CO: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 177-178.