Planning the future's forests with assisted migration [Chapter 8]

Abstract

If the climate changes faster than the adaptation or migration capability of plants (Zhu et al. 2012; Gray and Hamann 2013), foresters and other land managers will face an overwhelming challenge. Growing trees that survive may become more important than growing perfectly formed trees (Hebda 2008) and may require selection of adapted plant materials and/or assisting the migration of plant populations (Peters and Darling 1985). Agencies, land managers, and foresters are being advised to acknowledge climate change in their operations, but current client demands, policies, and uncertainty about climate change predictions and impacts constrain active measures (Tepe and Meretsky 2011). For example, the practice of restricting native plant movement to environments similar to their source has a long history in forest management (Langlet 1971 ); however, transfers must now factor in climate change because plant materials guided by current guidelines and zones will likely face unfavorable climate conditions by the end of this century.

Citation

Williams, Mary I.; Dumroese, R. Kasten. 2016. Planning the future's forests with assisted migration [Chapter 8]. In: Sample, V. Alaric; Bixler, R. Patrick; Miller, Char, eds. Forest Conservation in the Anthropocene: Science, Policy, and Practice. Boulder, CO: University of Colorado Press. p. 113-123.