Building forest resilience from the ground up

Abstract

Threats to our forests are changing. Wildfires are burning hotter and more often. Waves of pests and disease are similarly fueled by drought and overgrowth. Supercharged thunderstorms bring heavier, more intense rains, washing away fertile soil and creating dangers like flash floods and landslides. Human activities build threats as we continue harvesting precious resources and expanding urban interfaces with forested environments. As these stressors build, it’s exceedingly important to recognize and monitor forest resilience; the inherent ability of the ecosystem to bounce back from disturbance. Forests exhibit resilience by surviving and even thriving through disturbance cycles. However, with more intense and frequent disturbances, there’s a cause to be mindful of tipping points where forest resilience becomes insufficient. How far can forests be pushed? How many wildfires, how many droughts, and how many pests can a forest endure before it can no longer recover?

Citation

Pierson, Derek; Page-Dumroese, Deborah. 2024. Building forest resilience from the ground up. Summer 2024. Northwest Woodlands. 40(3): 24-31. Online: https://www.wafarmforestry.com/nwwoodlands.