session 4: identifying adaptation strategies, … 4: identifying adaptation strategies, approaches...

FOREST ADAPTATIONPLANNING AND PRACTICES

~ ONLINE COURSE ~

Session 4: Identifying Adaptation Strategies, Approaches and Tactics

Friday, February 3, 2017 @ 1 pm ET

Today’s Agenda Step 3 review – and

why it matters

Participant round-robin: challenges and opportunities

Discussion

Step 4 intro

Conclude

Step 3: EVALUATE management objectives given projected impacts and vulnerabilities.

Key Question: What management challenges or

opportunities might occur? Can current management meet

management goals? Do goals need to change?

Challenges to Meeting Management Objective with Climate Change – Things that will make it harder to achieve the management objective due to climate change.

Opportunities to Meeting Management Objective with Climate Change – Things that will make it easier to achieve the management objective due to climate change.


Feasibility – Can you meet your management objectives using current (business-as-usual) management actions?High: We can do it!

Opportunities > Challenges Low: We’ll need more resources or effort.

Challenges > Opportunities


Other Considerations – Social, financial, or other factors that also affect your ability to meet objectives.


Slow down!

Are you going to continue with these

management objectives?

1. DEFINE area of interest, management

objectives, and time frames.

2. ASSESS climate change impacts and

vulnerabilities for the area of interest.

3. EVALUATE management objectives given projected impacts

and vulnerabilities.

4. IDENTIFY and implement adaptation

approaches and tactics .

5. MONITOR and evaluate effectiveness

of implemented actions.

Workbook Cycle: Step 3

…or, RE-EVALUATE

Step 3 Discussion Remind people where you are and what you’re doing. Share your major challenges, then opportunities for meeting

management objectives in the face of climate change. Did you change any objectives? If so, why?

3 min max!

Be concise!

FSI - Ash Mitigation ProjectForest stand improvement with a focus on ash mitigation to reduce potential damage for emerald ash borer.

Challenges:The ability to maintain species diversity with the loss of ash and hemlock species and the potential for the creation of a red maple monoculture.

Opportunities:Possibly the shift from northern species to southern species could increase diversity for the short term but long term we will end up with a less diverse forest.

Protecting Riparian Zones with a Focus on Stream Crossings for Forest Management

The project's purpose is to protect riparian zones through replacement of failed culverts, restoration of wildlife passage, and to protect riparian zones during forest management activities.

Challenges:

Opportunities:

Quabbin CFI long-term, permanent plot, forest

inventory project ongoing since 1960. What data we might need to collect to

help us see the effects of climate change as they affect managed and unmanaged forests?

How can we use these plots to help us better manage our forests?

Challenges:

Opportunities:

Hill-Robert Forest Management Plan and Timber SaleVermont Land Trust owns a 72-acre parcel, Planning a timber harvest in the next year and upgrade to the forest management plan using the Adaptation Workbook

Challenges:Lower growing season precipitation, more frequent heavy rain events, shorter winters, and increased stress on forested systems will all present us with challenges. Getting adequate regeneration and growing those into poles and trees. We will have to be even more vigilant about erosion controls and post-harvest close out.

Opportunities:A more temperate climate may make it more desirable for recreation, (although Vermonters do like their winter recreation, so it may be a wash.) More dieback and mortality will make coarse wood, snag, and cavity recruitment easier, if we can get the trees to grow to appropriate sizes.

Paul Smiths College Woodlands, Creighton CompartmentOne compartment within the 12,000 acre Paul Smiths College ownership. Writing a few property management plan to consider climate change. Educational goals to involve students in forest inventory and silvicultural recommendations

Challenges:Access to the property for management operations based on weather (mild winters and severe rain events in the summer).

Opportunities:There may be some early season maple sugaring opportunities. Any wildlife work that is done to benefit migrant songbirds will likely attract new species as migration patterns change. Also there may be opportunities for students to study what benefits the climate change adaptation management is having.

Tighe Carmody Watershed Timber Harvest Project - Western ShoreCity of Holyoke's watershed focusing on the management of a portion of the watershed on the western shore of the main reservoir. Upcoming timber sale with concerns about soil stability during and post harvest, drainage crossings, timing of harvest, bridge stabilization over the main feeder into the City's water supply.

Challenges:Increased volume and frequency of rain storms, warmer winters with more rain, and lack of frozen ground. The protection of water quality is most challenging objective given climate change because we will have to consideration harvest design and engineering, extended schedule for the harvest if winters prove too warm.

Opportunities:Warmer temperatures and longer growing benefit overall tree health.

Tannery Road Timber SaleTimber sale using uneven- and even-aged techniques. The mixed northern hardwoods currently occupy ~82 ac, and a series of small Norway spruce plantations comprise another ~19 acres.

Challenges: The unknowns associated with shifts in species compositions and

weather events.

Opportunities: The removal of off-site Norway spruce plantations may accelerate. The

ability to expedite removals through clearcutting and larger scale harvests is limited, but these limitations do not extend to salvage activities.

MacDonald Lot Management Plan Update90-acre property owned by University of New Hampshire. Currently updating the Management Plan for this property (previous plan completed in 2004).

Challenges: Most challenging climate impacts: expanded invasive species, increasing

storm frequency/intensity, changing freeze-thaw conditions, changing water supply/dynamics

Most challenging vulnerabilities: lack of diversity, existing prevalence of invasive species

Opportunities: Most of the climate impacts will generally support the management

goals related to education and research opportunities.

Invasives Removal and control of invasive species

property wide– 1,600 acres of tribal ownership.

Forest types include northern hardwood, mixed hardwood-conifer, and lowland mixed conifer

Challenges:

Opportunities:

Bristol LotA 42-acre management proposal to demonstrate a two-age silvicultural system (shelterwood with reserves) and sustain regeneration of oak species through the use of prescribed fire. Central hardwood-pine type.

Challenges:Increase risk of moisture deficit and drought during the growing season. Low diversity systems are at greater risk. Insect pests and invasive species could be more problematic. Milder winters may reduce frozen conditions for harvesting equipment.

Opportunities: Plant blight resistant chestnuts, which are that are more resistant to

insect pests. Insect pests may to some degree increase the structural diversity if the

outbreaks are small and scattered. A milder winter may allow early season or late season Rx burns to occur.

Forest Buffers in the Exeter-Squamscott (ForBES)Evaluating a subwatershed of the Squamscott-Exeter watershed to determine appropriate watershed:buffer forest requirements to protect ecosystem services, design and placement of forests in both landscape and buffers, and management practices that conserve, restore and adapt to damaged or changing forest ecosystems that ensure water and habitat quality goals are attained.

Challenges:Human obduracy to change combined with the inevitability of climate change impacts.

Opportunities:Some climate change impacts may change attitudes and open the door to better conservation and management efforts that will build resilience and better sustain ecosystem services with good outcomes for environmental quality.

Closed Canopy Forest (Prudence Island, RI)Preserved properties under ownership by three agencies covering 350 acres. Issues include invasives shrubs and vines. Effort will inform restoration component of revised forest management plan. Central hardwood-pine and lowland forest.

Challenges: Warmer temperatures & more frequent short-term drought during the

growing season. Increased stress and mortality from forest pest species. Groundwater levels would also decline, leading to more tree stress, forest

pest impacts, and then invasive species as the forest canopy cover is lost (and so on in a vicious circle). Also: effects on drinking water supply

Opportunities: Modest opportunities generally relate to strengthening the argument for

management now as opposed to later

NorthWoods Stewardship Center~1,473 acre forest used for conduct timber and habitat management, recreational trails, and education. Revisit 2015 management plan and also consider ~16-acre Norway Spruce plantation.

Challenges: Species decline/shifts could impact management strategies that currently

favor northern species- balsam fir, sugar maple, yellow birch, etc. Invasive plant/pathogen species -- have not yet been hit with EAB, HWA, etc Increased storm intensity and/or storm "weirdness" (such as early/late

winter ice storms) could also cause damage to growing stock.

Opportunities: Increasing forest diversity with more southern species is intriguing- some

species (oaks, walnut, hickories, etc) have great value for wildlife and as timber trees.

Increased productivity from a longer growing season could also be economically beneficial, but may not be significant at our small scale.

Moosehorn Road Quabbin Watershed Management ProjectForest management of drinking water reservoir's watershed. Maintain a resistant and resilient forest associated with the ecosystem services which protect the water quality of the reservoir. Diversify species and age structure,promote healthy vigorous growth.

Challenges:Decline of hemlock, general lack of diverse regeneration, and general lack of species diversity and structural diversity.

Opportunities: Red oak and hickories may do better, which could increase species diversity. Increase in growth rate of the adapted species would increase productivity

and could improve forest health and vigor. • If so, could lead to higher seed production and quicker seedling

establishment. • Might also lead to lessened browsing impact, although likely temporary as

herbivore population would increase with increased food supply.

Resource: Adaptation Strategies & Approaches

Resource: Climate Change Assessments

Adaptation Workbook Process

Adaptation Strategies & Approaches

A “menu” of possible actions that allows you to decide what is most relevant for a particular location and set of conditions.

Find in: Step 4 of online workbook, Chapter 3-4 of FAR , or www.adaptationworkbook.org/niacs-strategieswww.adaptationworkbook.org/niacs-strategies/urban

http://www.adaptationworkbook.org/niacs-strategies

http://www.adaptationworkbook.org/niacs-strategies/urban

Option

Strategy

Approach

Tactic

CONCEPT

ACTION

Adaptation Strategies and Approaches

Big ideas Increase resistance Build resilience Facilitate transition

See Step 4 Course Materials for a recorded presentation that provides more details.

Desired Future

TIME

Climate-Driven Changes

Desired Future

TIME

Climate ChangeTrajectory

?

Climate-Driven Changes

Increasing resources needed to meet DFC

RESISTANCE

Improve defenses of forest against change Maintain relatively

unchanged conditions

Adaptation Options

RESISTANCE RESILIENCE



Accommodate some degree of change Return to prior condition

after disturbance

Adaptation Options

RESISTANCE RESILIENCE TRANSITION



Accommodate some degree of change Return to prior condition

after disturbance

Facilitate change Enable ecosystem to

respond to new and changing conditions

Adaptation Options

Option

Strategy

Approach

Tactic

CONCEPT

ACTION


Broad adaptation responses Sustain fundamental

ecological functions Reduce the impact of

existing biological stressors Maintain and enhance

species and structural diversity Facilitate community

adjustments through species transitions

Option

Strategy

Approach

Tactic

CONCEPT

ACTION


More specific actions Promote diverse age

classes Maintain and restore

diversity of native tree species Identify and move species

to sites that are likely to provide future habitat

Option

Strategy

Approach

Tactic

CONCEPT

ACTION


Prescriptive actions selected by producer that are designed for individual site conditions and management objectives YOU DECIDE!

Adaptation Strategies & Approaches

Management Goals & Objectives

Climate Change Impacts

Intent of Adaptation (Option)

Make Idea Specific(Strategy, Approach)

Action to Implement(Tactic)

Challenges & Opportunities

Why it’s important:Helps connect the dots from broad concepts to specific actions for

implementation.

Adaptation actions may not look that different from current management actions, especially in the near term.

Same actions–climate change

just makes them that much more

important

Small “tweaks” that improve effectiveness

New & different actions to consider, even some that may seem wild & crazy

*individual results will vary

Step 4: IDENTIFY adaptation approaches and tactics for implementation.

Key Question: What actions can enhance the ability

of the project area to adapt to anticipated changes and meet management goals?

Approach – Select from the menu. Pick any that seem to make sense and help address the challenges.

Tactic – Describe a specific action you can take.

These details should ideally answer what, where, and how you will implement the actions.


Approaches Tactics

Timeframe – Specify when you will implement the tactic.

For example: • Summer 2016• Winter 2016-7• Within 3 years of…• After…• If… then…


Benefits – Describe why the tactic is good.

For example: • addresses biggest or multiple challenges• is cheap and easy• has co-benefits• is likely to succeed


Drawbacks and Barriers – Describe why it’s not so good.

For example: • it may have negative side effects, • Requires high cost or effort• may not be successful• has social, financial, or other barriers


Practicability – Is it both effective (will meet desired intent) and feasible (capable of being implemented)?

• High: Yes to both!

• Moderate: Yeah, but it will take some additional effort or planning…

• Low: No, the barriers/drawbacks seem too big or the benefits too small.


Recommend Tactic– Given all this, is this tactic likely to be helpful?

Also consider: trade-offs, urgency, likelihood of success, cost, and effort…

Yes: look to integrate into plan, prescription, or other activities

No: not useful at this time


Step 4.1: Adaptation Tactics

Instructions & course materials

Menu of Adaptation Strategies and Approaches

Add a tactic


Select from pulldowns

Add more

Details of specific action


Connect tactic to individual objectives

Step 4.2: Tactic Recommendations

Scroll through forest types/mgmt topics

Recommend? Yes/No

Step 4.2: Tactic Recommendations

To-do list for next week:Go back and complete Step 3 as neededComplete Step 4: Identifying Adaptation ActionsComplete the Homework section after Step 4 These course materials may be helpful:

• Adaptation Strategies and Approaches• Adaptation Demonstrations

Come to Session 5 (Fri, Feb 17) ready to discuss your approaches and actions!

Thanks everyone!Troubleshooting? Stay on the line.

Questions / Comments?

Troubleshooting? Stay on the line

Next session: Thurs, Feb 11th 2pm ET / 1pm CT

Thanks everyone!

Example – Jerktail Mountain Woodland


Adaptation Actions Time Frames Benefits

Drawbacks & Barriers

Practicability of Tactic

Recommend Tactic?Approach Tactic

2.1. Maintain or improve the ability of forests to resist pests & pathogens.5.2. Maintain

and restore diversity of native species. 5.3. Retain

biological

Selective thinning.

Every 20-30 years

Providing timber (economic benefit). Increases light on the ground to promote an herbaceous layer. Helps reduce the

risk of pest/pathogen outbreaks by reducing density.

This area has low accessibility for logging operations. Topography limits

where logging can occur. Opens up the stand

for adverse human use. Too much light can

shock some of the timber and cause epicormic sprouting

High Yes

Option

Strategy

Approach

Tactic

CONCEPT

ACTION


Resistance

Facilitate community adjustments through species transitions

Identify and move species to sites that are likely to provide future habitat

Use volunteer labor to remove barberry and poison ivy from the forest understory and edges

CONCEPT

ACTION


Transition

Facilitate community adjustments through species transitions

Establish or encourage new mixes of native species

Increase hardwood component within mixedwood stands for long-term conversion

CONCEPT

ACTION


session 4: identifying adaptation strategies, … 4: identifying adaptation strategies, approaches...

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