Climate Change Carbon And Forestry In Northwestern North America

Interactions between forests, climatic change and the Earths carbon cycle are complex and represent a challenge for forest managers they are integral to the sustainable management of forests. In this volume, a number of papers are presented that describe some of the complex relationships between climate, the global carbon cycle and forests. Research has demonstrated that these are closely connected, such that changes in one have an influence not only on the other two, but also on their linkages. Climatic change represents a considerable threat to forest management in the current static paradigm. However, carbon sequestration issues offer opportunities for new techniques and strategies, and those able to adapt their management to this changing situation are likely to benefit. Such changes are already underway in countries such as Australia and Costa Rica, but it will probably take much longer for the forestry sector in the Pacific Northwest region of North America (encompassing Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, British Columbia and Alaska) to change their current practices.

Forest resource issues have been in the news in Northwest North America for the past 2 decades. Superimposed on the complexity of managing ecosystems is growing concern about increasing temp. & other aspects of changes in the environ. Managers of forest-lands face increasing pressures to include climate change (CC) issues, esp. the disposition of carbon, in long-term mgmt. plans. This workshop was an opportunity for scientists, resource managers, planners, & policy makers in the Northwest to learn about & discuss prominent issues related to CC & carbon in forest ecosystems. Workshop participants developed an understanding of the state of science, & developed approaches for incorp. carbon allocation in forest mgmt. & planning. Illus.

Forest resource issues have been on the front page of newspapers in northwestern North America for the past two decades. Superimposed on the complexity of managing ecosystems is growing concern about increasing temperatures and other aspects of changes in the atmospheric environment. Managers of public and private forestlands face increasing pressures to include climate change issues, particularly the disposition of carbon, in long-term management plans. Management, economic and policy approaches to carbon flows in natural resources are evolving rapidly. The workshop on Climate Change, Carbon, and Forestry in Northwestern North America was an opportunity for scientists, resource managers, planners, and policy makers in the Northwest to learn about and discuss prominent issues related to climate change and carbon in forest ecosystems. Workshop participants developed a common understanding of the state of science, and developed approaches for incorporating carbon allocation in forest management and planning.

Reviews literature concerning the effects of global climate change on forest plants and communities, and provides opinions on the potential impacts that climate change may have on Ontario forests. Sections of the review discuss the following: the climate of Ontario in the 21st century as predicted by climate models; forest hydrology in relation to climate change; insects and climate change; impacts on fungi in the forest ecosystem; impacts on forest fires and their management; plant physiological responses; genetic implications of climate change; forest vegetation dynamics; the use of models in global climate change studies; and forest management responses to climate change.

This report updates a review of literature about the effects of global climate change on forest plants and communities published in 1998. The focus is on changes in Ontario predicted for forest fires, insect outbreaks, disease, forest growth, species composition, harvest rates, wood supply, genetics and regeneration, and carbon-based forest management.--Includes text from document.