Disfavor species that are distinctly maladapted

EASTERN: A species is considered maladapted when its environment changes at a rate beyond the species’ ability to adapt and accommodate those changes (Johnston 2009). Species at the southern or highest elevational extent of their geographic range are especially vulnerable to habitat loss, and some of these species are expected to decline rapidly as conditions change. Monitoring or inventory data for some species may already show evidence of decline at a particular site, although their decline may not be attributed to a single cause, but to a combination of causes that may include varying degrees of interaction with climate change. Models that incorporate climate change and species’ life history characteristics may identify other species that are likely to decline. Species declines may require rapid and aggressive management responses to maintain forest cover and ecosystem function during periods of transition. In ecosystems where the dominant species are likely to decline dramatically or disappear, this may mean dramatically altering the species assemblage through active or passive means. 

WESTERN: A species is considered maladapted when its environment changes at a rate beyond the species’ ability to adapt and accommodate those changes. Species at the southern or highest elevational extent of their geographic range are especially vulnerable to habitat loss, and some of these species are expected to decline rapidly as conditions change. Maladapted species can also be identified through monitoring or inventory data, which may show evidence of decline at a particular site for some species, although their decline may not be attributed to a single cause, but to a combination of causes that may include varying degrees of interaction with climate change. Additionally, models that incorporate climate change and species’ life history characteristics may identify other species that are likely to decline. Species declines may require rapid and aggressive management responses to maintain forest cover and ecosystem function during periods of transition. In ecosystems where the dominant species are likely to decline dramatically or disappear, this may mean dramatically altering the species assemblage through active or passive means, potentially including transitions to non-forested systems on marginal sites.

Species composition in many forest ecosystems is expected to change as species adapt to a new climate and transition into new communities. This strategy seeks to maintain overall ecosystem function and health by gradually enabling and assisting adaptive transitions of species and communities in suitable locations. This may result in slightly different species assemblages than those present in the current community, or an altogether different community in future decades. This strategy includes aggressive actions to promote ecosystem change rather than an unchanging community or species mix. Many of the approaches in this strategy attempt to mimic natural processes, but may currently be considered unconventional management responses. In particular, some approaches incorporate assisted migration, which remains a challenging and contentious issue. It is not suggested that managers attempt to introduce new species without thoroughly investigating potential consequences to the native ecosystem. This approach is best implemented with great caution, incorporating due consideration of the uncertainties inherent in climate change, the sparse record of previous examples, and continued uncertainties of forest response. Outcomes from early efforts to transition communities can be evaluated to provide both information on future opportunities and specific information related to methods and timing.