Skip to main content

Increase resilience of forest stands to disturbance by increasing tree vigor

vegetation icon

Approach

Increase resilience of forest stands to disturbance by increasing tree vigor.

Tactics

  • Thin to accelerate development of late-successional forest conditions.
  • Harvest to variable densities.
  • Thin to decrease stand density and increase tree vigor.
  • Reduce density of post-disturbance artificial regeneration.
  • Consider using genetically-improved seedling stock.
  • Plant resistant species or genotypes where species-specific insects or pathogens are a concern.
  • Increase stand-scale biodiversity and minimize monocultures.
  • Treat existing pathogen outbreaks with more aggressive management.

Sensitivity

Strategy

Raymond, C.L.; Peterson, D.L.; Rochefort, R.M., eds. (2014). Climate change vulnerability and adaptation in the North Cascades region. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-892. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station., Raymond, C.L.; Peterson, D.L.; Rochefort, R.M. (2013). The North Cascadia Adaptation Partnership: a science-management collaboration for responding to climate change. Sustainability. 5: 136–159., Halofsky, J.E.; Peterson, D.L. (2016). Climate change vulnerabilities and adaptation options for forest vegetation management in the northwestern USA. Atmosphere. 7: article 46. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos7030046., Halofsky, J.E.; Peterson, D.L.; Prendeville, H.R. (2018). Assessing vulnerabilities and adapting to climate change in northwestern U.S. forests. Climatic Change. 146: 89–102. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-017-1972-6., Peterson, D.L.; Millar, C.I.; Joyce, L.A.; Furniss, M.J.; Halofsky, J.E.; Neilson, R.P.; Morelli, T.L. (2011). Responding to climate change in national forests: a guidebook for developing adaptation options. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-855. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station.

RELATED TO THIS APPROACH:

Climate Change Effect

Resource Area

Relevant Region

Caribbean
Northern Plains
Northwest
Southeast
Southern Plains
Southwest