Climate change and national forest management
Pacific Northwest national forests are vital to the region, providing ecological, economic, and cultural benefits. They serve as year-round recreation destinations and play a crucial role in mitigating climate change by storing vast amounts of carbon. Pacific Northwest national forests contribute significantly to local economies through job creation, tourism, and timber markets. They are also a primary source of clean water for many communities. However, the increasing effects of climate change, including rising temperatures, declining snowpack, and more frequent and severe disturbances, pose a substantial threat to the health and productivity of these valuable ecosystems.
The USDA Forest Service is facing significant challenges in managing national forests under a changing climate. In response, the agency released a Climate Adaptation Plan in 2022, outlining the threats posed by climate change to its mission and identifying key risks and adaptation strategies. One of the priority adaptation actions outlined in the plan is to increase agency capacity to respond to climate change. A crucial partner in this effort is the USDA Northwest Climate Hub. By providing scientific insights, developing synthesis products, and offering other forms of support (such as those described below), the Climate Hub plays a critical role in advancing climate change adaptation on national forest landscapes.
Project summary:
Climate change is affecting national forests in Oregon and Washington. The USDA Forest Service is adjusting their practices to adapt to the effects of climate change. To support the National Forest System, the Northwest Climate Hub is working with the Pacific Northwest (Region 6) to develop resources that facilitate climate change adaptation.
Products include:
- Public-facing communication materials such as Climate Change and Recreation on Public Lands in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington and ArcGIS Story Maps
- Internal efforts such as:
- Briefs on research publications related to climate change and forests
- Forest-level climate adaptation workshops
- Region-wide climate literacy workshops
- Research publications
- Crosswalk guides to the application of climate change vulnerability science in forest planning
- Guide to incorporating climate change into forest plan and project effectiveness monitoring
- Literature syntheses
If you’re a federal forest manager in the Pacific Northwest, we’d love to hear from you about your climate change needs and how we can best support climate change integration in your work. We are likewise always interested in hearing about your personal experiences with climate change. How is climate change affecting your forest? Are you involved in any management projects that incorporated (or plan to incorporate) climate change adaptation?