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Community Forest Adaptation Training

In December 2019, community forestry stakeholders and natural resource managers participated in a workshop exploring climate change impacts and adaptation strategies for municipal community forests. This workshop was designed to identify climate change impacts and potential adaptation actions for Durango, Colorado’s community forest to be integrated into real-world, on-the-ground forest management projects.

Durango, CO

In early December, community forestry stakeholders and natural resource managers participated in a workshop exploring climate change impacts and adaptation strategies for municipal community forests. This workshop was designed to identify climate change impacts and potential adaptation actions for Durango, Colorado’s community forest to be integrated into real-world, on-the-ground forest management projects.
 
The goals of the workshop were to:

  • Identify current and anticipated effects of climate change on the City of Durango community forest;
  • Describe resources and tools that can be used to integrate climate change into management;
  • Outline adaptation concepts and strategies in the context of sustainable forest management; and
  • Identify actions that enhance the ability of forests and other ecosystems to adapt to changing conditions.

 
Climate vulnerability is defined by impacts and adaptive capacity. Workshop participants identified the top climate impacts to community forests as:

  1. Warmer annual and seasonal temperatures (24 points)
  2. Variable to decreased annual average precipitation (18 points)
  3. More days with extreme heat (18 points)
  4. Reduced summer soil moisture (11 points)
  5. Potential for early spring thaw / late frosts (6 points)
  6. Increases in non-native invasive plant species (6 points)
  7. Increases in insect pests and forest pathogens (5 points)

 
The impacts of climate change are only half of the equation when determining vulnerability. Workshop participants also discussed which factors have the greatest influence on adaptive capacity. Generally, groups estimate Durango’s near-term adaptive capacity is high thanks to a strong baseline of forest management, including existing community forest diversity, a knowledgeable, engaged community of agencies, non-profits and residents, and flexibility in existing policies. However, adaptive capacity within the City’s community forest could be limited by a lack of support for controlling invasive species and lack of support or knowledge about green stormwater and low impact development.
 
Recommended local climate management strategies and approaches from the NIACS Urban Forests Menu include selecting trees to match current and future site conditions, retaining biological legacies and improving the ability of forests to resist pests and pathogens.
 
Workshop participants found that business-as-usual management practices are inconsistent with existing Community Forest Management Plan objectives given projected future climate conditions. There is potential to work with local partners to begin adaptation now to improve long-term adaptive capacity of Durango’s urban forest.
 
Participant next steps include: 

  • Revising Durango’s ~10 year old Tree and Shrub Guide to include species adapted to warmer future climates.
  • Presenting key takeaways on climate change impacts and adaptation strategies to the City Parks and Recreation boards.
  • Reviewing the Botanical Society’s list of trees for future planting efforts.
  • Working with City parks and schools to test the suitability of future-adapted tree species from southern seed sources.
  • Developing guidelines and outreach around green stormwater and low impact development options;
  • Integrating climate change projections and adaptation considerations into upcoming large planning developments.
  • Exploring opportunities for citizen science and student projects to implement and monitor urban forests.
  • Maintaining and increasing connectivity to riparian forests to help sustain wildlife populations, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, and improve downstream water quality in the Oxbow Preserve. 

 
The training provides a framework for similar climate adaptation trainings in the Southwest U.S. For more information, see this article by the County Extension specialist on the training or this workshop summary.
 
This active, hands-on training was organized by the City of Durango Sustainability Division and Parks and Recreation Department, Colorado State University, the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, and the USDA Southwest Climate Hub, with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Chief Economist.