Forest [FAR1]

Legacy FAR1 strategy/approaches.

Taxonomy Machine Name
niacs_strategy
Taxonomy Alias
far1

Mid-Atlantic Forest Ecosystem Vulnerability Assessment and Synthesis: A Report from the Mid-Atlantic Climate Change Response Framework

Forest ecosystems will be affected directly and indirectly by a changing climate over the 21st century. This assessment evaluates the vulnerability of 11 forest ecosystems in the Mid-Atlantic region (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, eastern Maryland, and southern New York) under a range of future climates. We synthesized and summarized information on the contemporary landscape, provided information on past climate trends, and described a range of projected future climates.

New England and Northern New York Forest Ecosystem Vulnerability Assessment and Synthesis: A Report from the New England Climate Change Response Framework Project

This region contains about 40 million acres of forest, which provide numerous cultural, economic, and environmental benefits. Climate change is already having an impact on the region’s forests, increasing damage from extreme precipitation events and insect pests. Future changes could dramatically alter the landscape that characterizes the region.

Forest Adaptation Resources: Climate change tools and approaches for land managers, 2nd Edition

This document provides a suite of materials to help land managers to consider climate change and to develop adaptation actions. It does not provide specific recommendations, but rather serves as a decision-support tool for incorporating adaptation considerations into current management objectives.

Precipitation patterns will be altered, with projected increases in annual precipitation and potential for reduced growing season precipitation.

Submitted by pleopold on

All global climate models agree that there will be changes in precipitation patterns across the assessment area, but there is large variability among projections of future precipitation. Most climate models project increases in total annual preciptation, with most of the precipitation occurring in winter and spring. Projections of summer and fall precipitation vary more widely, with many models projecting decreased precipitation or only very slight increases (<15%).

Longer growing seasons, warmer temperatures, and greater water demand for agriculture may reduce available water for natural ecosystems in the Southern Plains.

Submitted by dshannon on

Water is central to the region’s productivity. Projected increases in winter and spring precipitation in the Southern Plains may benefit productivity by increasing water availability through soil moisture reserves during the early growing season. The Southern Plains will remain vulnerable to periodic drought because much of the projected increase in precipitation is expected to occur in the cooler months while increasing temperatures will result in additional evapotranspiration.

The freeze-free season is expected to increase by 18 to 30 days in the Southern Great Plains by the middle of the century.

Submitted by dshannon on

The freeze-free season is defined as the period of time between the last spring frost (daily minimum temperature below 32 degrees F) and the first fall frost. The length of the annual freeze-free season has been increasing since the 1980s, and all climate models agree that it will continue to increase in the future. The largest increases are projected for southeastern Texas, where the freeze-free season could be 30 days longer.