Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

U.S. National Forests adapt to climate change through Science–Management partnerships

  • Published:
Climatic Change Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Developing appropriate management options for adapting to climate change is a new challenge for land managers, and integration of climate change concepts into operational management and planning on United States national forests is just starting. We established science–management partnerships on the Olympic National Forest (Washington) and Tahoe National Forest (California) in the first effort to develop adaptation options for specific national forests. We employed a focus group process in order to establish the scientific context necessary for understanding climate change and its anticipated effects, and to develop specific options for adapting to a warmer climate. Climate change scientists provided the scientific knowledge base on which adaptations could be based, and resource managers developed adaptation options based on their understanding of ecosystem structure, function, and management. General adaptation strategies developed by national forest managers include: (1) reduce vulnerability to anticipated climate-induced stress by increasing resilience at large spatial scales, (2) consider tradeoffs and conflicts that may affect adaptation success, (3) manage for realistic outcomes and prioritize treatments that facilitate adaptation to a warmer climate, (4) manage dynamically and experimentally, and (5) manage for structure and composition. Specific adaptation options include: (1) increase landscape diversity, (2) maintain biological diversity, (3) implement early detection/rapid response for exotic species and undesirable resource conditions, (4) treat large-scale disturbance as a management opportunity and integrate it in planning, (5) implement treatments that confer resilience at large spatial scales, (6) match engineering of infrastructure to expected future conditions, (7) promote education and awareness about climate change among resource staff and local publics, and (8) collaborate with a variety of partners on adaptation strategies and to promote ecoregional management. The process described here can quickly elicit a large amount of information relevant for adaptation to climate change, and can be emulated for other national forests, groups of national forests with similar resources, and other public lands. As adaptation options are iteratively generated for additional administrative units on public lands, management options can be compared, tested, and integrated into adaptive management. Science-based adaptation is imperative because increasing certainty about climate impacts and management outcomes may take decades.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barnett TP, Pierce DW, Hidalgo HG, Bonfils C, Santer BD, Das T, Bala G, Wood AW, Nozawa T, Mirin AA, Cayan DR, Dettinger MD (2008) Human-induced changes in the hydrology of the western United States. Science 319:1080–1083

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Battles J, Robards T, Das A, Waring K, Gilless JK, Biging G, Schurr F (2008) Climate change impacts on forest growth and tree mortality; a data-driven modeling study in the mixed-conifer forest of the Sierra Nevada, California. Climatic Change 87(Supplement 1):191–213

    Google Scholar 

  • Bosworth D, Birdsey R, Joyce L, Millar C (2008) Climate change and the nation’s forests: challenges and opportunities. J For 106(4):214–221

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckingham NM, Schreiner EG, Kaye TN, Burger JE, Tisch EL (1995) Flora of the olympic Peninsula. Northwest Interpretive Association, Seattle

    Google Scholar 

  • Cayan DR, Hanemann M (2008) Climate change adaptation: what should California do? In: Fifth annual climate change research conference, new scientific findings on impacts, mitigation, and adaptation. California Energy Commission, California EPA, and California Resources Agency. http://www.climatechange.ca.gov/events/2008_conference/presentations/index.html

  • Cayan DR, Dettinger MD, Diaz HF, Graham NE (1999) Decadal variability of precipitation over Western North America. J Climate 11:3148–3166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cayan DR, Luers AL, Hanemann M, Guido F, Croes B (2006) Scenarios of climate change in California: an overview. Publication CEC-500-2005-186-SF. Final report from the California Energy Commission, Public Interest Energy Research Program, California Climate Change Center, Sacramento, California, USA

  • Cayan DR, Sanstad A, Altevogt A, Luers A, Croes B, Franco G (2008) Climate action team draft report. Report of the California State Climate Action Team to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on scenarios and analysis of climate change in Califonia. California Energy Commission, Public Interest Energy Research Program, California Climate Change Center, Sacramento, California, USA

  • Daniels SE, Walker GB (2001) Working through environmental conflict: the collaborative learning approach. Praeger Publishers, Westport

    Google Scholar 

  • de Loë RC, Kreutzwiser RD, Moraru L (2001) Adaptation options for the near term: climate change and the Canadian water sector. Glob Environ Change 11(3):231–245

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dettinger MD, Cayan DR, Meyer MK, Jeton AE (2004) Simulated hydrologic response to climate variations and change in the Merced, Carson, and American River Basins, Sierra Nevada, California, 1900–2099. Climatic Change 62:283–317

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duane T (1996) Human settlement, 1850–2040. Pages 235–360 in Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project: Final report to Congress, vol. II, Assessments and scientific basis for management options. University of California, Centers for Water and Wildland Resources, Davis, California, USA

  • Easterling WE, Hurd B, Smith J (2004) Coping with global climate change: the role of adaptation in the United States. Prepared for the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. http://www.pewclimate.org/docUploads/Adaptation%2Epdf

  • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (2007) Adaptation to climate change in agriculture, forestry and fisheries: perspective, framework and priorities. FAO Information Division, Rome

  • Francis RC, Mantua NJ (2003) Climatic influences on salmon populations in the Northeast Pacific. In: MacCall AD, Wainwright TC (eds) Assessing extinction risk for West Coast salmon. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NWFSC-56. US Department of Commerce, Seattle, Washington, USA, pp 37–67

  • Government Accountability Office (GAO) (2007) Climate change: agencies should develop guidance for addressing the effects on federal land and water resources. Report to Congress GAO 07–863. United States Government, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

  • Hamlet AF, Mote PW, Clark MP, Lettenmaier DP (2005) Effects of temperature and precipitation variability on snowpack trends in the western US. J Climate 18:4545–4561

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamlet AF, Mote PW, Clark MP, Lettenmaier DP (2007) 20th century trends in runoff, evapotranspiration, and soil moisture in the western US. J Climate 20:1468–1486

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen LJ, Biringer JL, Hoffman JR (eds) (2003) Buying time: a user’s manual for building resistance and resilience to climate change in natural systems. World Wildlife Fund, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayhoe K, Cayan D, Field CB, Frumhoff PC, Maurer EP, Miller NL, Moser SC, Schneider SH, Cahill KN, Cleland EE, Dale L, Drapek R, Hanemann RM, Kalkstein LS, Lenihan J, Lunch CK, Neilson RN, Sheridan SC, Verville JH (2004) Emissions pathways, climate change, and impacts on California. Proc Natl Acad Sci 101:12422–12427

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003. 16 U.S.C. 6501 et seq

  • Hellmann JJ, Byers JE, Bierwagen BG, Dukes JS (2008) Five potential consequences of climate change for invasive species. Conserv Biol 22(3):534–543

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henderson JA, Peter DH, Lesher RD, Shaw DC (1989) Forested plant associations of the Olympic National Forest. US Forest Service Region 6 Ecology Technical Paper 001-88

  • Herger-Feinstein Quincy Library Group Forest Recovery Act (1998) 16 U.S.C. 2104 note

  • Hidalgo HG, Dettinger MD, Cayan DR (2008) Downscaling with constructed analogues: daily precipitation and temperature fields over the United States. California Energy Commission, PIER Energy-Related Environmental Research. CEC-500-2007-123. http://cascade.wr.usgs.gov/data/Task1-climate/gridded_data_US/supporting_materials/CEC-500-2007-123.pdf

  • Holman ML, Peterson DL (2006) Spatial and temporal variability in forest growth in the Olympic Mountains, Washington: sensitivity to climatic variability. Can J For Res 36:92–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2007) Climate change 2007: the physical science basis. In: Summary for policymakers. Contribution of Working Group 1 to the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. IPCC Secretariat, World Meteorological Organization, Geneva, Switzerland

  • Joyce L, Haynes R, White R, Barbour J (eds) (2007) Bringing climate change into natural resource management. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report GTR-PNW-706. Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland

  • Joyce L, Blate GM, Littell JS, McNulty SG, Millar CI, Moser SC, Neilson RP, O’Halloran K, Peterson DL (2008) Chapter 3, national forests. In: Julius SJ, West JM (eds) Preliminary review of adaptation options of climate-sensitive ecosystems and resources. US Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research, Washington, District of Columbia

  • Julius SH, West JM (2008) Preliminary review of adaptation options of climate-sensitive ecosystems and resources. US Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

  • Kane SM, Yohe GW (eds) (2000) Societal adaptation to climate variability and change. Kluwer Adademic Publishers, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Knowles N, Dettinger MD, Cayan DR (2006) Trends in snowfall versus rainfall in the western United States. J Climate 19:4545–4559

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lenihan JM, Bachelet D, Drapek RJ, Neilson RP (2008) The response of vegetation distribution, ecosystem productivity, and fire in California to future climate scenarios simulated by the MC1 dynamic vegetation model. Clim Change 87(Supp 1):S215–S230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ligeti E, Penney J, Wieditz I (2007) Cities preparing for climate change: a study of six urban regions. Clean Air Partnership. http://www.cleanairpartnership.org/pdf/cities_climate_change.pdf

  • Littell JS, Peterson DL, Tjoelker M (2008) Douglas-fir growth in mountain ecosystems: water limits tree growth from stand to region. Ecol Monogr 78:349–368

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Littell JS, McKenzie D, Peterson DL, Westerling AL (2009) Climate and wildfire area burned in Western US ecoprovinces, 1916–2003. Ecol Appl 19:1003–1021

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loarie SR, Carter BE, Hayhoe K, McMahon S, Moe R, Knight CA, Ackerly DA (2008) Climate change and the future of California’s endemic flora. PLoS ONE 3:1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Logan JA, Powell JA (2001) Ghost forests, global warming, and the mountain pine beetle (Coleoptera: Scolytidae). Am Entomol 47:160–172

    Google Scholar 

  • Logan JA, Régnière J, Powell JA (2003) Assessing the impacts of global climate change on forest pests. Front Ecol Environ 1:130–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luers AL, Moser SC (2006) Preparing for the impacts of climate change in California: opportunitiesand constraints for adaptation. White Paper prepared for the California EnergyCommission (Energy Commission) and the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA)

  • MacIver DC, Dallmeier F (2000) Adaptation to climate change variability: adaptive management. Environ Monit Assess 61:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maurer EP (2007) Uncertainty in hydrologic impacts of climate change in the Sierra Nevada, California under two emissions scenarios. Climatic Change 82:309–325

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCabe GJ, Wolock DM (2002) Trends and temperature sensitivity of moisture conditions in the conterminous United States. Clim Res 20:19–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Millar CI, Westfall RD, Delany DL, King JC, Graumlich LC (2004) Response of subalpine conifers in the Sierra Nevada, California, USA, to 20th-century warming and decadal climate variability. Arct Antarct Alp Res 36:181–200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Millar CI, Stephenson NL, Stephens SL (2007a) Climate change and forests of the future: managing in the face of uncertainty. Ecol Appl 17:2145–2151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Millar CI, Westfall RD, Delany DL (2007b) Response of high-elevation limber pine (Pinus flexilis) to multi-year droughts and 20th-century warming, Sierra Nevada, California, USA. Can J For Res 37:2508–2520

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mote PW (2003) Trends in temperature and precipitation in the Pacific Northwest during the 20th century. Northwest Sci 77:271–282

    Google Scholar 

  • Mote PW, Hamlet AF, Clark M, Lettenmaier DP (2005) Declining mountain snowpack in western North America. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 86:39–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakawatase JM, Peterson DL (2006) Spatial variability in forest growth–climate relationships in the Olympic Mountains, Washington. Can J For Res 36:77–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (2005) Drought information center. Historic summary: Palmer Drought Severity Index. http://www.drought.noaa.gov

  • Peterson DW, Peterson DL (2001) Mountain hemlock growth responds to climatic variability at annual and decadal scales. Ecology 82:3330–3345

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson DW, Peterson DL, Ettl GJ (2002) Growth responses of subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) to climatic variability in the Pacific Northwest. Can J For Res 32:1503–1517

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rojas Blanco AV (2006) Local initiatives and adaptation to climate change. Disasters 30:140–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salathé EP (2005) Downscaling simulations of future global climate with application to hydrologic modelling. Int J Climatol 25:419–436

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salathé EP, Mote PW, Wiley MW (2007) Review of scenario selection and downscaling methods for the assessment of climate change impacts on hydrology in the United States Pacific Northwest. Int J Climatol 27:1611–1621

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salathé EP Jr, Zhang Y, Leung LR, Qian Y (2010) Regional climate model projections for the State of Washington. Climatic Change. doi:10.1007/s10584-010-9849-y

    Google Scholar 

  • Shevock J (1996) Status of rare and endemic plants. Pages 691–707 in Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project: final report to Congress, vol. II, Assessments and scientific basis for management options. University of California, Centers for Water and Wildland Resources, Davis, California, USA

  • Smith JB, Klein RJT, Huq S (eds) (2003) Climate change, adaptive capacity and development. Imperial College Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Snover AK, Whitely Binder LC, Lopez J, Willmott E, Kay JE, Howell D, Simmonds J (2007) Preparing for climate change: a guidebook for local, regional, and state governments. ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, Oakland

    Google Scholar 

  • Stewart I, Cayan DR, Dettinger MD (2004) Changes in snowmelt runoff timing in western North America under a “business as usual” climate change scenario. Climatic Change 62:217–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart IT, Cayan DR, Dettinger MD (2005) Changes towards earlier streamflow timing across western North America. J Climate 18:1136–1155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swanson FJ, Franklin JF (1992) New forestry principles from ecosystem analysis of Pacific Northwest Forests. Ecol Appl 2:262–274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor SW, Carroll AL, Alfaro RI, Safranyik L (2006) Forest, climate and mountain pine beetle outbreak dynamics in western Canada. In: Safranyik L, Wilson WR (eds) The mountain pine beetle: a synthesis of biology, management, and impacts on lodgepole pine. Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, pp 67–94

  • Thorne JH, Morgan BJ, Kennedy JA (2008) Vegetation change over sixty years in the central Sierra Nevada. Madroño 55(3):223–237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Mantgem P, Stephenson NL (2007) Apparent climatically induced increase of tree mortality in a temperate forest. Ecol Lett 10:909–916

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Westerling AL (2008) Climate and wildfire in the western US. White paper to the California Climate Change Center, State of California. http://www.meteora.ucsd.edu/cap/fire.html

  • Westerling AL, Bryant BP (2006) Climate change and wildfire in and around California: fire modeling and loss modeling. Public Interest Energy Research, California Energy Commission. CEC-500-2005-190-SF, Sacramento, CA

  • Westerling AL, Hidalgo HG, Cayan DR, Swetnam TW (2006) Warming and earlier spring increase western US forest wildfire activity. Science 313:940–943

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilkinson R, Clarke K, Goodchild M, Reichman J (2002) Preparing for climate change: the potential consequences of climate variability and change for California. The California regional assessment: a report of the California Regional Assessment Group for the US Global Change Research Program. National Science Foundation, Washington, District of Columbia, USA. http://www.ncgia.ucsb.edu/pubs/CA_Report.pdf

  • Woodward A, Schreiner EG, Silsbee DG (1995) Climate, geography, and tree establishment in subalpine meadows of the Olympic Mountains, Washington, USA. Arct Alp Res 27(3):217–225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zolbrod AN, Peterson DL (1999) Response of high-elevation forests in the Olympic Mountains to climatic change. Can J For Res 29:1966–1978

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. JISAO CSES Climate Impacts Group, University of Washington, Box 355672, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Jeremy S. Littell

  2. U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, 400. N. 34th St., Suite 201, Seattle, WA, 98103, USA

    David L. Peterson

  3. U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA, 94710, USA

    Constance I. Millar

  4. U.S. Forest Service, Olympic National Forest, 1835 Black Lake Blvd. SW, Olympia, WA, 98512, USA

    Kathy A. O’Halloran

Authors
  1. Jeremy S. Littell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. David L. Peterson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Constance I. Millar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kathy A. O’Halloran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeremy S. Littell.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Littell, J.S., Peterson, D.L., Millar, C.I. et al. U.S. National Forests adapt to climate change through Science–Management partnerships. Climatic Change 110, 269–296 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-011-0066-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-011-0066-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation