Adaptation strategies and approaches for California forest ecosystems

Authors: SWANSTON, C. - U.S. FOREST SERVICE (FS); BRANDT, L. - U.S. FOREST SERVICE (FS); BUTLER-LEOPOLD, P. - U.S. FOREST SERVICE (FS); HALL, K. - U.S. FOREST SERVICE (FS); HANDLER, S. - U.S. FOREST SERVICE (FS); JANOWIAK, M. - U.S. FOREST SERVICE (FS); MERRIAM, K. - U.S. FOREST SERVICE (FS); MEYER, M. - U.S. FOREST SERVICE (FS); MOLINARI, N. - U.S. FOREST SERVICE (FS); SCHMITT, K. - U.S. FOREST SERVICE (FS); SHANNON, P. - U.S. FOREST SERVICE (FS); SMITH, J. - UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS; WUENSCHEL, A. - U.S. FOREST SERVICE (FS); Ostoja, Steven

Submitted to: Government Publication/Report
Publication Type: Government Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2020
Publication Date: 11/1/2020
Citation: Swanston, C.W., Brandt, L.A., Butler-Leopold, P.R., Hall, K.R., Handler, S.D., Janowiak, M.K., Merriam, K., Meyer, M., Molinari, N., Schmitt, K.M., Shannon, P.D., Smith, J.B., Wuenschel, A., Ostoja, S.M. 2020. Adaptation strategies and approaches for California forest ecosystems. Government Publication/Report.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Forest health has never been a more urgent concern in California. A variety of forest ecosystem types have experienced extraordinary combinations of stressors and disturbances over the past century, which have resulted in significant changes to forest conditions. Current conditions are a product of multiple interacting factors, including fire exclusion, historic logging practices, increased wildland-urban-interface expansion and, more recently, the effects associated with climate change. The intersection of the factors has led to high severity fire, drought linked mortality, and pest infestation and disease in the affected forests. It’s increasingly clear that the expected effects of climate change will further impact California forest ecosystems, potentially compelling and, in some cases, forcing the application of targeted adaptation strategies and approaches in the years and decades to come. This California forest ecosystems menu of adaptation strategies and approaches provides options leading to adaptation actions to support integrating climate change considerations into management and conservation activities. The strategies and approaches are derived from a wide range of contemporary reports and peer-reviewed publications on climate change adaptation or resource management and serve as intermediate “stepping stones” for translating broad and sometimes amorphous concepts into targeted and prescriptive tactics for implementing adaptation. This menu does not provide recommendations or guidance. Like any menu, it presents options to the decision-maker but some options will appear more palatable and appropriate than others. In this respect,the menu can be useful for brainstorming and generating productive discussion about actions and values.