Climate Change Resilience: Harnessing the Power of Forests
In the face of intense ecological upheaval caused by climate shifts, increased risks of pests and fires, and the critical role of forests in mitigating climate change, the forestry community is taking action. They are driving tree breeding programs to select superior parent trees with higher survival rates and studying genetic markers to enhance industry preparation for changing environments. However, projected climate change is expected to outpace forests' natural adaptability. As a result, strategies like Seed Transfer, including Assisted Migration, are being explored to help trees adapt to new environmental conditions. This approach involves planting seedlings from more southern regions in areas where they can better thrive in the face of climate change. While controversial, these strategies aim to prevent species extinction.
We are living in a time of intense ecological upheaval. Not only are climatic conditions shifting, producing wetter, hotter, colder, and drier situations, but we are seeing the increased impacts of pests and fires threatening forests everywhere. At the time of this writing, Alberta, BC, and Nova Scotia are all experiencing significant and increased forest fire activity. The impacts of a changing climate are being felt by more and more people, more intensely and more frequently.
We know that the time for action is now and we know that forests play a critical role in sequestering carbon and helping us to achieve net zero targets. Approximately 2.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, one-third of the CO2 released from burning fossil fuels, is absorbed by forests every year and Programs like the 2 Billion Tree Program (Canada) and the Inflation Reduction Act (US) reinforce the role that diverse forests can and should play in mitigating climate change and delivering co-benefits.
The 2020 State of Canada’s Forest Report revealed that the rate of projected climate change is expected to be 10 to 100 times faster than the ability of forests to adapt naturally. In response to this intelligence, the forestry community is stepping up to drive tree breeding programs that select superior parent trees with greater survival rates in relation to drought, insect infestations, and extreme weather tolerance. Furthermore, they are isolating genetic markers for nutrient use efficiency, productivity, and wood quality. This deeper understanding of tree genomics is helping to enable industry preparation for new and uncharted environments.
With a rapidly changing climate, local populations of trees may not be able to adapt quickly enough to their local conditions in order to survive and/or remain healthy. As such, new strategies are being adopted to help improve outcomes and prevent their extinction.
One of these strategies is known as Seed Transfer (a type of which is called Assisted Migration) where forest managers strategically select seedlings from one part of that species’ range (usually a more southern part) and plant them where they will be better adapted to new environmental conditions (usually a more northern part). Of course, assisted migration is a complex issue involving a range of scientific, ethical, and practical considerations. Its use can be considered controversial as it is not yet accepted as a mainstream conservation strategy.
In our Growing Future Forests Report, 64% of respondents said they currently used ecological districts/units for seed planning, but only 14% of planting agencies said that they follow climate-based seed transfer policies. However, as the impacts of climate change continue to escalate, we imagine that more growers and planters will adopt policies and actions that will take these considerations into account and while these seem like incremental wins, when combined together at scale, they promise to provide meaningful wins in mitigating climate risk.
About the Growing Future Forests Report
Amid the global biodiversity crisis and the drive towards net zero targets, there is a growing demand for native seeds to support future forest growth and nature-based solutions. However, sourcing diverse species from appropriate seed supplies remains a challenge for many tree-planting projects. To effectively scale up forest landscape restoration (FLR) and address these shortages, it is crucial to identify and overcome bottlenecks across the supply chain. The concept of forest and landscape restoration (FLR), aimed at regaining ecological integrity and enhancing human well-being in deforested or degraded landscapes, has gained global attention. The Growing Future Forests report explores the source of seeds required for sustainable forestry, restoration, and reclamation in Canada and emphasizes the shared concern for the sustainable use of forest genetic resources across multiple sectors. While different sectors have specific needs and policies, the potential for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and unified supply chains deserves exploration, as currently, no national strategy exists for delivering stronger outcomes in reforestation efforts.
About Wilder Climate Solutions
Wilder imagines and delivers nature-based solutions anchored in science and focused on driving big results. We bring together powerful players, cutting-edge science, and the might of the natural world to expedite global reforestation and deliver climate-saving interventions. We work on behalf of nature.