Tree Planting for Climate Adaptation and Emerald Ash Borer in the Lake States, US: Motivations and State of the Practice

Abstract

Climate-driven stressors, non-native insects, and emerging diseases increasingly impact forest health across the Great Lakes region. Forest management strategies are required to mitigate these impacts. We examined one strategy, tree planting for adaptation to climate and emerald ash borer (hereafter referred to as adaptation plantings), as an approach for establishing tree species possibly better adapted to these stressors. Our goal was to assess the state of the practice of adaptation plantings by organizations across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, US, and Native Nations sharing this geography. We conducted surveys, informational interviews, and focus groups. We found adaptation plantings are mostly exploratory rather than operational in scope; organizations have different policies, constraints, capacities, levels of comfort, and budgets allocated for adaptation planting work; and managers have limited experience with implementing adaptation plantings. Despite these challenges, adaptation planting is a priority in the region, with increasing interest, funding, and collaboration potential.