Climate Smart Forest Adaptation in the Wake of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
Overview
The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) is an invasive insect that has caused extensive hemlock death from Georgia to Maine in many of the densest hemlock forests in the US. Managing for HWA then either replanting hemlock trees or allowing forests to naturally regenerate without planting is the current main conservation approach. However, climate change and other invasive species make regenerating healthy forests difficult. Active management with climate-proactive strategies can help slow the spread of invasive plants into disturbed areas affected by HWA and assist the development of climate resilient forests that sustain hemlock ecosystem services.
The main goals of this project are to work with land managers to (1) identify information gaps in current hemlock conservation efforts and forest regeneration conditions and (2) develop region-specific management plans that incorporate climate adaptive practices to supplement hemlock conservation goals, adding diversity and resilience to disrupted forests. The project team will do this by synthesizing existing data on the expected ranges of other forest species that thrive in the shady, mesic, cool habitats typically occupied by hemlock, the ecosystem services these species provide, and forest adaptation strategies that support species projected to thrive in a changing climate. From this data synthesis, the project team will produce a decision support tool to help land managers plan their responses to hemlock loss in a changing climate. Users of the tool will select a specific location and receive customized lists of best practices for adaptive planning based on their ecological, cultural, and economic goals for the forest.
Project findings will be presented to forest managers at the Forest Service HWA Managers’ Meeting, Northeast RISCC network events, and Northeast CASC events. Information gained from this project will help land managers integrate climate adaptation into their forest management decisions around HWA and hemlock loss, leading to healthier, more resilient forests for Northeastern wildlife and the general public.