Managing Forests for
Adaptation to Climate Change
Zoltán RakonczayWWF – European Forest Programme
Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood24-27 March, 2003, Braşov, Romania
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
Outline
Climate Change and Impacts on Forests
Natural Adaptation Mechanisms
Adaptation Measures
Implications for the Use of Wood
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
Climate Change is Happening„An increasing body of observations gives a collective
picture of a warming world and other changes in the
climate system” (IPCC TAR)
It is “very likely” to be happening
Caused by anthropogenic sources of GHGs
Burning of fossil fuels is the main culprit (CO2)
Main issues: adaptation and mitigation
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
Changes in the Environment Temperatures are likely to increase
– (0.1-0.4°C/decade) Precipitation
– increase in the north, decrease in the south– changed seasonal pattern
Extreme weather events more frequent– storms, floods, droughts
Increased CO2 concentration
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
Likely Impacts on Forests
Shifting range boundaries– towards the north– towards higher elevations
Changes in phenology– lengthening of the growing season– higher evapotranspiration– functional groups may disintegrate due to
differing responses to environmental change
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
Likely Impacts on Forests (2) Changes in the carbon balance (???)
– higher growth (initially?)– higher decomposition/respiration (!)
Increased incidents of abiotic damage– windthrow, fire, snow/ice
Increased incidents of biotic damage– new pests moving in– increased susceptibility due to stress
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
Adaptation Mechanisms Physiological acclimation
– trees can tolerate changes within the historic range of environmental variability
– exceeding this range can be catastrophic
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
Adaptation Mechanisms Physiological acclimation
– trees can tolerate changes within the historic range of environmental variability
– exceeding this range can be catastrophic In-situ evolution
– typically a slow process, many life cycles– adequate genetic diversity is a prerequisite– losses of diversity (on the short run)– speciation (on the long run)
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
Adaptation Mechanisms (2) Migration
– the most effective adaptation strategy by far– requires freedom of movement along environmental
gradients– rate of change is a crucial factor– functional groups have to migrate together (keystone
species) Refugia
– areas where the special microclimate allowed the survival of species
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
What is Special AboutCurrent Climate Change?
The rate of change seems to be extraordinarily fast
The landscape is no longer pristine– fragmentation– altered ecosystems– degraded/stressed ecosystems– invasive/introduced species
Ecosystems serve basic human needs– we cannot afford losing crucial functions
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
Implications for the Use of Forest (use of wood - broad sense)
Biomass use for energy– fossil fuel substitution
Carbon sequestration– lack of use of wood
Adaptation measures – protection/management of forest for
biodiversity benefits– to secure services for the long run
For global climate benefits
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
Adaptation Measures Nature reserves
– sufficient size– full range of forest types
Connectivity– avoid fragmentation– restore connectivity (corridors)
Protect climatic refugia / migration corridors– different scales (microhabitats to ecoregions)– historic migration corridors are often degraded
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
Adaptation Measures (2) Protect primary forests Provide buffer zones to protected areas Practice low-intensity forestry
– small canopy openings to protect microclimate– reasonably complete set of species
Maintain genetic diversity at all levels Identify and protect functional groups Monitor changes (adapt mgmt. if needed)
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
Implications for the Use of Wood (strict sense)
Forest utilisation should give priority to adaptation measures:
Use efficiently what forests do provide, instead of trying to grow what you think the market will demand in the distant future.
– technological advances (targeted research)
– consumption habits of end users (marketing)
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
Conclusions
Climate change is happening
Forests are likely to suffer major impacts
Adaptation should be facilitated – recommended measures differ little from sound
management under static climate
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
Conclusions (2) Adaptation measures should be given
priority (precautionary principle)
Efficient use of available wood should be promoted
– novel technologies
– awareness raising / marketing
24-27 March, 2003Strategies for the Sound Use of Wood, Braşov, Romania
Zoltán Rakonczay
WWF Forest - Climate Change [email protected]
tel: +36 1 214 5554