Adaptation Strategies and Actions
Promote drought and heat-tolerant species: Encourage species in northern and middle edge of range
Promote drought and heat tolerant species.
Forests are likely to experience increased temperature and decreased moisture conditions as the climate changes. Therefore, it is important to promote species that are well adapted to these new conditions.
Action
Encourage species in northern and middle edge of range
It is predicted that the climate will generally warm and the suitable habitat for tree species will move north. Promoting species in the middle and northern portions of their range will help ensure that species will be well adapted to future conditions. Explore species range maps in the USDA Tree Atlas to determine where your property sits in relation to the overall range of tree species found on it. Species such as balsam fir reach their southern extent in Massachusetts and therefore are projected to experience increasingly challenging climatic conditions for their growth and reproduction. In contrast, tulip poplar is at its northernmost extent in Massachusetts and the areas in which it might grow are expected to expand as the climate warms.
