Trailing edge forests will be a critical indicator of forest health as the impacts of climate change continue to increase. Land managers will be better able to understand how disturbances such as a wildfire can lead to ecosystem change or impact the return to historical patterns and processes within a forest ecosystem. While additional research is necessary to understand how a disturbance alters the forest ecosystem and leads to ecological tipping points, this paper lays the groundwork for improving forest management and climate resilience of Washington’s complex forest systems.
“As forests in eastern Washington are expected to shift and transform in the coming years, there will be both challenges and opportunities for adaptive management,” explains co-author, Dr. Michael Case, Forest Ecologist with The Nature Conservancy in Washington. “Although some of these forests are expected to transition to non-forest vegetation in the future, if we act now, we have the greatest opportunity to respond to these changing conditions, support decisions and collaborative partnerships, and find solutions that work for people and the environment.”
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Emily Heber, TNC media relations manager, emily.heber@tnc.org
