Climate change is recognised as one of the most important challenges for both society and many ecosystems. Reducing deforestation and degradation of existing forests and enhancing forest carbon stocks play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions (UNFCCC 2015).

Biomass from forests will be an increasingly important resource for the new green economy as an alternative to the fossil-based products used today. However, increased use of forests as a source of biomass is dependent on use of plant material and species adapted to a changing environment.

Although forest ecosystems are generally robust, there is a concern that the pace of climate change will exceed the adaptability of many forest trees.

Many trees have long generation times (80+ years) and are therefore vulnerable to rapid changes in temperature. Decisions made today will have consequences for the whole rotation of the forest stand. This makes proper planning particularly important for decision-makers in forestry. There is currently much research into both the climatic adaptation of different forest trees and the need to assist the movement of trees as the climate changes.

Awareness of climate changeWe have asked the major actors in the forest sector in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden about their awareness of climate change and the need for information about the effect of climate change (see Box 1 for information about the survey). Here we will present some of the important findings and give examples of current research that may answer some of the challenges we are facing.

Is Nordic forestry prepared for climate change?

Policy Brief NordGen Forest

Dan

Aam

lid /

NIB

IO

NordGen Forest

NordGen Forest is a forum under the Nordic Genetic Resource Center and the Nordic Council of Ministers. The mandate of NordGen Forest is to address conservation and sustainable use of forest genetic resources, by being a meeting place for researchers, practitioners and managers working on forest genetics, seeds, planting stock and regeneration, and by facilitating the flow of scientific information to these groups. In addition, we initiate research and development and discuss issues of common Nordic interest.

NordGen Forest Working GroupThis document has been developed by the NordGen Forest Working Group on Genetic Resources, together with the secretariat of NordGen Forest:

Adalsteinn Sigurgeirsson, Icelandic Forest Research

Mari Rusanen, Natural Resources Institute Finland

Sara Abrahamsson, Forestry Research Institute of Sweden

Gunnar Friis Proschowsky, Danish Nature Agency

Kjersti Bakkebø Fjellstad, Norwegian Genetic Resource Centre & NordGen Forest

Tor Myking, NordGen Forest

Jørn Henrik Sønstebø, NordGen Forest

Arn

e St

effe

nrem

/ N

IBIO

Policy considerationsIt should be a clear responsibility of the Nordic forest sector to include measures to prepare for climate change into its strategic documents. Given the expected changes in temperature even within one rotation for many forest trees, it is important that this is taken into account when forests are regenerated.

There is a need for unambiguous information about the effects of climate change. There might be a problem with popularising research, which may result in only a fraction of the whole picture being presented. Different scientific results may appear more conflicting than they actually are. It is important that the forestry sector has information channels that give a broad and balanced information about climate change and put more emphasis on translating scientific findings into management recommendations. Nordic organisations such as NordGen Forest, SNS and EFINORD could cooperate to fill this role.

The key to a forest adapted to future climates is to regenerate with material that is well suited for the next century. This means selecting the right species or selecting carefully the genetic material within species. On-going research is focusing on developing models for assisted migration (movement) of material to new areas where it is better adapted.

On the other hand, movement of genetic material may change the genetic composition of forests, which may have long-term effects on the genetic diversity of forest tree species and knock-on effects on other species in forest ecosystems. Hence, with the increased stress that may be imposed on forests as the climate changes, it is important to keep focus on sustainability and the conservation of forest ecosystems and genetic resources.

Raising awareness about climate change has been highlighted as one of the main challenges for Nordic co-operation on forests. This need is further confirmed in the findings of the NordGen Forest survey. It is important that information is transferred to the forestry sector and that tools enabling science-based decisions are made available. The Nordic forest institutions should continue their efforts to translate research on climate change into applicable advice for future Nordic forestry.

Jørn

Hen

rik S

ønst

ebø

/ NIB

IO

Important findings from the surveyAwareness of climate change

The respondents mostly agreed that climate change would affect future forestry; that it may lead to more disturbances and at the same time potentially increase forest growth (figure 2). However, although most respondents agreed that climate change will affect forestry, this has not influenced strategic documents and guidelines to the same extent. It is also clear that measures to mitigate climate change, e.g. forests as a carbon sink, are more frequently highlighted than measures to adapt the forest to the new climate.

Increased precipitation and more extreme weather events, leading to more challenging conditions for forestry operations, were more clearly in focus than the change in temperature itself.

Use of exotic tree species

Increased use of exotic species and planting of a mixture of different species are examples of measures that have been implemented to increase forest adaptation to a new climate. This is also the topic on which there was the largest disagreement in the survey (see figure 2, question 6). The difference in views may be partly explained by the current differences in practice in the Nordic countries. Use of exotic tree species is currently important only in parts of the Nordic region. For example, Danish forestry is largely based on foreign tree species, whereas they are hardly used in Finland. Another example is the importance of the non-native Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) in parts of Sweden. In Norway, on the other hand, the use of exotic trees has become more restricted, although e.g. Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) was widely planted previously.

Application of mixed forests will probably increase resilience and make forests less susceptible to pathogens. Since climate change is expected to change not just the temperature, but also the precipitation and the occurrence of storms, the choice of which species to plant may change at many sites. At the same time, potential negative effects of exotics on native biodiversity must also be considered.

Lars

San

dved

Dal

en /

NIB

IO

Information needs

Scientific information about effects and adaptation of forestry towards climate change is regarded as important. The need for more and better scientific information was clearly underlined by many of the respondents in the survey. Some of the respondents expressed confusion about the variable scientific results and the lack of overarching views about how forestry should adapt. Mass media and research institutions are the most frequently used sources of information about climate change. These sources are rather different in character, and possibly mass media contribute with general information whereas research institutions are used when targeting more specific information.

The importance of collating scientific information and writing systematic reviews addressing questions relevant for the public was recently highlighted in a comment in Nature by McKinnon et al (2015). Their main message was that many research results are inaccessible to the public and known by very few people. They also showed several examples of important results that have been overlooked for decades, because of insufficient dissemination. Evidence maps, produced by compiling information from many sources, were suggested as a method to bring this information out into the open and make it more accessible to scientists and managers.

The role of Nordic institutions

Particularly important for the Nordic forest institutions is the clearly expressed need for translation of knowledge and the niche that NordGen Forest, SNS and EFINORD could fill, by facilitating research and information exchange between researchers and foresters. Network activities, like Nordic conferences, thematic days and facilitation of research should be maintained and strengthened. In addition, there is a wish for more information through e-mail newsletters and articles in forestry journals. Given the information needs revealed by this survey, there is a potential for the Nordic forest institutions to collaborate to increase their importance as information providers for Nordic forestry.

Kat

ri H

iman

en

Figure 2 shows the proportion of responses to eight statements about climate change. Each statement has been rated by the respondents from 1 (strongly disagree – dark brown) to 5 (fully agree – light brown). The bottom bar in each set (lightest brown) represents the category “unknown/not relevant”.

Box 1: NordGen Forest survey about climate change

A survey was sent to 153 representatives of important institutions in the Nordic forest sector, of whom 40% responded. The respondents covered the public and private sector, forest owner organisations, nurseries and seed production facilities (figure 1). Since the forestry sector is organised differently in the different countries and the response rate also varied among the different countries, we focused on the overall trends in the material.

The survey asked respondents to consider statements about the effect of climate change on forests, and was designed to assess awareness of and attitudes towards climate change.

The statements covered different topics from general concerns about climate change and the influence of climate change in organisational decisions to more specific statements such as the effect of climate change on forest disturbances and on the use of exotic tree species (figure 2, questions 1-6). In addition we asked about the need for further information and which information channels the respondents preferred.

Figure 1 Distribution of the respondents from the public sector (red), private sector (yellow), forest owner organizations (blue) and nurseries or seed production facilities (brown).

1. Climate change is an important concern for my organization.

2. Climate change will affect the forestry in my local region.

3. Climate change will affect forest regeneration and/or plant production processes under our responsibility

4. Climate change will alter the frequency and intensity of forest disturbances such as insect outbreaks, invasive species, wildfires, and storms.

5. Increased temperature and CO2 concentration will increase forest growth

6. Climate change will necessitate more use of new/exotic tree species in forestry

7. Climate change adaptation has an important role in strategic documents in my organization.

8. Climate change adaptation measures are implemented in guidelines used in my organization.

0% 5% 10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

8. Climate change adaptation measures are implemented in guidelines used in myorganization.

7. Climate change adaptation has an important role in strategic documents in myorganization.

6. Climate change will necessitate more use of new/exotic tree species in forestry

5. Increased temperature and CO2 concentration will increase forest growth

4. Climate change will alter the frequency and intensity of forest disturbances such asinsect outbreaks, invasive species, wildfires, and storms.

3. Climate change will affect forest regeneration and/or plant production processesunder our responsibility

2. Climate change will affect the forestry in my local region.

1. Climate change is an important concern for my organization.