Which approach best prepares forest ecosystems for climate change? Adaptation options occupy a continuum of management goals related to their levels of desired change. A team of natural resource specialists and researchers developed a set of desired future conditions, objectives, and tactics for The Jones Center at Ichauway based on three climate adaptation approaches:
RESISTANCE
maintain relatively unchanged conditions over time
Strategies & Approaches:
- Clean out the oaks and off-site pines to enhance fuelbed characteristics and improve prescribed burning effectiveness
- Prescribe burn every 2 years
- Apply herbicide to stumps to discourage sprouting
RESILIENCE
allow some change in current conditions, but encourage eventual return to original conditions
Strategies & Approaches:
- Thin longleaf pine to 50 ft2/acre, removing other pine species
- Prescribe burn every 2 years
- Retain upland and xeric oaks up to a maximum of 10ft2/acre
- Remove mesic oaks which consume a lot of water
TRANSITION
actively facilitate change to encourage adaptive responses
Strategies & Approaches:
- Thin longleaf pine to 30 ft2/acre, removing other pine species
- Remove mesic oaks
- Plant drought-tolerant, fire-facilitating oaks (turkey oak) and warm season C4 grasses (wiregrass)
- Prescribe burn every 2 years