Adaptation Forestry in
Minnesota’s Northwoods
Meredith Cornett, The Nature Conservancy
Mark White, Kim Hall, Stephen Handler, Chris Swanston,
Julie Etterson, Laura Kavajecz, Jordan Mead
December 17, 2014
Photo credits, © Catherine Ravenscroft/SUNY; Ecological Applications, Nancy A. Johnson Photography, Meredith
Cornett/TNC

Outline

Outline
2. Challenge
3. Framework & Approach
4. Preliminary Results
5. Summary

Photo © C. Ravenscroft

Outline
1. Setting
3. Framework & Approach
4. Preliminary Results
5. Summary

Photos © M. Cornett/TNC

Current and Future
Range Maps:
Northern Red Oak
Current - FIA
Climate Change Tree Atlas. Prasad et al. 2011.
Iverson et al. 2008.
http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/atlas/tree
Hadley - High

Summary
Photo © M. Cornett/TNC

Outline
1. Setting
2. Challenge
4. Preliminary Results
5. Summary

http://www.climateframework.org/northwoods

Forest Adaptation Resource
(Butler et al. 2012)
*

Facilitate Community
Adjustments/
Species Transitions
Maintain and Enhance
Species and Structural Diversity
Photo © Nancy A. Johnson
Photo © M Cornett/

Design
• 2000 Acres
• 3 species
• 2 ecotypes
• 108,000 trees
• 4,600 in experimental design

Maximize learning through long-term monitoring
• Survival
• Phenology
• Morphology
Photo © L. Kavajecz
Photo © M. Cornett/TNC

Outline
1. Setting
2. Challenge
3. Framework & Approach
5. Summary

100%
90%
80%
Local
Oak Seedling Survival
(Overwinter, 2014)
Central
Kavajecz & Etterson, in prep.

White Pine Seedling Survival
(First Growing Season, 2014)
100%
90%
80%
Local Central

White Pine Seedling Survival
(First Growing Season, 2014)
100%
90%
80%
Local Central
Mead & Etterson, in prep.

Outline
1. Setting
2. Challenge
3. Framework & Approach
4. Preliminary Results

Summary
• Rethink “restoration”
• Restoration + Experimental Design = Powerful Approach
• Just a beginning / Long-term monitoring
• Test other approaches
Photo © L. Kavajecz

Financial Support
This Project has been made possible through the
Wildlife Conservation Society through its
Climate Adaptation Fund.
Support to establish the Climate Adaptation Fund was provided by a grant to the Wildlife Conservation
Society from the
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
Cox Family Fund for Science and Research
Conservation Partners Legacy

Collaborators
The Nature Conservancy
Meredith Cornett, Mark White
Chris Dunham, Kim Hall
University of MN – Duluth
Julie Etterson
Laura Kavajecz, Jordan Mead
Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science
Chris Swanston
Stephen Handler
Minnesota Forest Resources Council
Sustainable Forests Education Cooperative
• Lake County Land Department
• Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
• Superior National Forest