A subset of slides on the Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary's Adaptation Demonstration, presented by Maria Janowiak at the MassConn Conservation in a Changing Climate workshop, March 30, 2016

1. What actions can be taken to
enhance the ability of a system to
cope with change
and
meet conservation goals and
objectives?

2. Adaptation Process: Deciphered
1. Where are you
and what do you
care about?
2. How is that
particular place
vulnerable to
climate change?
3. What challenges
or opportunities
does climate
change present?
4. What actions
can help systems
adapt to change?
5. How can you
know whether
those actions were
effective?
Swanston and Janowiak 2012; www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/40543

5. 1. WHERE ARE YOU AND WHAT
DO YOU CARE ABOUT?

6. Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary
 Privately-managed refuge with
>8,000 acres in MA and CT
 Upland & aquatic habitats
 Heart of Emerald Forest within
MassConn region
 Active implementation of
sustainable forest management
on some portions of Sanctuary
Photos: www.norcrosswildlife.org

7. Sanctuary Management Goals
Ensure that the sanctuary provides the widest
possible range of habitats to support diverse
community of plant and animal communities
• Increase old forest characteristics through natural
stand development
• Minimize fragmentation
• Incorporate natural disturbances
• Increase open and young forest habitats
• Keep mid-aged forests productive and healthy
• Thinnings, harvests

8. Demo Area: Folded Hills Forest

9. Demo Area: Folded Hills Forest
Wildlife
habitat
conservation
Climate-
informed
Forest
stewardship

10. 1. WHERE ARE YOU AND WHAT
DO YOU CARE ABOUT?
Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary
Protect, enhance, & expand wildlife habitat
At Folded Hills
• Perpetuate a vigorous, structurally complex,
species-rich forest
• Preserve interior forest habitat
• Establish wildland reserves for old forest
• Anticipate climate change impacts & respond

11. 1. WHERE ARE YOU AND WHAT
DO YOU CARE ABOUT?

12. 2. HOW IS THIS PARTICULAR
PLACE VULNERABLE TO
CLIMATE CHANGE?

13. 2. HOW IS THIS PARTICULAR PLACE
VULNERABLE TO CLIMATE CHANGE?
Several existing assessments 
New England assessment in
progress for 2016-2017:
• Synthesize findings of
state/regional assessments
and scientific literature
• Observed & future climate
change
• Effects on forests

14. Climate Change Impacts
 Warmer temperatures
 CO2 fertilization
 Longer growing seasons
 Shorter winters
 Altered precipitation
 Altered soil moisture
 Extreme weather events
 Increased risk of fire
 Species range shifts
 Enhanced pests and diseases
Interactions among these
changes (as well as non-
climate forest stressors)
will affect forest health and
productivity.

15. Summary of Impacts
Generally Challenges
 Reduced growth:
moisture stress
 Decline of
northern/boreal species
 Disturbance from
extreme events
 Wildfire potential
 Forests pests & disease
 Invasive species
Generally Opportunities
 Increased productivity:
longer growing season
 Increased productivity:
more CO2
 Increased habitat for
some species
What would
you add?

16. 2. HOW IS THIS PARTICULAR PLACE
VULNERABLE TO CLIMATE CHANGE?
Regional Ecosystem Impacts
 Less Snow, More Rain
 Risk of Summer Drought
 Rising Sea Levels
 Longer Growing Season
 Changes in Suitable Habitat
 Invasive Plants
 Extreme Events
 Forest Pests and Diseases
Specific to Norcross
 Extreme precipitation
 Common northern species,
such as maple, birch, and
beech are likely to
experience greater stress
 Oak-hickory forest species
may have increased habitat

17. 3. WHAT CHALLENGES OR
OPPORTUNITIES DOES
CLIMATE CHANGE PRESENT?

18. 3. WHAT CHALLENGES OR OPPORTUNITIES
DOES CLIMATE CHANGE PRESENT?
Norcross Challenges Include
• Increased risk of extreme precipitation events
threatens infrastructure and water quality
• Interactions among climate change and forest
health issues (e.g., hemlock wooly adelgid) reduce
habitat for some species
• Uncertainty of future impacts creates additional
challenges for planning

19. 3. WHAT CHALLENGES OR OPPORTUNITIES
DOES CLIMATE CHANGE PRESENT?
Norcross Opportunities Include
• Managing for diversity and natural processes
allows managers to work with extreme events
and other disturbances
• Climate change provides another lens with which
to evaluate stewardship actions

20. 4. WHAT ACTIONS CAN HELP
SYSTEMS ADAPT TO CHANGE?

21. 4. WHAT ACTIONS CAN HELP SYSTEMS
ADAPT TO CHANGE?
Same actions–
climate change
just makes
them that
much more
important
Small “tweaks” that
improve effectiveness
New & different
actions to consider,
even some that may
seem wild & crazy
*individual results will vary

22. 4. WHAT ACTIONS CAN HELP SYSTEMS
ADAPT TO CHANGE?
Thinning:
Favor mast-producing species, increase diversity
Improve growth & health of remaining trees

23. 4. WHAT ACTIONS CAN HELP SYSTEMS
ADAPT TO CHANGE?
Retain: Den trees, snags, coarse woody debris for habitat
Protect: Establish riparian wetland reserves

24. Demo Area: Folded Hills Forest
Wildlife habitat
conservation
Climate-
informedForest
stewardship

25. 5. HOW CAN YOU KNOW
WHETHER THOSE ACTIONS
WERE EFFECTIVE?

26. 5. HOW CAN YOU KNOW WHETHER
THOSE ACTIONS WERE EFFECTIVE?
Norcross Monitoring
Use forest inventory to evaluate site
• After harvest
• Again 5 and 10 years after harvest