Wednesday’s Urban Forestry Webinar dealt with how communities have to anticipate the next forty to fifty years of climate change when picking trees to plant. The presentation “Tree Selection for the 21st Century” focused on California’s “Climate Ready Trees” study at UC Davis, which involved picking trees to test from warmer climates that were available in local nurseries but not abundant in the current forest, and could be expected to tolerate California’s habitat (soil moisture and texture), physiology (droughts, wind and salt), and biological interactions. So far, some of the dozen test species have fared better than others.
The study plan is a great model for other communities to use to conduct their own studies. Its results are only valuable to those in similar conditions. Tree selection is unique to individual environments and climate change predictions, so more studies need to be done around the country.
The webinar was well attended and it was a good sign that many participants were asking about studies in their own areas. (Note: A link to their detailed study plan can be found at the bottom of the Background tab at the Climate Ready Trees page.)
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