Managing Forests as Habitat in a Changing World: A Panel Discussion Webinar Series

These interactive panel discussions connect land managers, researchers, and practitioners spanning diverse geographies and ownerships to explore managing and stewarding forest habitat amid social and ecological changes.

Climatic shifts are impacting forest habitats all across the U.S., challenging how we fulfill our mission of conserving, protecting, and enhancing wildlife habitat. Warming winters, extreme precipitation events, drought and catastrophic wildfire, and other elements affect pollinators, game species, bats, fish, birds, and the people that steward their habitats. Ecosystem management and community-building are part of the solution to addressing these challenges.

This series provides examples of ecological silviculture and restoration techniques that enhance habitat along with the planning, policy, guidance, and partnerships needed to get these actions implemented. Panels will represent a diversity of biologists, foresters, and scientists to help participants discover management tools, respond to climate change, and build on collaborative conservation success (and failure!) stories.

The topic series explores the impacts of a changing world on forest ecosystems and adaptation options for natural resource management. Panelists will discuss projects, barriers and solutions, lessons learned, and next steps.

1.5 continuing education units (CEUs) are available from The Wildlife Society and the Society of American Foresters for each webinar attended.

February’s presentation will feature a panel that will discuss the current composition and structure of American forests with a focus on regenerating desirable forests that can be resilient to stressors such as insects and disease, as well as broader climate impacts. Panelists will also discuss species stock selection, assisted migration of tree species, mesophication and how these changes in our forests are likely to impact wildlife species and their habitat.

Panelists include Tony D’Amato, University of Vermont, Olivia LeDee, Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, Carrie Pike, USDA Forest Service, Chuck Hunter, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Jeff Horan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (retired), as the moderator.

To learn more and register, visit https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/northern-forests/topic/managing-forests-habitat-changing-world-panel-discussion-webinar-series.