Adapt
Growing Resilient Forests
Forests are the single greatest tool we have to sequester carbon on a large scale to mitigate the effects of climate change. But, what if forests are themselves not able to cope with the effects of climate change?
The Acadian Forest Region has been extensively degraded through centuries of intensive land-use and forestry practices. Over the years, these practices have altered the unique composition of this special forest and yielded a landscape that is patchy, relatively young and suffers from a lack of diversity. A degraded forest’s lack of diversity reduces its ability to securely sequester carbon and can become a source of emissions, rather than reductions—that’s why Community Forests International helping landowners grow more resilient forests.
Our Changing Forest
Series Trailer
What does climate change mean for our forests? Join us as we talk with climate researchers, ecologists, and forestry professionals to understand the projected changes, the associated risks, and how to manage for healthy forest now and into the future.
Understanding Change
Understanding Change
Learn how the climate is expected to change in the Maritimes and how these changes will affect the unique Wabanaki-Acadian Forest.
Assessing Your Forest
Assessing Your Forest
Come into the forest with us and explore which tree species and forest types are at risk in a changing climate.
Managing for the Future
Managing for the Future
Follow forestry professionals as they discuss different climate-smart management for 3 typical forest stand types in our region.
Climate Change in the Acadian Forest
As climates in the Acadian Forest Region become generally warmer and wetter, so too do growing conditions for tree species. Many cold-adapted boreal species will no longer find this region hospitable. As Acadian forests have been transformed to be more like the Boreal Forest, the Maritimes’ forests are less resilient to these changes and will suffer further. Community Forests International is working to manage Acadian forests to store more carbon and mitigate climate change, as well as restore climate change-resilient species to allow the Acadian Forest to better adapt to climate change.
Our Expert
Our Forest Ecologist, Megan de Graaf, leads our climate-adaptive silviculture work. She works tirelessly with forestry professionals and organizations across New Brunswick to integrate climate adaptation into forest management.
Learn More
Help Forests Adapt
With your help, we can make sure that the Acadian forest thrives — now and into the future. Support forest adaptation by signing up to become a monthly donor, or make a one time gift today!
Resources
In collaboration with silviculturalist Gareth Davies and the New Brunswick Federation of Woodlot Owners, we have created a series of tools and resources to support forestry professionals to manage forests to prioritize climate change resilient forests. Check out the resources developed to date:
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Our Changing Forest
“Our Changing Forest” is a three-part video series on climate change in the Acadian Forest Region. The series was produced in partnership with the New Brunswick Federation of Woodlot Owners and with the financial support of Natural Resources Canada.
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Additional Video Resources
In 2019, we hosted a 1-day workshop in Fredericton that included presentations on climate change and introduced the first edition of new silviculture prescription guidelines that consider climate change impacts. You can watch the presentations from the workshop here.
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Silviculture Prescriptions
Increase the resilience of your forest with our climate change adaptive silviculture guide, delivered in collaboration with silviculturalist Gareth Davies. Check out the latest edition of the silviculture decision tree, companion document, and glossary.
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Climate Change Resilience in the Acadian Forest: A Review
A 2018 report by Megan de Graaf, MScF, examining the Acadian Forest Region’s risks from climate change and the need for climate-adaptive silviculture and widespread forest conservation. The report is available in English et en français.