Adaptive Forest Management

By Jennifer Hunt (Content Writer), Brent Keefer (CEO), Matt Jacobs (Region Manager), and Matt Taylor (Region Manager)

As economies and countries develop plans and strategies to deal with a warming climate, industries also find ways to adapt to changes. Forestry is no different. The increased likelihood of natural disasters and a shift in the USDA planting hardiness zone map illustrate the need for modifications in the natural resources management sector. At AFM, our team is making proactive and adaptive decisions to help landowners be the best stewards of their property, regardless of external factors. From tree species and planting techniques to wildfire management, stream crossing, road design, and invasive species management, we’ve got landowners covered.

Tree Species and Stand Management

Tree species and stand management are one way to make forests more resilient. For more than half a century, there have been advancements in tree breeding, specifically in loblolly and slash pine trees, that help improve the performance of those species. Genetic enhancements have led to trees with increased productivity, disease resistance, and straightness. Data plays an important role in determining which tree species should be planted in a given region, ensuring that landowners are selecting tree families that are well-adapted to the particular climate. For instance, minimum winter temperatures are a factor in the selection process, and increasing temperatures suggest that coastal tree families could push into the Piedmont, which often exhibits better growth rates than typical Piedmont selections.

In addition to tree species, mixed and uneven-aged stands also contribute to forest health and productivity. For instance, a mix of pine species and hardwood trees in a stand increases biodiversity, including a wider array of flora and fauna. Not only does this have significant ecological benefits and reduces the risk of invasive species that could decimate an entire stand (through a pine beetle infestation in a pine plantation), but it also can enhance long-term forest productivity and create a more diverse timber portfolio. Managing stands with a variety of tree species and ages gives it a greater chance of withstanding climate-related disasters and challenges, and silvicultural activities also play an important role.

Climate-Focused Silvicultural Treatments

There are numerous climate-aligned silvicultural activities, from thinning and density management to prescribed burning and variable density retention. Reducing the basal area (the basal area of a tree is defined as the cross-sectional area of a single tree at breast height, or 4 feet above ground) reduces competition for water and sunlight, creating a healthier stand, which in turn decreases the risk of pest and disease outbreaks. Prescribed burns or controlled burns (more below) reduce surface and ladder fuels and help prevent fires from reaching the forest canopy, which leads to catastrophic fires. Not only do thinning and prescribed burns help reduce the basal area, but they also create important openings in the canopy that increase structural diversity. These strategies work in tandem with tree species and stand management, all the while preventing wildfires that damage natural resources and wildlife habitat.

Wildfire Management

Although wildfires can occur in the Southeast, the most catastrophic fires tend to be in the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain Regions. The hot, dry summers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, and abundant fuels make wildfires a recurring threat. In recent decades, hotter, drier summers and a buildup of flammable vegetation have led to an increase in fire size and severity, especially in drier areas of these states. As such, there are a number of strategies land managers use to protect forests. Prescribed burns (as mentioned above) and mechanical thinning help reduce ladder fuels like woody debris and leaf litter on the forest floor that easily catch fire and spread throughout up to the canopy. Minimizing surface fuels and ladder fuels is of the utmost importance, as dry vegetation on the forest floor can easily catch fire and spread up the tree, eventually climbing up to the canopy. Mechanical thinning, or mastication, is a forest management practice that reduces wildfire risk by removing or chipping excess vegetation that can fuel intense fires. It helps create more resilient forests by lowering fuel loads and improving access for firefighting. While it can be costly, many landowners offset expenses through federal and state cost-sharing programs. These programs make proactive wildfire mitigation more financially feasible and widely adopted. By planting more fire-resistant species (like ponderosa pine and western larch) and keeping larger trees that are more likely to survive, landowners can fortify their forests from wildfire threats as a result of a warmer, drier climate. Not only do land managers and foresters need to work proactively to prevent wildfires, but they must also be prepared to address concerns regarding pests and invasive species.

Land Management Road Construction and Design

Adaptive management in road and stream crossing design is a science-based, iterative approach that uses monitoring data to adjust infrastructure over time, enhancing resilience, reducing maintenance costs, and minimizing environmental impacts. It involves setting goals, implementing flexible, site-specific designs (such as larger bridge and culvert sizing, stable approaches, and aligning structures at right angles to flow), and modifying structures based on performance indicators like erosion, sedimentation, and blockage. This process supports resilience to changing hydrologic conditions and flood risk, incorporates larger opening sizes and stabilization measures such as riprap or vegetation, and ensures temporary crossings are used when appropriate. The process is guided by continuous feedback and adaptive planning.

Invasive Species and Pest Management

Invasive species pose a significant threat to forest ecosystems nationwide, competing with native flora for vital resources. While some invasive species may appear benign, many cause substantial damage, necessitating proactive management strategies. In the Southeast, AFM has had extensive experience battling cogon grass, Chinese tallow tree, and Japanese climbing fern, all of which disrupt native ecosystems. Targeted approaches, such as forestry herbicides or controlled burns, may offer promising results (depending on the species), albeit requiring sustained efforts over the course of several years. Preventative measures are the most effective, and responding quickly to new pests and threats is the best way to prevent their spread. The Southern Pine Beetle is a significant threat to pine plantations and, if left untreated, can decimate acres of trees. Because an outbreak can spread very quickly, it’s crucial to treat all trees in an extensive area. Prevention, on the other hand, involves thinning trees in healthy stands to further contribute to overall vigor. This reduces competition and makes the trees stronger against any potential beetle attacks. To ensure that specific treatment methods are effective, land managers can monitor efforts with remote sensing and field surveys, which are all part of maintaining a thriving forest.

Maintaining Healthy Forest Structures

Lastly, it’s important for land managers and foresters to maintain healthy forest structures to build forest resilience and protect against climate-related changes. There are a myriad of ways we ensure water quality is protected, including Best Management Practices (BMPs), forest certifications, maintaining riparian buffers, and more. Similarly, we protect soil quality by avoiding harvesting during certain times of the year to avoid soil compaction and erosion, reducing the basal area, and more. We take a holistic approach to managing a forest, from the forest floor to the canopy above.