Landscape scale conservation: Expanding the model forest to the model region

Background/Question/Methods  Effective land stewardship in the face of change is a compelling issue in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. Climate change, urbanization, fire, and pests are among many threats to the integrity of our Nation's forests and the ecosystem services they provide. With one-quarter of the Nation's forests, and nearly half (43%) of the Nation's population in this region, conserving our forests is not a luxury, it is a necessity. The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (CNNF) Change Response Framework Project is reaching across ownership and institutional boundaries to craft a coordinated response to an issue that itself spans all lands. This pursuit of Landscape Scale Conservation (LSC) requires profound collaboration; open to multiple goals and approaches, but with shared purpose and responsibility. A driving principle of the LSC approach is to take advantage of existing programs and efforts, while lending focus to the efforts of willing partners to address issues on landscapes. These efforts are guided though five foundations of collaboration: Information; Shared Landscapes, Issues, and Investments; Risk Management; Communication; and Implementation.

Results/Conclusions  An Ecosystem Vulnerability Assessment and Synthesis of forested ecosystems in Ecological Province 212 within northern Wisconsin was drafted to inform the Response Framework for the CNNF, but also to inform a Shared Landscape Working Group. This Working Group was initiated at a workshop in February 2010, attended by representatives of numerous federal, state, county, and tribal agencies; professional and land ownership associations; scientific, environmental, and land trust organizations; and industry. Both the Assessment and the Working Group further informed a Climate Change Science Applications and Needs Workshop held in April 2010, designed to identify what is currently known that should lead to changes in management, and what information should be gathered across the landscape to aid further decisions. This presentation will summarize the Assessment, the reports from both workshops, and the next steps. The fundamental uncertainties of climate change at the scales relevant to forest management require managers to incorporate new considerations and expectations into their activities. Dialogue that spans management objectives while incorporating both scientific understanding and social perspectives provides the greatest number of opportunities to address climate change adaptation.