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Forest Change adaptation tools

Tools and resources to support forest adaptation to climate change

Forest Change program

Natural Resources Canada–Canadian Forest Service’s Forest Change program provides information about the impacts of climate change on Canada’s forests and on how to adapt to changing climate conditions. The initiative reports on indicators that reflect past trends in, and future projections of, changes across Canada. It also provides adaptation tools and resources for forest managers.

The adaptation tools and resources provided here are in a variety of formats, including maps, databases, web applications and synthesis reports. The tools and resources are grouped under the same broad systems as the indicators: climate, forest and human.

See also: Synthesis reports and reviews produced under the leadership of other organizations, such as the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers.

Climate system

Tools and resources grouped under the climate system provide useful data not only for the forest sector but also for other areas, such as agriculture and ecosystem restoration.

Image of a graph showing three rising curves with different inclination rates.

Climate modelling

  • A web application that provides historical data and future projections of temperature, precipitation, growing season length and many other climatic variables for specific areas
  • Helps users visualize the climate projections
Related resources and research

Related resources

  • A guidebook on climate scenarios: Using climate information to guide adaptation research and decisions produced by Ouranos
  • Environment Canada website for climate change information – Canadian Climate Data and Scenarios (CCDS)
  • United States Department of Agriculture website for climate information – Climate Hubs

Related Canadian Forest Service research

Frequently asked questions about climate modelling
 
Image of a graph showing (1) three thermometers of different heights symbolizing temperature variability and (2) three columns of stacked raindrops symbolizing variability in precipitation.

Climate data for modelling

  • Downscaled climate projections (maximum temperature, minimum temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, surface wind speed, and water vapour) using four different climate models
  • Users can download the data they need for further research, analysis and modelling
Frequently asked questions about climate modelling
 

Forest system

Tools and resources grouped under the forest system provide information on composition and productivity, as well as disturbances and extreme events.

Vulnerability of Canada’s tree species to climate change

  • Interactive maps showing vulnerability of Canada’s tree species to drought and migration failure
  • Maps comprise two components: exposure to altered conditions relative to their current habitat, and the degree of sensitivity to drought or migration failure
Related resources and research
 
Image showing the map of Canada with a color code scale pertaining to Canada’s Plant Hardiness Zones.

Canada’s Plant Hardiness

  • A website that provides plant hardiness zone maps and species-specific climate niches
  • A web application (the species-specific models and maps section) allows users to visualize the current and projected climate niches of more than 3,000 individual plant species
  • Helps users consider climate change when selecting which species to plant
Related resources and research

Related resources

Related Canadian Forest Service research

 
Image showing the map of Canada superimposed by an inset displaying icons of a tree seedling, a rain drop, and a temperature column.

SeedWhere

  • A web application that functions as a climate similarity mapping tool
  • Helps users match seed sources to planting sites under the current or a future climate
  • Provides a systematic way to identify potential seed zones
Related resources and research

Related Canadian Forest Service research

 
Image showing a map of Canada superimposed by an inset with an icon of a walking tree. From this icon, three arrows depart in different directions pointing to various regions in Canada.

Assisted migration of tree species

  • A website that describes human-assisted movement of plants to more climatically suitable habitats, with links to articles, reports and resources
  • A special issue of The Forestry Chronicle containing information on the ecological, practical and ethical issues surrounding assisted migration, and summarizing current knowledge of assisted migration
Related resources and research

Related resources

  • Website on the Conservation of Forest Genetic Resources in Canada (CONFORGEN)

Related Canadian Forest Service research

 
Image showing a map of Canada superimposed by the text: NFI, Canada’s National Forest Inventory.

Canada’s National Forest Inventory

  • A website that describes Canada’s National Forest Inventory and provides links to maps, reports, documentation and other resources
  • Data provide consistency across multiple jurisdictions and through time to assess forest change and measure progress toward sustainable forest management at the scale of Canada’s terrestrial ecozones
Frequently asked questions about Canada-wide maps of forest properties
 
Image showing a map of Canada superimposed by an inset with an icon of an insect. From this icon, three arrows depart in different directions pointing to various regions in Canada.

Bioclimatic Mapping of Forest Insects and Diseases

  • A web application that provides broad-scale climate-based risk models (maps) of native and non-native forest insects and diseases in Canada
  • Allows users to visualize the current and projected climate niches of more than 1,500 individual insects and diseases
  • Summaries of the amount of host biomass and the intersection with the climatic ranges are also provided where possible
 
Image showing the shape of a spade, representing a tree as well as a leaf and containing the silhouette of a caribou and an insect, surrounded by an enlarged flame.

Spatial Discrete Event Simulation

  • A platform that allows users to develop and run simulation models
  • Users can create their own modules or use pre-existing modules
  • Allows the integration of multiple modules across disciplines (e.g., plants, animals, insects, fires, ecophysiology, economics) to examine complex trade-offs and feedbacks across traditional management areas (e.g., pest management, fire management, economics, timber supply)
 
Image showing a map of Canada superimposed by an inset with an icon of a mushroom. From this icon, three arrows depart in different directions pointing to various regions in Canada.

Mapping the Occurrence of Canada’s Forest Pathogens

  • The forest pathogen database provides over 60 years of broad-scale location data for native fungi and other microbes, many of which cause disease in Canada’s forests
  • Users can access currently known occurrence maps for almost 3000 individual forest fungi and mistletoes
  • Data and/or maps can be downloaded and used in other applications – for example, integrated with other disturbances
Frequently asked questions about forest pathogens
 
Image showing a map of Canada with icons of a forest fire and a rain drop positioned in the west, centre and east of the map. Next to the icons are horizontal bars suggesting future trends.

Forest Change Data Catalogue

  • A catalogue of data, maps and graphs that shows current status and projected changes in Canada for topics such as drought, fire, temperature and precipitation
  • Users can print summary maps showing short-, medium- and long-term projections and download data for further analysis
 
Image showing tree seeds surrounded by the text: “National Tree Seed Centre” on top and the text “Centre national de semences forestières” underneath.

National Tree Seed Centre

  • A facility that collects, processes, tests and stores seeds of Canadian trees and shrubs for conservation and research purposes
  • The seed centre has more than 14,000 seedlots (some over 60 years old) with seed from about 120 Canadian species and more than 45 non-native species
  • Collection details are listed in the seed database
  • Researchers may order small quantities of seed for research purposes at no cost
Related resources and research

Related Canadian Forest Service research

 

Human system

Tools and resources grouped under the human system provide support for the process of adaptation, through the exploration of vulnerabilities and adaptation options.

Image showing a few journals.

CCFM reports

  • A series of reports from the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers that provide knowledge, tools and approaches for assessing forest sector vulnerabilities, risks and opportunities in a changing climate
  • Provides a roadmap for the adaptation process
Related resources and research

Related resources

  • A summary of the CCFM Climate Change Adaptation Report Series
 
Image showing a forest with an icon of a person planting a tree.

Database of adaptation options

  • An inventory of adaptation options proposed in the literature for the managed boreal forest
Related resources and research

Related resources

Related Canadian Forest Service research

Frequently asked questions about adaptation options
 
Image showing a background with a flowery pattern. The foreground shows an icon of a flower and the text: ”PlantWatch – Engaging citizens in science”.

PlantWatch

  • A website that encourages Canadians to contribute to knowledge about how plants are responding to a changing climate
  • Includes descriptions, diagrams and photos for plant identification, as well as tips for making observations
  • Users can submit observations, view maps of results and download data
 
Image above showing superimposed curved lines with a dot that symbolize a circle of people with text below “Forestry Adaptation Community of Practice FACoP”.

Forestry Adaptation Community of Practice (FACoP)

  • An interactive online community for sharing information and best practices on climate change vulnerability and adaptation in Canada’s forest sector
  • Join the community to access news and research articles, webinars, discussion forums, and a wiki space for co-creating documents
  • Funded by the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers’ Climate Change Task Force
 

Synthesis reports and reviews

 

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