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M. Kolström et al. 2010. Is it possible to combine adaptation to climate change and maintaining of forest biodiversity
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Is it possible to combine adaptation to climate change and maintaining of
forest biodiversity
Marja Kolström * , Terhi Vilén & Marcus Lindner
European Forest Institute, Finland
Abstract
An EU-level review of the climate change adaptation measures in forestry shows that there are
adaptation measures that support maintaining biodiversity, but also adaptation measures that have
the potential to decrease the level of biodiversity. A choice of the adaptation measure might thus
involve trade-offs between efficient adaptation and maintaining biodiversity at the stand level. The
landscape approach allows building a combination of highly adaptive stands with simultaneous high
level of biodiversity and stands where adaptation measures do not support biodiversity. This is
however a complex task and gets even more complicated since also economic and social
standpoints have to be taken into account. A successful realisation is possible only if all policy
makers at different levels, affected stakeholder groups, forest owners and forest workers are aware
what measures are suitable and why they are used.
Keywords: European forests, climate change, adaptation measures, landscape approach,
biodiversity
1. Introduction
Rising levels of greenhouse gases are already changing the climate. According to the IPCC WGI
Fourth Assessment Report, the global average temperature has increased by about 0.76 ºC from
1850 to 2005, and a further increase in temperatures of 1.4°C to 5.8°C by 2100 is projected. Thus,
merely mitigation of the climate change is not enough but also adaptation of forest management is
essential to avoid negative impacts for the forestry sector and to ensure the continuation of the
mitigation effect that forests have. In addition to changes in mean climate variables, European
forests will have to adapt also to increased climate variability; there is expected to be greater risk of
extreme weather events like prolonged drought, storms and floods (Maracchi et al. 2005, Salinger et
al. 2005).
European forests are diverse, with each region featuring different tree species, ecological
conditions, management goals, and required goods and services by the society. Thus, the adaptive
capacity of the European forests differs and also the climate change adaptation strategies should be
developed in different ways. Main goals of the adaptive management include maintaining the wood
production (boreal region), minimizing the impacts of disturbances (temperate and Mediterranean
region) and ensuring the ecosystem services (Mediterranean region) (Lindner et al. 2008).
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +358 10 773 4334 - Fax: +358 10 773 4377
Email address: marja.kolstrom@efi.int
Forest Landscapes and Global Change-New Frontiers in Management, Conservation and Restoration. Proceedings of the IUFRO Landscape Ecology
Working Group International Conference, September 21-27, 2010, Bragança, Portugal. J.C. Azevedo, M. Feliciano, J. Castro & M.A. Pinto (eds.) 2010,
Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal.