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THE NATURe conservancy, central appalachians

CLIMATE CHALLENGE: Effects on Habitat & Species

GRANT AWARD: $177,856; year awarded: 2019

Central Appalachian spruce forests provide habitat for 850 animals, 211 plants, and 105 fungi, including several rare and threatened animal species. Yet, red spruce is predicted to decline with future warmer temperatures associated with climate change. Future climate changes could reduce seed production and viability, growth rates and biomass, and disease resistance. To combat these negative impacts, TNC Central Appalachians will plant a genetically diverse mix of 57,500 red spruce with 32,500 associated native trees and shrubs. Working across three restoration sites, this project will connect existing forest blocks, creating opportunities for wildlife movement of spruce-dependent species and gene flow of red spruce in the landscape.

watch and learn:

Seeds of Hope: Helping Nature Keep Pace with Climate Change

The red spruce forests of the Central Appalachian Mountains are home to rare species including the West Virginia northern flying squirrel and the Cheat Mountain salamander.

Nature Conservancy and University of Vermont scientists are working to ensure that the forests can keep pace with climate change, so they'll also be there for species that arrive in the future.

The forest is expected to be a bastion for wildlife fleeing the increasingly hot, dry conditions of lower elevations and more southern latitudes. Yet red spruce itself is vulnerable to warmer weather and shifts in rainfall patterns. To improve the odds, 55,000 red spruce seedlings have been raised from areas with high genetic diversity and planted across 255 acres in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia to help link existing stands together.

This project, is just the latest phase of a 20-year effort to restore red spruce forests in the region and a case study for how to use genetic science to adapt to a changing climate.

 

 

The WCS Climate Adaptation Fund: proudly supporting innovative actions to address the impacts of climate change since 2011

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