The Impact of Climate Change on America's Forests

This report summarizes five climate science papers published in the Canadian Journal of Forest Research. It provides a picture of the potential effects of climate change and provides a concise scientific overview to inform natural resource management and policy decisions.

The U.S. Forest Service's mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.

A Risk Assessment of Climate Change and the Impact of Forest Diseases projects the effects of eight forest diseases under two climate-change scenarios. Examples are used to describe how various types of forest diseases may respond to environmental changes with a focus on western forests.

This document reviews the basics of climate change, including impacts of climate change and the future impacts of climate change.

The United States Forest Service's Climate Change Resource Center is a collection of forest management resources. It includes an extensive library, climate change and carbon tools, webinars and short courses by topic area and ecosystem, as well as an introductory webinar for new users.

Review of Literature on Climate Change and Forest Diseases of Western North America offers a detailed summary of the relationships between climate and various types of tree diseases and the potential effects of climate change on pathogens in western North American forests.

This second edition of the Forest Adaptation Resources provides a collection of resources designed to help forest managers incorporate climate change considerations into management and devise adaptation tactics. It was developed as part of the Climate Change Response Framework and reflects the expertise, creativity, and feedback of dozens of direct contributors and hundreds of users of the first edition over the last several years.

This report details challenges of changing climatic conditions primarily in terms of rural forests, but urban forests ecosystems are also mentioned. Climate variability, its impacts, and risk management strategies are discussed by region.

This policy perspective assesses the adaptive potential of conservation easements to address climate change impacts, and offers drafting and implementation guidance.

​​Forests are a critical component of natural climate solutions, comprising more than 90 percent of the U.S. land sector capacity to sequester carbon.