Forest Species Habitat Shifting

“People and animals can walk, run, swim or fly to more suitable habitat, but trees can’t escape the heat.” — Dennis May, Program Director, U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis program.

Forest species’ habitats are changing due to rising temperatures and shifts in precipitation caused by climate change. Many species’ natural ranges are being driven towards poles and up mountains. Habitat shifting is one of the symptoms of climate change, and enhanced migration is one way to adapt to it and ensure the resiliency of our future forests. 

This video explains how trees migrate and discusses the benefits and drawbacks of assisted migration.

This video takes the viewer to visit the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and see their approach to enhanced migration of trees on their lands