Forest Adaptation 2008

Adaptation of forests and forest management to changing climate with emphasis on forest health: A review of science, policies, and practices

Umeå, Sweden
August 25-28, 2008

Context

With the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report has come more certainty that climate change is an inevitable consequence of past and present human activities on this planet.  Forests interact intimately with climate, acting as sinks of CO₂ when growing, and as a source of CO₂ when being destroyed by natural or by man-driven events.  Forests are also an essential part of many societies in the developed and developing world, integrated within the economic and social fabrics of their populations.  A changing climate will impact forests and therefore will influence these societies.  How can we adapt our forest management? How can we soften blows and capture opportunities? These and many other questions were at the heart of the conference.

Conference goal and objectives

The conference focused on the current state of knowledge of ongoing changes in climatic conditions in different regions of the world, and the implications of these changes for forest management and conservation. Presentations and discussions emphasised research, policies and practices that are needed to enable us to plan for and manage healthy, productive forests to meet future societal needs for forest products and the full range of forest goods and services. Ongoing research in various fields of forest and forest related sciences was presented.