Climate Change Impacts
Key projected climate change impacts that the project team considered for the Second College Grant include:
Increasing wind and ice events leading to crown and other forest damage
Increasing moisture stress due to drought as well as above-average precipitation periods, leading to more damage from pests and diseases and potential reduced growth
Loss of key species or functional groups critical for maintaining ecosystem services
Climate change will present challenges and opportunities for accomplishing the management objectives of the Second College Grant, including:
Several dominant tree species in these stands, such as sugar maple, are projected to have reduced habitat suitability under future climate scenarios
Dominant tree species face increased threats in the future from introduced insects and diseases
Some tree species found nearby are expected to have increased habitat suitability, including red oak, red maple, white pine, and eastern hemlock
Habitat suitability for yellow birch and red spruce is not expected to change substantially in northern New Hampshire