Climate Change and My Woods

Pick a plant that interests you and that you can easily observe on your property. Spring is a great time to start because plants change quickly so there’s lots to see. Keep it simple by recording your observations in a notebook or take it to the next level by using prepared datasheets and even uploading your data online to share with scientists.

Climate change adds stress to your forest, so minimizing other sources of stress from pests, vines and diseases can help your woods to be more stable in an unknown future.

Rain storms are getting heavier and more frequent, which can mean more flooding and damage to streams. At the same time, our summers are getting warmer and drier, which can cause periods of drought and stress on trees and stream ecosystems. Explore these resources to help prepare your property for this increase in severe weather.

Find out what phenology is all about and how observing seasonal changes helps to track climate change.

Installing BMPs on your existing trails and woods roads will reduce flooding and erosion during heavy rainstorms and help you preserve access to your woods.

Check out the resources from Firewise New York that provide information about wildfire safety and prevention.

Get an overview of climate change impacts in the Northeast, including effects on the woods in our region.

View the maps of New York State and the US below to better understand your risk of wildfire.

Keeping fallen trees on the forest floor and in streamside areas can slow runoff, filter water, and improve stream habitat for wildlife.

Climate change affects different trees in different ways. Use the tools below to learn which trees on your property are predicted to do well, poorly, or stay the same in the face of climate change. Then step back and envision your future woods and consider how to best prepare for it.

Forests are a big part of the carbon cycle. Trees sequester, or actively absorb, carbon dioxide from the air and then store some of that carbon in their wood. Explore the links below to get a better sense of how carbon moves through the forest and wood products.

You can manage your property to increase the carbon potential of your woods. A passive approach favors carbon storage in your woods while an active approach prioritizes sequestration.

Your woods naturally combat climate change by absorbing and storing carbon. The emergence of a carbon market means that there are companies that might pay you for the work your woods do. Explore some of the carbon markets that are available to landowners in your region.

Dig a little deeper into woodland health to discover how resilient your woods may be in the face of our changing climate.