Research Branch Staff Publications

Adapting Forest Management to the Impacts of Climate Change in Canada.

Citation:

Johnston, M., T. Williamson, D. Price, D. Spittlehouse, A. Wellstead, P. Gray, D. Scott, S. Askew, and S. Webber. 2006. Adapting Forest Management to the Impacts of Climate Change in Canada. Final report, BIOCAP Research Integration Program Synthesis paper, Queens, Univ., ON.

Abstract:

This report identifies a range of ways that climate change may impact human and economic systems (e.g. market impacts, land use change, availability and cost of raw material supply, change in habitat and our ability to preserve ecosystems in fixed boundary parks, etc). It does not however focus on the role of Canadian forests in sequestering carbon, as this has been covered in detail elsewhere. The report also considers factors that may influence our capacity to adapt. These factors include inherent features and properties of social systems (such human capital and social capital), policy and institutional factors, and awareness and processes by which risk perceptions are socially constructed. The ultimate goal is to isolate the most vulnerable systems and regions, and to understand why these systems and regions are vulnerable so that impacts of climate change on vulnerable elements of Canadian society can be reduced. This report provides a synthesis of conceptual approaches that can be used to assess vulnerabilities. Our challenge in a forestry context is to apply the concepts to provide a more informed view of sources of vulnerability so that we can inform policy.

Availability:

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