Climate Change

Intact forests increase our region's resilience in an uncertain climate future.

The Threat

Changes in temperature, rainfall, snowfall, and growing season are affecting every part of the New England landscape. In northern New England, plant species are moving upward in elevation as temperatures increase. The timing and duration of maple syrup season, an imporant component of our local economy, are rapidly changing.

The Solution

Forests conserved as both Woodlands and Wildlands:

• remove carbon dioxide from the air, offsetting our region's greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, heavily forested lands sequester, or absorb, up to three times more carbon per acre than developed land.
• provide a wealth of future options for landowners interested in participating in ecosystem service markets such as carbon sequestration.

Our Role

Individuals and organizations in the Wildlands and Woodlands Partnership are working towards enhanced climate policy that includes forest conservation. They are also engaged in citizen research to better understand our changing forests.