Research Progress HIGHLIGHTS

Activity 5 – Societal dimensions of climate adaptation (GE³LS)

Activity 5.2 Public perceptions of risks, benefits and preferences for climate adaptation options in BC’s forests

Public understanding and support for genomics-based recommendations arising from CoAdapTree will play a major role in the extent to which new adaptive policies for reforestation can be successfully implemented in BC. We are conducting a web-based survey of BC publics to quantify public perceptions of the risks, benefits, levels and basis of support/opposition across six different reforestation strategies. The six strategies are detailed in the following illustrations (also included in the survey) and include two conventionally used strategies; two strategies that are used elsewhere, but not considered for BC and two genomics-informed strategies that are under specific consideration for BC. Survey topics include: perceptions of climate risk; knowledge of forest management in BC and levels of support, perceived risks/benefits and tradeoffs across the six forest management strategies.

A summary of these findings and general overview of the activity was recently presented at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington DC as part of a public meeting on the Potential for Biotechnology to Address Forest Health (view video recording or slides).

For more information contact Shannon Hagerman, Rob Kozak, Kieran Findlater, or Guillaume Peterson St-Laurent.

Activity 5.3 Current barriers to novel adaptation tools at various scales.

Canada-wide practitioners survey: A survey to understand the views of biology and forestry experts across Canada about reforestation strategies (including assisted migration) intended to help adapt to climate change in Canada’s forests has been developed and is currently being distributed to professional foresters and biologists across Canada. We expect data collection to last approximately 3 to 4 months and be completed by the end of the Summer of 2019. As of May 1st, 2019, there were 250 participants who had already completed the survey.

Which reforestation practices should be used to adapt to climate change?

Researchers from the University of British Columbia invite forestry and conservation practitioners and scientists to share their views about reforestation strategies to adapt to climate change in Canada’s forests.