Case studies
Climate Change Adaptation Planning
The management problem can be generally stated as the
requirement to manage long term forest ecosystem and disturbance regimes
within the Park, within the context of climate change. Decisions about
the management of forest disturbance regimes and forest ecosystem
characteristics are strategically important for achieving long term
management objectives for the Park.
Climate drives the type and composition of forest ecosystems and the
disturbance regimes that shape them. The existing range and distribution
of forest ecosystem types and tree species that exist today in the Park
are a result of long term patterns of primary climate variables such as
temperature and precipitation, as well as compound variables such as
soil moisture and growing season length. In particular, mountain pine
beetle (MPB) outbreaks and wildfire interact in a dynamic pattern over
long time scales within lodgepole pine dominated forests.
Management is also viewed as an independent driver, where conscious
decisions can be undertaken to directly affect both disturbance regimes
(MPB and wildfire) and resultant forest ecosystem characteristics. Fire
management, in particular, plays a role in controlling the long term
processes that underlie the Park's ecosystem management challenges.
Allowing fire to proceed unencumbered and prescribed burning have been
identified as primary management tools.
Figure 4 sets out the conceptual model for Ecosystem Management in the
Park, including broad management objectives.
