Abstract
It is expected that a warming climate will have an impact on the future productivity of European spruce forests. In Scotland, Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) dominates the commercial forestry sector and there is growing pressure to develop alternative management strategies to limit potential economic losses through climate change. This review considers management options to increase the resilience of Sitka spruce dominated forests in Scotland. Given the considerable uncertainty over the potential long-term impacts of climate change, it is recommended that Sitka spruce should continue to be planted where it already grows well. However, new planting and restocking should be established in mixtures where silviculturally practicable, even if no-thin regimes are adopted, to spread future risks of damage. Three potentially compatible species with Sitka spruce are western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), grand fir (Abies grandis (Lamb.) Lindl.) and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) and all form natural mixtures in its native range in North America. The predicted windier climate will require a range of management inputs, such as early cutting of extraction racks and early selective thinning, to improve stability. The potential to improve resilience to particularly abiotic damage through transforming even-aged stands into irregular structures and limiting the overall size of the growing stock is discussed.
Highlights
It is widely accepted that global climate change is taking place as a result of human activity. the influence of a changing climate may be less severe in Scotland than that predicted for some regions of the world, there will be environmental and economic consequences including the potential impact on the commercially important forests of Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.)Carr.)
The influence of a changing climate may be less severe in Scotland than that predicted for some regions of the world, there will be environmental and economic consequences including the potential impact on the commercially important forests of Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.)
This review considers the potential impact of climate change on Sitka spruce forests in Scotland on future distribution of the species and potential risks of attack by pests and diseases
Summary
It is widely accepted that global climate change is taking place as a result of human activity. This species dominates the forestry sector in Scotland accounting for over half of the total forest area of conifers of nearly one million hectares It has long been favoured by the forestry industry due to its adaptability to a wide range of site types, relative ease of establishment, good growth rate, tolerance of exposure, and timber suited to a wide range of end uses such as construction, board manufacture and pulp. Foresters and forest owners are increasingly concerned about the putative effects of climate change on Sitka spruce, and that decisions over the direction of future management cannot be delayed since the long timescales trees require to mature are well within the time periods of predicted change. This review considers the potential impact of climate change on Sitka spruce forests in Scotland on future distribution of the species and potential risks of attack by pests and diseases. It examines silvicultural options that promote resilience in Sitka spruce stands and forests to potential climate change effects while maintaining management flexibility
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