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The National Assessment
Overview and
Foundation
Reports were produced by the
National
Assessment Synthesis Team, an advisory committee chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, and were not subjected to OSTP's Information Quality Act Guidelines. The National Assessment was forwarded to the
President and Congress in November 2000 for their consideration. |
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Publications
by the National Assessment Synthesis Team
Links to Material from the Forests Assessment Group
Related Articles from the National Assessment's
Newsletter, Acclimations.
Other related Links:
-
Forests and
Global Climate Change. Press release (dtd 26 Feb 2003) from Pew
Center for Global Climate Change. Includes access to full report. (link
posted 31 March 2003)
Issues Covered
The Forests Sector concentrated on the potential changes that could
occur in forests with climate change. Specifically, the assessment
activities examined the productivity of forests, species diversity in
forests, the potential changes in carbon storage, and changes in water
availability to forest systems. Those involved in the assessment looked at
possible alterations in physical (i.e. temperature and humidity) and
chemical (i.e. changing air quality) atmospheric properties which can
drive changes in the forests. The assessment also examined the role of
social and economic shifts in changing the character of forests. Finally,
the Forests Sector examined the role changing climate and climate
variability could have on disturbance factors such as pests, fire, and
disease within forest ecosystems.
Assessment Approach
The Forests Sector used published literature and data along with model
simulations to evaluate the potential impact of climate change on
forests. Nationally consistent, large-scale models were used to
compare impacts in different forest systems throughout the country. Where
more detailed regional models of forest response to climate existed,
comparisons were generated between the two approaches to assess the range
of potential outcomes. Through this approach, the sector developed an
array of potential impacts and coping strategies that could apply to the
forests of the United States under climate change.
Co-chairs |
John Aber, University of New Hampshire
- Steven McNulty, U.S. Forest Service
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Coordinating Federal Agency |
U.S. Department of Agriculture / U.S. Forest Service |
Agency Representative |
Fred Kaiser, U.S. Forest Service |
Issues |
- Forest processes
- Biodiversity
- Socioeconomic/human dimensions
- Disturbance
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Timeline |
Summer 2000 |
Forest Sector Assessment Team Papers to be published in
special issue of The Science of Total Environment |
Fall 2000 |
Forest Sector Assessment Team Papers to be published in
special issue of BioScience |
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