Climate change poses significant challenges for forests in the Northwest.

Forests in the Pacific Northwest are feeling the stresses of climate change. Climate models project increasing variation in temperature, precipitation, and snowpack. These changes may outpace forest species’ ability to adapt, causing increased vulnerability to insects, disease, and wildfire. We know we need to work together to address these systemic issues.

In response to this need for connection and collaboration, the Forest Adaptation Network (FAN) was established to share information on forest adaptation in the Pacific Northwest.

FAN members include land managers, forest ecologists, and restoration practitioners tasked with managing Pacific Northwest forests in both urban and rural communities. Members of the FAN share resources, discuss issues, and collaborate on projects to help our forests adapt to the expected impacts of climate change. 

The FAN was initially focused around the Puget Sound, but welcomes interested organizations from across the Pacific Northwest. If you’re interested in learning more, please contact Michael Yadrick (myadrick@cityoftacoma.org) or Rowan Braybrook (rowan@nnrg.org) or visit the FAN Google Group. 

Projects

We’re excited to share examples of forest adaptation projects our members are collaborating on. Keep an eye on this space as the projects are updated!

• Access our collaboratively produced Assisted Migration Best Management Practices for Pacific Northwest Habitat Restoration Projects.
• Read about a climate-adapted reforestation project and planting trial at Stossel Creek and check on three-year monitoring results.
• Review results from our pilot adaptation survey and the related regional adaptation survey from our regional collaborators at Treeline.
• Find out what’s happening in forest adaptation regionally by browsing the Treeline newsletters on topics that include Partnerships, Fire, Floodplains, Nurseries, Collaboration, Upland Forest, and Seedling Generation. 
• Watch selected Treeline webinars, which have included discussions on ethics of assisted migration, the risks of phytophtheras, and seed collection. 
• Listen to a treehugger podcast episode with several members of FAN discussing climate disruption and local collaboration.

In July 2025 we will launch the Puget Sound Seed Partnership, which will include trainings, seed exchanges, and resource sharing. Contact Rowan Braybrook (rowan@nnrg.org) for more details or to get involved.

You can find more adaptation case studies through the CAKE website.

Partners

The following partners are currently actively engaged with the group, and new partners are welcome. Click on the links below to learn more about the forest adaptation work of individual partners.

List of Resources

We recommend starting with the following resources:

Tools

• Adaptation Workbook
• AdaptWest
• Climate Adaptation Starter Kit
• Climate Adaptation Knowledge Exchange
• The Seedlot Selection Tool and How to Use the SST (video)

Partnerships

• Adaptation Partners 
• Cascadia Partner Forum
• NW Climate Adaptation Science Center
• Puget Sound Climate Preparedness Collaborative 
• Tribal Climate Change Project

Research (What We’re Reading)

• Climate Change Refugia: Ecological Society of America special issue
• Managed Relocation: Integrating the Scientific, Regulatory, and Ethical Challenges
• The Nature of the Beast: examining climate adaptation options in forests with stand-replacing fire regimes
• Resist-Adapt-Direct: framework to assist informed risk taking for adaptive management
• Ecological Risk Assessment: assessment of managed relocation as a climate adaptation strategy

Additional resources on climate adaptation and other topics are available in the NNRG Resource Library.
NNRG Resource Library