An Ecoregional Conservation Assessment for the Northern Rockies Ecoregion and Proposed Climate Refugium in the Yaak River Watershed, USA

Forests, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 16(5), С. 822 - 822

Опубликована: Май 15, 2025

The incorporation of climate refugia concepts in large-scale protection efforts (e.g., 30% protected by 2030, 50% 2050) is needed to forestall the global extinction crisis. 8.19 M ha Northern Rockies Ecoregion (NRE) western Montana, northeastern Washington, and northern Idaho, USA, includes 159,822 Yaak River Watershed (YRW) northwest a proposed refugium that may buffer extreme change effects. Climate projections show temperature increases along with reduced summer precipitation, lowered spring snowpack, increased wildfire susceptibility across NRE but lesser extent YRE under an intermediate emissions scenario. Overall levels were quite low (2.2% GAP 1 or 2) even lower YRW (1% national forests; USDA Forest Service manages most area). Approximately 32% forests are mature only 2.4% 0.25% (GAP within YRW, respectively. Habitat for eight focal forest species selected reflect conservation priorities generally low, wolverine (Gulo gulo) meeting targets if roadless areas better protected. Most (~75%) fuel reduction treatments >1 km from structures despite congressional funds aimed at wildland–urban interface/intermix. Increased area protections would close bound (30%) target ecosystem types still fall short upper targets. We recommend coupling strategic investments reductions innermost around structures, while reducing logging roadbuilding priority refugia.

Язык: Английский

An Ecoregional Conservation Assessment for the Southern Rocky Mountains Ecoregion, and Santa Fe Subregion, Wyoming to New Mexico, USA

Опубликована: Июль 25, 2024

We conducted a multi-scaled Ecoregional Conservation Assessment for the Southern Rockies (~14.5M ha) and its trailing edge, Santa Fe Subregion (~2.2M ha), Wyoming to New Mexico, USA. included representation analysis of Existing Vegetation Types (EVT), mature-old-growth forests (MOG), four focal species—Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), North American wolverine (Gulo gulo luscus), Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida), northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)—in relation 30 x 50 conservation targets. To integrate targets with wildfire risk reduction built environment climate change planning, we overlaid location wildfires forest treatments in Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) downscaled projections lower (RCP4.5) higher (RCP8.5) emissions scenario. Protected areas were highly skewed toward upper elevation EVTs (most >50% protected), underrepresented types (<30% especially MOG (<22% protected) riparian (~14% poorly represented habitat (<30%) at least 3 species, subregion where nearly all underperformed compared ecoregion. Most (>73%) thinning over past decade >1-km from delineated WUI areas, well beyond distance which vegetation management can effectively reduce structure ignition (< 50-m structures). Extreme heat, drought, snowpack reductions, altered timing peak stream flows, increasing wildfires, potential shifts niche woodlands conifer may impact dependent while declining that den elevations. Strategically targeting fuel would improve allow expansion protected held up controversy. Stepped-up protections roadless adoption wilderness proposals, greater are critical meeting

Язык: Английский