Climate Adaptation ToolkitWarmer, wetter, less predictable
Warmer and wetter conditions are affecting the forest products supply chain at every stage – from forest owners and managers, to loggers and wood processing mills. In much of the Northeastern United States, average December and January temperatures are over four degrees warmer than they were in the 1980s. June receives a full inch more precipitation, on average, than in the past, and the month of October receives 1.5 inches more precipitation.
These changing climatic patterns create real challenges for the forest products industry. The winter logging season—historically the most productive time of the year—is shorter, and frozen conditions are less reliable. Wet ground conditions are more common, due to periods of intense precipitation and unexpected thaws. Climate unpredictability creates start-stop patterns in forest operations, resulting in altered harvesting schedules and wood procurement challenges.
This toolkit showcases adaptations and support throughout the forest supply chain in climate-influenced decision-making. Information presented here was garnered from interviews and focus group sessions with landowners, foresters, loggers and mills from throughout the Northeastern United States.
The following topics are addressed:
- Harvest Scheduling
- Best Management Practices for Water Quality
- Roads
- Timber Harvesting
- Wood Procurement
- Forest Pests and Invasive Species
Additional information for each of these factors at each link in the supply chain is available in the companion report, Climate Adaptations in the Northeast’s Forest Products Supply Chain: A Vulnerability Assessment for the Primary Forest Products Sector.
The toolkit tables are organized into three distinct links in the supply chain – forests, logging and mills. The forest link refers to both the forest resource itself and the planning and management activities that arise from landowner goals and the work of foresters. Logging includes both the timber harvesting process and the entrepreneurship of logging small businesses. Mills include all those entities and processes that use primary forest products harvested from the forest.
Climate dilemmas are identified for each of the six topics listed above. In some cases, these dilemmas are shared across the entire supply chain, and in others they are specific to individual links in the supply chain. Dilemmas, actions and support activities are listed for each link. Communication plays a vital role in adaptation. The interdependence of the links that form the supply chain requires cooperative relationships for both actions and support activities.
General Climate-Associated Supply Chain Risks
Ability to schedule and complete timber harvests following acceptable standards
Ability to produce enough to be financially viable
Ability to procure sufficient volume and quality of wood on a timely basis
Climate Changes that Impact the Northeast’s Forest Products Supply Chain
Changes in average monthly temperatures and precipitation levels have caused shifts in traditional seasonal expectations for harvest scheduling, ground conditions for logging and the resulting availability of wood for mills. The monthly changes in temperature and precipitation for various northeastern states between the 1980s and the 2010s are shown in Table 1. A summary of these differences by state is shown in Table 2.
In addition to changes in seasonal weather patterns, the region is experiencing storms of greater intensity that impact the flow of wood products through the supply chain.
Northern Forest States (ME, NH, NY & VT)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 2010s | 19.0 | 21.3 | 29.5 | 41.8 | 55.5 | 62.0 | 68.5 | 66.4 | 59.9 | 48.2 | 35.5 | 25.7 |
| 1980s | 15.4 | 20.4 | 28.8 | 41.9 | 53.6 | 60.9 | 66.9 | 64.6 | 56.4 | 45.0 | 34.5 | 21.1 | |
| Change | 3.6 | 0.9 | 0.7 | -0.1 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 1.0 | 4.6 | |
| Precip (in.) | 2010s | 3.0 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 5.1 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 3.2 | 4.2 |
| 1980s | 2.4 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 2.9 | |
| Change | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 1.5 | -1.2 | 1.3 | |
Southern New England (CT, MA, RI) & Pennsylvania
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 2010s | 27.0 | 29.2 | 37.1 | 48.0 | 59.6 | 66.7 | 73.0 | 70.6 | 64.6 | 53.4 | 41.6 | 33.8 |
| 1980s | 24.0 | 28.4 | 36.0 | 46.7 | 57.3 | 65.0 | 70.9 | 69.0 | 61.4 | 50.1 | 40.9 | 29.3 | |
| Change | 3.0 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 4.5 | |
| Precip (in.) | 2010s | 3.4 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 3.5 | 4.1 |
| 1980s | 2.8 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 4.9 | 3.0 | |
| Change | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | -0.8 | -0.3 | 0.1 | -0.3 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.1 | -1.4 | 1.1 | |
| State | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| °F | in. | °F | in. | °F | in. | °F | in. | °F | in. | °F | in. | °F | in. | °F | in. | °F | in. | °F | in. | °F | in. | °F | in. | |
| CT | 3.4 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 1.0 | -0.3 | 1.0 | -1.5 | 2.0 | -0.8 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 2.3 | -0.6 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 3.7 | 0.4 | 0.8 | -1.7 | 4.6 | 1.1 |
| MA | 3.5 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 1.3 | -1.1 | 2.3 | -0.4 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 2.3 | -0.6 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 3.6 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 1.3 | 0.9 | -1.3 | 4.6 | 1.2 |
| ME | 4.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.2 | -0.3 | -0.1 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.7 | -0.2 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 3.7 | 0.1 | 3.0 | 1.9 | 1.2 | -1.1 | 4.5 | 1.6 |
| NH | 3.8 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.4 | -0.5 | 1.9 | -0.2 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 3.7 | 0.4 | 3.4 | 1.6 | 1.1 | -1.3 | 2.8 | 1.5 |
| NY | 2.9 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 0.8 | -1.0 | 4.4 | 0.8 |
| PA | 1.9 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 2.6 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 0.0 | -1.0 | 4.1 | 1.1 |
| RI | 3.3 | 3.7 | 0.8 | 3.9 | 1.2 | 4.8 | 1.6 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 4.2 | 2.4 | 3.3 | 1.9 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 5.0 | 1.1 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 4.5 |
| VT | 4.0 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.0 | -0.4 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 1.1 | -1.5 | 4.9 | 1.1 |
Orange columns show the change in average temperature (°F); blue columns show the change in average precipitation (inches).
Toolkit Tables
The toolkit tables presented in each topic area show climate-related dilemmas, decisions, actions and support activities, segmented by links in the supply chain. The supply chain itself is simplified to three linear links – forests, logging and mills. Forest-based decisions, actions and support activities may be conducted by landowners, foresters or both. Logging decisions, actions and support activities are done by individual loggers at the firm level. Decisions, actions and support activities by mills are done by wood procurement staff members, often at the direction of ownership or higher-level management.
Harvest Scheduling
Climate Risk: Altered and unpredictable seasonal weather patterns cause landowners to postpone or forego scheduled harvests, disrupting logging opportunities and the supply of wood to mills.
Dilemma
Schedule harvests in years and seasons that accomplish silvicultural goals, protect the site and residual stand and accommodate regeneration goals, in the face of uncertain weather and soil moisture patterns.
Dilemma
Harvest timber profitably while adhering to the landowner harvesting schedule, minimizing downtime and balancing weather-related start-stop patterns in demand for services and products.
Dilemma
Meet wood procurement needs with purchased timber while adhering to publicly approved standards and balancing short-term needs for fiber and long-term needs for supply viability.
Actions
- Determine suitable weather and ground conditions for access and operability;
- Address constraints with suitable conditions, rather than limit by season;
- Provide suitable contract length and extension provisions to ensure time windows providing suitable conditions.
Actions
- Invest in harvesting system best suited to available timber and harvest types;
- Minimize time lost in job transitions;
- Timely administration of requirements;
- Segment harvesting sites by ground conditions and work accordingly;
- Alternate work among multiple harvesting sites, when possible.
Actions
- Request or require long windows for harvesting when possible (1.5–2 years);
- Prioritize harvests of purchased timber by ground conditions;
- Schedule to meet seasonal demand limitations;
- Store harvested inventory with space, timing and safeguards.
Support Activities
- Communicate requirements to loggers and mills well in advance;
- Process contracts and related contractual requirements quickly;
- Be open to discussion of changes in seasonal realities and requirements.
Support Activities
- Provide required certificates, bonds and other documents prior to anticipated start dates;
- Demonstrate readiness to meet contractual requirements.
Support Activities
- Provide required certificates, bonds and other documents prior to anticipated start dates;
- Provide site preparation services for loggers, when appropriate;
- Do not allow trucking to cause delays in job transitions.
Best Management Practices for Water Quality (BMPs)
Climate Risk: Wet ground conditions for longer periods of time than in the past increase direct BMP costs and may require suspending harvesting operations, making logging unprofitable and limiting the supply of wood to mills.
Dilemma
Require BMP compliance while maintaining relationships with other supply chain stakeholders and maintaining harvesting schedules, despite constraints imposed by climate realities.
Dilemma
Require BMP compliance while maintaining relationships with other supply chain stakeholders and maintaining harvesting schedules, despite constraints imposed by climate realities.
Dilemma
Require BMP compliance while maintaining relationships with other supply chain stakeholders and maintaining harvesting schedules, despite constraints imposed by climate realities.
Actions
- Make BMP compliance a timber sale contract requirement;
- Make field inspections and enforce relevant contract requirements;
- Large landowners may allow movement to alternative harvesting sites during job suspensions.
Actions
- Keep excavation equipment on harvesting sites for compliance work;
- Install BMP structures in advance of harvesting;
- Maintain structures during harvesting;
- Schedule to minimize start-stop patterns for compliance;
- Innovate BMP structures and practices.
Actions
- Provide bridges and other structures to suppliers to facilitate BMP compliance;
- Do not source wood from harvesting sites where BMPs are not used;
- Schedule harvests of purchased timber during appropriate ground conditions;
- Stockpile against non-productive periods.
Support Activities
- Learn in-depth BMP compliance methods and demonstrate flexibility in both the use of structures and approval of limited productive activities during wet conditions;
- Host and facilitate BMP compliance training;
- Provide technical assistance.
Support Activities
- Build or obtain portable bridges, steel pipes and wood mats during work suspensions so they are available when ground conditions are suitable;
- Attend BMP training sessions;
- Take advantage of technical assistance.
Support Activities
- Build or obtain portable bridges, steel pipes and wood mats, or facilitate building workshops for suppliers;
- Host and facilitate BMP compliance training;
- Provide technical assistance.
Roads
Climate Risks: Extended wet periods and greater storm intensity increase maintenance costs; local officials may limit public road access at critical times; warmer winters curtail or rule out the use of frozen winter roads in some locations.
Dilemma
Gravel road systems that were adequate in the past now require upgrades and a higher level of maintenance to provide the access necessary for current climate realities. Winter road systems are more challenging to put in service.
Dilemma
Accept the expense of road upgrades in order to work, or forego harvesting opportunities. Post bonds to ensure road damage will be repaired, or forego harvesting opportunities. Learn and apply winter road skills in shorter winters.
Dilemma
Contribute to road upgrade expenses brought on by changes in the climate in order to access wood supplies, or postpone or forego supply opportunities.
Actions
- Upgrade culverts as they are replaced;
- Upgrade all water diversions;
- Add crushed stone to road surfaces in problem areas;
- Close and gate roads against vehicle access during maintenance suspensions;
- Create permanent winter road installations for fast deployment when needed.
Actions
- Weather-conscious trucking decisions and scheduling;
- Coordinate access and operability issues in planning and scheduling work;
- Cooperative participation in minor road improvements that enhance access to harvesting sites.
Actions
- Weather-conscious trucking decisions and scheduling;
- Plan for alternative routes during and after storm events, when possible;
- Accept road improvements and repair as a necessary condition for procuring timber.
Support Activities
- Pair needed road upgrades with timber sale contracts;
- Hold performance bonds during road use to ensure protection and repairs.
Support Activities
- Share information with landowners on observed requirements for road maintenance;
- Share information with landowners and town officials on climate-smart road maintenance and improvements;
- Add road construction and maintenance services to the business model.
Support Activities
- Share information with landowners on observed requirements for road maintenance;
- Share information with landowners and town officials on climate-smart road maintenance and improvements.
Timber Harvesting
Climate Risk: Changes in soil moisture patterns limit logging productivity, undermining the financial sustainability of logging businesses, depriving landowners of harvesting opportunities and limiting the supply of wood to mills.
Dilemma
Select and contract for harvesting with a system best suited to the harvesting prescription, ground conditions and financial requirements.
Dilemma
Select and invest in a business model and harvesting system(s) suitable for the range of harvesting prescriptions and climate-influenced ground conditions, while producing enough to be financially viable.
Dilemma
Contract for harvesting by systems suitable for the sites and harvest types purchased in procurement, taking evolving seasonal weather patterns into account in the timing of supply needs.
Actions
- Set contract requirements for harvesting safeguards;
- Enforce contract requirements before, during and after harvesting;
- Evaluate results and adjust future expectations accordingly.
Actions
- Invest in and maintain equipment;
- Emphasize planning and project management;
- Operate using methods that guarantee both short-term and long-term financial results;
- Advance the art of production and contract compliance.
Actions
- Planning and project management to ensure short-term results and long-term supply;
- Start/stop BMP decisions on harvesting purchased timber;
- Monitor contract harvesting for compliance with contracts and standards.
Support Activities
- Process contracts and related contractual requirements quickly;
- Manage expectations for results with communication, education and monitoring.
Support Activities
- Repair and maintenance system and readiness that minimizes downtime;
- Prompt and thorough administrative support.
Support Activities
- Process contracts and related contractual requirements quickly;
- Manage landowner expectations with communication, education and monitoring;
- Facilitate training and technical assistance for suppliers.
Wood Procurement
Climate Risk: The cumulative impacts of climate change limit harvesting opportunities, timing and production, constraining the supply of wood to mills and requiring an expanded portfolio of procurement methods.
Dilemma
Allow or suspend harvesting activities in ways that meet mill supply needs, match silvicultural goals and protect harvesting sites and road networks from operations when weather and ground conditions are unsuitable.
Dilemma
Take advantage of market opportunities and build reliable supply relationships with mills, while at the same time adhering to best management practices and matching work schedules to climate realities.
Dilemma
Changes in seasonal weather patterns make traditional procurement methods less reliable. Mills must fulfill supply needs from sporadic suppliers who are working to ensure that harvests meet acceptable standards.
Actions
- Monitor weather and ground conditions to make informed decisions on suspending or allowing harvests to commence or restart;
- Hold sufficient bond funds to ensure both protection of resources and timely restoration work.
Actions
- Schedule work to meet seasonal product demands (e.g., hardwood logs in winter and pulpwood in spring or fall);
- Maximize site productivity by matching ground conditions to weather patterns;
- Communicate with suppliers and ask questions about supply needs.
Actions
- Create a spatial menu of supply options that take advantage of variable conditions (trucking, backhaul, remote yards);
- Leverage supply relationships with other mills using complementary products (e.g., logs and wood chips);
- Provide technical assistance and BMP structures to suppliers.
Support Activities
- Host or facilitate training programs that emphasize project management, productivity and protection of natural resources.
Support Activities
- Pursue training and adopt methods that allow productive operations to continue under challenging weather and ground conditions;
- Match equipment choices to climate and wood market realities.
Support Activities
- Bolster training programs that recruit new loggers to the workforce;
- Host or facilitate training programs that emphasize project management, productivity and protection of natural resources.
Forest Pests and Invasive Species
Climate Risk: Changes in the climate have hastened the spread of forest pests and invasive species, shifting harvesting priorities and opportunities and creating an added stewardship burden for forest landowners and public agencies.
Dilemma
Threats to timber values from forest pests, diseases and invasive species are exacerbated by climate change and influence management decisions. Tick-borne illnesses are an increasing threat to landowners and forest workers.
Dilemma
The spread of climate-accelerated pests and invasive species can be hastened by logging and by moving logging equipment. Dead trees pose work hazards. The threat of tick-borne illnesses is spreading in the region.
Dilemma
Climate-accelerated threats to forests from pests, diseases and invasive species pose contractual challenges to purchasing timber and affect the availability of some species of wood.
Actions
- Prevention and control of threats with pesticide applications;
- Pre-emptive and salvage harvesting;
- Timber sale contract requirements for preventive work and threat minimization;
- Seasonal alterations in forest operations;
- Tick awareness and preventative actions.
Actions
- Equipment cleaning and washes between harvesting sites to remove invasive species;
- Altered methods or priorities for salvage and pre-emptive harvests;
- Proactive adaptation to species loss;
- Tick awareness and preventative actions.
Actions
- Procurement staff awareness of locations of forest pest infestations;
- Adhere to species quarantines;
- Supplier requirements for preventative actions;
- Proactive adaptation to species loss;
- Tick awareness and preventative actions.
Support Activities
- Cooperation with state and federal officials in reporting infestations;
- Provide information on forest pests, invasive species and related regulations to forest workers.
Support Activities
- Cooperation with state and federal officials in reporting infestations;
- Provide information on forest pests, invasive species and related regulations to forest workers and landowners.
Support Activities
- Cooperation with state and federal officials in reporting infestations;
- Provide information on forest pests, invasive species and related regulations to suppliers, including landowners.
Adapting from forest to mill
Changes in the climate are having a significant influence on the Northeast’s forest products supply chain, from forest to mill and every step in between. In summary:
- Harvest scheduling has become more challenging, often requiring longer contract terms to ensure that suitable weather conditions will arise;
- BMP compliance has forced innovation among forest products professionals, but also sometimes results in temporary work stoppages, increasing costs while reducing profits;
- Road maintenance and improvements are necessary to accommodate supply chain demands and climate challenges;
- Timber harvesting systems are being adapted in response to climate impacts and threats, embracing local and regional conditions as required;
- In wood procurement, mills have taken creative steps to ensure ample supply during periods when unsuitable harvesting conditions are limiting; and
- A proliferation of forest pests and invasive species has forced adaptation at every link in the forest products supply chain, including mitigation and preventative measures.