Prevent the introduction or establishment of invasive plant species or remove existing invasive species

Nonnative invasive plant species represent a major challenge for land managers, which are expected to intensify into the future as climate change increases habitat for many invasive species, and global trade expansion, agriculture, and other human activities introduce new nonnative species. Nonnative invasive species impact many ecosystem processes critical for carbon cycling in forests, including nutrient cycling (Liao et al. 2008), hydrology (Gordon 1998), and regeneration of native herbaceous and tree species (Aronson and Handel 2011). Current methods for controlling nonnative invasive species emphasize early detection and rapid response to new infestations (Hellman et al. 2008). Over the long term, limitations in available resources may require managers to prioritize which species to eradicate and which to allow to occupy sites based on expected or observed impacts to desired ecosystem functions.

Many forestry practices work directly and indirectly to maintain the integrity of ecosystems in the face of climate change in order to sustain the functions those systems provide. These land management practices seek to preserve or improve soil nutrient cycling, hydrologic functioning, and vegetation characteristics, and wildlife and insect populations that support productive and healthy forests that store and continue to sequester carbon. This adaptation strategy seeks to sustain or enhance ecological functions to reduce the impacts of a changing climate on forest carbon stocks.