Assisted forest migration is the intentional, human-assisted movement of species in response to climate change. Assisted migration is only one of many climate adaptation approaches that natural resource managers can use to manage forests for long-term health and productivity under a changing climate. There are different kinds of assisted migration with varying levels of risk.
Assisted population migration involves moving species between seed zones within their current range.
Assisted range expansion involves expanding the current range of a species, but not going farther than what would be possible by natural dispersal by wind, animals, etc.
Assisted species migration is the most high-risk form of assisted migration, and involves moving species farther beyond their native range than would be possible by natural dispersal.
One of these assisted migration strategies may be an option for those with the flexibility to experiment with planting trees on a small scale.
On the climate adaptation spectrum, assisted migration strategies carry a high level of risk, with assisted species migration having the highest associated risk, and therefore should only be implemented on a small scale, with a natural resource professional, and if this strategy fits with your own goals. Assisted migration is not the right option for every site or every woodland steward, and we encourage you to consider all the options in your climate adaptation toolbox.
If you can dedicate extra care to the assisted migration species you plant, monitor how well they perform during our cold winters and stormy summers, and manage those trees appropriately, they will provide additional diversity and resilience to your woodland.
See our tree planting guide, geared toward planting in yards. Forest trees are not typically staked, mulched and watered, but they commonly need tree tubes or fencing to protect them from wildlife, including deer and rabbits. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also has a woodlot tree planting guide.
Work with a forester or another natural resource professional to determine if implementing assisted migration strategies is the best option for your land and goals.
Some tree species have the potential to migrate into new ranges as the habitat becomes more suitable, but there are many unknowns: Are some species already here? Will they survive in Minnesota today so they can thrive in our future climate? What wildlife are using them and how?
We hope you can help us move beyond predictions by providing data through one of our participatory science projects. Become a Tree Tracker to find, identify and report these trees to iNaturalist. If you have planted any of these trees in your yard, join our Tree Steward Journal project to help researchers fill in vital knowledge gaps about the survival, health and ecological interactions of climate migrant trees.
