Volunteers help identify, cultivate trees expected to thrive in warmer woodlands
When ice breaks loose and ground thaws along Lake Superior, Doug Kmoch eagerly visits the 200 acres of Cook County land he and his wife bought near Schroeder in early 2022.
“Julie and I put in about 1,000 white pines in the last two years,” says Kmoch, who also added white cedar and sugar maples, tamarack for wetter areas, and important understory shrubs like chokecherries.
The participant in University of Minnesota Extension’s Minnesota Woodland Steward program is improving his land in the northern region, which was significantly altered by old-growth logging and fires in the early 1900s. The white birch on their land is hitting the end of its 100-year life cycle and is vulnerable to blowdowns, magnifying the need to replace trees.
Extension has developed a climate-ready woodlands list of native trees expected to thrive 50 -100 years from now. This list covers 11 geographic areas of Minnesota and factors in expectations for warmer, wetter weather.
They also identified tree species that are projected to be vulnerable to this weather and may benefit from extra stewarding in ‘refugia’ areas that remain more stable over time.
“We are essentially providing a toolbox of options to woodland owners and stewards for how they can adapt to climate change,” says Anna Stockstad, Extension educator based in Cloquet.
Anticipating forest change
In creating the recommendations, Extension forestry staff avoided species with critical health concerns, such as ash trees threatened by emerald ash borers. They added complementary native plants — from wildflowers to shrubs — that play key roles in a healthy ecosystem.
In general, researchers expect ecosystems to shift north. That may mean oak, maple and eastern black walnut will push into boreal forest areas known for aspen, spruce and fir. More southern species such as pecan, red bud and tulip tree may have suitable habitat further north than their current range.
“We do not know what is going to be coming down the pike with climate, and there are always going to be disturbances like big floods or droughts,” says Stockstad. “Biodiversity will be extremely important for resilience.”
Efforts big and small can help
Kmoch is among three dozen volunteers monitoring unexpected species in their regions. He is journaling observations of a bur oak along Highway 61 with the guidance of Angie Gupta, regional Extension forestry educator. These observations offer clues for how particular species might fare north of current growing zones.
“I am always eager to try new things in small areas to help further understanding,” says Kmoch. The couple wants the forest to thrive for their children and generations to come.
Even without a large property, Minnesotans can make a difference with landscaping in yards and patios. Each effort supports pollinators, which support wildlife, and can help people feel less powerless about climate change.
“We want people to have hope and agency,” says Gupta. “We can all be part of this.”
Grassroots seed collecting needed
To mitigate the impact of climate change and capture carbon, The Nature Conservancy set an ambitious goal of planting a million acres of new trees to reforest Minnesota by 2040. That breaks down to roughly 781 million new tree seedlings per year.
“What we do not have is the seed supply,” says Eli Sagor, Extension forestry specialist. Sagor and Extension educators, along with The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Forest Service and other partners, hosted workshops in fall 2024 to raise awareness and train Minnesotans.
The workshops included demonstrations of dissecting acorns to check on the seeds’ development and harvesting pine cones with tools that resembled a giant slingshot and extra-long fruit picker.
It can be challenging to start collecting seed, but these and future trainings led by Kira Pollack, an Extension educator based in Andover, aim to equip volunteers with the knowledge and confidence to find good seed trees and gather quality seed.
State and county seed orchards
Mark Westphal, a Carlton County land commissioner managing 73,000 forest acres, has about 40 acres with prime white spruce, white, red and jack pines used for seeds. He also gets his kids involved in collecting acorns in his own back yard.
Carlton County is one of 15 northern Minnesota counties managing 2.8 million acres of forest, Westphal says, and every additional volunteer willing to collect seeds will help meet the reforestation goal and strengthen existing forests with more diversity.
“We cannot build in the resilience economically and ecologically if people are not collecting these species,” he says.
Adds Sagor, “It is going to take many, many hands to make this happen.”
Help reforest Minnesota
The most desired species may shift from year to year, but varieties Extension is focused on collecting seed from include:
- Black walnut
- Swamp white oak
- Northern red oak
- Bur oak
- Yellow birch
- Silver maple
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also seeks seeds from close to two dozen tree species, with the highest need for jack pine and black spruce.
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