Launching Adaptive Silviculture Volume 1 Using NHRI’s Trans-media Approach

At the Northern Hardwoods Research Institute (NHRI), we are excited to introduce?Adaptive Silviculture Volume 1, the first in a series crafted through NHRI's trans-media approach. Designed to engage diverse stakeholders in adaptive silviculture and climate adaptation, this volume reflects our dedication to seamless knowledge transfer for maximum impact.

Our mobilization strategy is central to this approach. By embedding product planning into project workflows from day one, we ensure every NHRI product, service, and communication is purposeful. Through diligent work plans, team collaboration, and proactive knowledge-sharing, we aim to reduce time waste and deliver tangible benefits to our stakeholders.

NHRI’s trans-media format emphasizes accessibility and flexibility, empowering stakeholders to apply insights across projects and regions. This Volume 1 launch is just the start of our commitment to adaptive silviculture, providing practical tools and resources for forestry practitioners today—and for the collaborators of tomorrow.

What is Trans-media? A trans-media approach strategically integrates interconnected content across platforms, creating a cohesive narrative that enhances understanding. By varying the complexity of the content across different formats, this method ensures that each audience type can engage at their level, guiding them through complex topics with clarity and empowering them to apply new insights effectively.

In this suite of products, we are presenting three official products in adaptive silviculture, designed to empower foresters, researchers, and practitioners with innovative climate-smart tools, all reinforced by our newsletter, The Leaflet, as a vital component of our transmedia approach. The three main products are complimented by social media graphics, an infographic, lectures and many standalone figures and tables for practitioner use.

The first product released as part of this package is a technical note: Adaptive Silviculture for New Brunswick’s Mixed and Hardwood Forests: Adaptation to Climate Change in New Brunswick - Technical Note 1: This technical note outlines key adaptation strategies for New Brunswick’s mixed and hardwood forests, guiding practitioners through steps 1 and 2 of the climate change response framework to set objectives and implement effective climate-smart management.

In?Step 1, we lay the groundwork by defining New Brunswick’s forest regions and addressing the complex management objectives within our mixed Acadian and Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forests. In?Step 2, we assess the projected climate changes and the potential impacts on our forests and wood supply if adaptive silviculture isn’t adopted. This technical note also introduces foundational adaptive silviculture concepts for navigating the remaining steps in our climate change response framework.

The second product,?Technical Note 2: Climate Smart Forestry - Expert Panel Insights on Adaptation Strategies for Diverse Management Objectives, explores adaptation strategies from the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science and the Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change (ASCC) network. This note guides us through?Step 3?in the framework by evaluating varied management objectives and providing a “forestry menu” (Swanston et al. 2016) tailored for practitioners and stakeholders, according to a panel of climate change and forest management experts. This ranking system enables users to choose climate adaptation strategies, approaches, and tactics that best align with their goals—whether centred on timber production, biodiversity, or a combination of both. With this technical note, we are also advancing Step 4 of the climate change response framework.

Together, these notes, previous NHRI adaptive silviculture insights, and new graphics, images, and tables form?Adaptive Silviculture Guidebook Volume 1: Climate Change in New Brunswick's Mixed & Hardwood Forests. This guidebook delivers New Brunswick forestry practitioners a practical framework, adaptive strategies, and tools to enhance resilience, productivity, and sustainability in the face of climate change.

The demand for hands-on, accessible, and practical information in today’s workforce is more crucial than ever. In response, we developed a foundational suite of products that includes a repository of standalone images and tables, ideal for use in the field, presentations, and teaching. Building on this, we are creating a microprogram featuring several modules based on concepts from Adaptive Silviculture Volume 1. The next phase will bring Volume 2—a comprehensive guide tailored specifically to stakeholders managing high-quality sugar maple and tolerant hardwood stands, with an emphasis on adapting to climate change in New Brunswick.

Next Steps

Stakeholder Consultation: Gather insights to align Volume 2 with stakeholder needs.

Incorporate Climate Adaptation for Sugar Maple: Include region-specific projections and adaptive strategies focused on sugar maple resilience and health under changing climate conditions.

Retrospective Analysis: Provide insights into past silviculture prescription stands (SPS 2.0) to refine practices.

Support SPS 3.0 Development: Design clear adaptive silviculture options, integrating considerations for wildlife and biodiversity values into our prescription tear sheets and web application.

These steps will ensure Volume 2 is an actionable, field-ready resource for stakeholders focused on climate-adaptive forestry and broader ecosystem objectives.

Looking Ahead

We are excited to collaborate with our partners and stakeholders as we move forward with these next steps. Our goal is to create a resource that not only addresses current challenges but also anticipates future needs in a changing climate. By integrating cutting-edge research, stakeholder feedback, and practical field applications, Volume 2 will be a cornerstone in our shared efforts to promote sustainable and climate-smart forestry. Stay tuned for updates as we continue to evolve our approach and bring innovative solutions to the forestry community.