Minnesota Forests and Climate Change

Minnesota lies at the intersection of three biomes: boreal forests of spruce, fir, pine, birch and aspen, temperate forests of maple, oak and basswood, and grasslands/ oak savannas. This unique location of our state makes it uniquely vulnerable to large changes in ecosystem types as the climate changes. With a business-as-usual climate change scenario, boreal forests in northern Minnesota are likely to be replaced by temperate forests and oak savanna by the end of the 21st Century. This will also lead to changes in the wildlife, which are dependent on the vegetation. More fires, windstorms, droughts, insect outbreaks, earthworm invasion and high deer populations will exacerbate and accelerate these changes.

Speaker Biography: Lee E. Frelich received a Ph.D. in Forest Ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1986. Frelich teaches courses in Forest Fire Ecology and Landscape Ecology, has authored more than 150 publications including major works for Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press. His research has been featured in the news media over 400 times, including such venues as The New York Times, Newsweek, and National Geographic.

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