Termine

18.10.2010 - 20.10.2010

Opportunities and Risks for Douglas-fir in a Changing Climate

Freiburg

Douglas-fir's importance for forest management is not restricted to its sweeping natural North American range, where Douglas-fir is among the most important tree species.The species has been successfully introduced in many forests around the world including Europe and New Zealand. Since the introduction of the first "exotic" Douglas-fir individuals in Europe in the 19th century, the species has received increasing interest as a forest tree. It has rapidly developed into the most widespread non-indigenous tree species of major economic importance in Germany and France. The reasons behind this amazing track record are the species' tremendous growth potential, its valuable timber, and robustness.

In Germany, in the context of climate change Douglas-fir is again receiving increased attention. Quite a number of tree species currently present in Central Europe display the potential to cope successfully with increasingly warmer and drier climatic conditions. However, among these species the economic potential of Douglas-fir is unrivalled. This renders the species a major issue in the current discussions about forest management strategies mitigating climate change effects. This conference is intended to provide a platform for the exchange of state-of-the-art knowledge on Douglas-fir in particular dealing with opportunities and risks related to European climate change issues. This includes the species' potential for adaptation, growth, biotic disturbance factors, and effective silvicultural management strategies.

www.douglas-fir2010.de