Amid increasing wildfires, researchers investigate how old-growth rainforests on the West Coast could adapt to the changing climate.
Madeline Ostrander reports for Hakai Magazine.
In short:
- Brian Harvey and his team study the regeneration of old-growth rainforests after wildfires, noting the importance of these forests for carbon storage.
- Despite typically wet conditions that deter fires, recent climate trends and dry spells have led to more frequent and severe wildfires in these regions.
- The resilience of these forests is under scrutiny, with efforts to understand how they can be protected in the face of escalating fire risks.
Key quote:
“The dynamics of these forests really unfold over multiple human lifetimes."
— Brian Harvey, University of Washington forest fire ecologist
Why this matters:
As wildfires continue to flare up with increasing frequency and intensity on the West Coast, a question arises: How will the region’s ancient rainforests withstand the onslaught of climate change? These verdant expanses, some of which have stood for millennia, are iconic landscapes and also act as vital ecological strongholds that harbor a rich biodiversity and play a crucial role in carbon sequestration.
