Changing Climate, Changing Forests: Exploring the US Forest Service’s 2020 RPA Assessment

Date

July 25, 2023

Time

2:00–3:15 p.m. ET

Participants

Janaki Alavalapati, Terry T. Baker, Ann Bartuska, Tim Foley, Rita Hite, David Lytle, and Homer Wilkes

Event Series

RFF Live

Event Details

What does the future of US forests and rangelands look like in a future defined by climate change? As the impacts of climate change become more tangible, there is renewed focus on the benefits of forests, from carbon storage to biodiversity.

Each decade, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service releases a report on US forest and rangeland conditions and trends. The 2020 Resources Planning Act (RPA) Assessment, released on July 24, uses new and improved analytical tools to assess the effects of socioeconomic and climate change on forest resources, water, natural disasters, wildlife, and more. Ultimately, the report finds that climate change and other factors are threatening critical landscapes across the United States.

On Tuesday, July 25, Resources for the Future (RFF) and the USDA Forest Service unpacked the findings from the 2020 RPA Assessment. Our panel of leading land use, climate, and policy experts explored the implications of our changing forest resources and what can be done to strengthen forests in the United States. The event also featured an opening address by US Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment Homer Wilkes.

Panelists

Janaki Alavalapati, Auburn University
Terry T. Baker, Society of American Foresters
Tim Foley, Southern Group of State Foresters
Rita Hite, American Forest Foundation
David Lytle, USDA Forest Service
Ann M. Bartuska, Resources for the Future (moderator)

Event Video

Topics

Participants

Janaki Alavalapati

Emmet F. Thompson Endowed Dean, Auburn University College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment

Terry T. Baker

Chief Executive Officer, Society of American Foresters

Ann M. Bartuska

Senior Advisor

Ann M. Bartuska is a senior advisor at RFF. Her research focuses on natural resources and forestry, especially a consideration of natural climate solutions through forests and agricultural lands.

Tim Foley

Policy Director, Southern Group of State Foresters

Rita Hite

President and CEO, American Forestry Foundation

David Lytle

Deputy Chief for Forest Service Research and Development, USDA Forest Service

Homer Wilkes

Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment, US Department of Agriculture

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