
New England and Northern New York
Stretching from the coast of the Atlantic Ocean to the peaks of the Appalachian Mountains, this region covers more than 50 million acres. Regional forests and natural ecosystems provide numerous cultural, economic, and environmental benefits, and are facing increasing threats from a changing climate. Warmer and more variable conditions are already impacting the region’s forests, increasing damage from extreme precipitation events and insect pests. Future changes could dramatically alter the landscape that characterizes the region.

Vulnerability Assessment
The report New England and Northern New York Forest Ecosystem Vulnerability Assessment and Synthesis: A Report from the New England Climate Change Response Framework Project details how climate change is affecting the region's 40 million acres of forest, which provide numerous cultural, economic, and environmental benefits. The report, which has more than 30 authors, provides a foundation of information that land managers can use to make ecosystems more resilient and adaptable to future conditions.
Download the Forest Vulnerability Assessment
Featured Resources
Climate Change Projections for Tree Species
The region's forests will be affected by a changing climate during this century, but individual tree species will respond uniquely to climate change, depending on their particular silvics and ecological tolerances. These handouts summarize general climate change projections for tree species across the region based on future projections. The general trends derived from these models can be combined with local knowledge and management experience to judge risk on a particular site.
View New England Tree Species Projections
Forest Climate and Action Scorecard
This booklet is designed to help private landowners consider climate change in the context of their woods, and also to help landowners effectively talk with consulting foresters about their goals, potential risks, and actions they would like to take. This booklet contains four separate "Scorecards" to help landowners think about forests at a property-level, focused on topics such as forest diversity, structure, regeneration, and other factors. Each Scorecard is accompanied by a list of Climate-informed Actions that might help landowners address the greatest risks.
Southern New England Resources
Massachusetts Landowner and Forester Guides
The Massachusetts "Caring for your Woods" series was developed for landowners to help them consider how climate change may affect their woods and understand how to enhance forest carbon benefits while ensuring forests are healthy and productive over the long term.
View the Massachusetts Caring for Your Woods Guides
A series of management guides were developed to assist foresters in integrating climate change information into the management plans they write and projects they implement to support forest resilience and forest carbon mitigation.
View Managing Forests for Climate Change and Carbon in MA
Rhode Island Landowner and Natural Resource Professional Guides
These landowner and professional guides were adapted for Rhode Islanders and professionals interested in learning about climate-smart forestry practices to address climate change impacts in woodlands they own or care for.
View the Rhode Island Guides for Increasing Forest Resiliency
Oak Resiliency Assessment Tool
The Oak Resiliency Assessment Tool enables natural resource professionals and landowners to assess the resiliency of oak forests and explore relevant adaptation actions for a property.

Work with us
The vulnerability assessment provides critical information about how climate change is expected to affect this region and serves as a starting point for other Framework activities.
- Explore Adaptation Demonstrations in this region, where land mangers are integrating climate change information into real-world projects.
- View upcoming trainings and workshops.
- Contact a climate change adaptation specialist focused on this area.