Climate Cast ®

Researchers plant ‘climate-smart’ trees from the south to save forests up north

Lake Vermillion
A treetop view off a hiking trail in Lake Vermilion State Park in Minnesota, showed a valley of aspen pine trees that run up to the shore of a 61-square mile lake featuring dozens of islands. The state acquired about 3,000 acres of rustic land in 2008.
Brian Bakst | 2013

Climate change is putting stress on the traditional spruce and pines in Minnesota’s northern forests — and there’s real concern about their future.

So, researchers are planting trees from the southern parts of our state in hopes of saving our northern forests.

It’s called assisted migration and University of Minnesota professor Julie Etterson is studying if it can be an effective strategy for reforesting and fighting climate change.

Listen back to the full conversation. Click play on the audio player above or subscribe to the Climate Cast podcast.

Dear reader,

Political debates with family or friends can get heated. But what if there was a way to handle them better?

You can learn how to have civil political conversations with our new e-book!

Download our free e-book, Talking Sense: Have Hard Political Conversations, Better, and learn how to talk without the tension.

Volume Button
Volume
Now Listening To Livestream
MPR News logo
On Air
BBC World Service