To the editor:
My name is Olivia Morrison and I am a high school student studying climate change. Forests occupy about a third of the country’s land area in the U.S. They provide clean water and air, recreation, wildlife habitat, carbon storage, climate regulation, and natural products. These are important to the lives of humans and the wellbeing of the planet. Climate greatly contributes to forest health and impacts the function of forest ecosystems. Changes in the climate may worsen threats to forests including wildfires, droughts, geographic shifts, insect outbreaks, and invasive species. Wildfires are fueled by dry conditions resulting from droughts. Increased temperatures make droughts more severe, resulting in higher risks of fires when temperatures rise. The effects of wildfires are catastrophic; in 2011, over 8 millions acres of land were burned, causing over 1.9 billion in damages and multiple deaths. Geographic shifts pose a threat to forests. Warming temperatures can shift geographic ranges of tree species, causing them to move north or to higher altitudes. Species may be unable to survive in their current geographic ranges if conditions are unsuitable. Insect outbreaks can defoliate, weaken, and kill trees, while invasive plant species displace native vegetation. Climate change can benefit invasive plants that are more tolerant to changing environmental conditions. Healthy forests are crucial to the survival of the planet because of their resources, habitats, and balancing effect on the climate. We must protect them by acting on climate change.
Olivia Morrison
Bedford
NH Youth Climate
Legislative Council