Review
A review on impacts and
management of climate change on
forest and forest products
Miftah Fekadu Kedir*1,
2
Abstract
Climate change is caused by
increased atmospheric
composition of greenhouse
gases (GHG) emitted from
fossil fuel combustion,
landuse change and
deforestation. Although
rainfall patterns and
seasonal temperature are
commonly used, the average
surface temperature is a key
global climate variable. CO2
is a major GHG accounting
for more than 75% of the
total GHG. Climate change is
manifested by unpredictable
flood, and drought. The
global mean carbon dioxide
concentration ([CO2])
increased from 280 to
392.6ppm in the period
1750-2012. Climate change
has both positive and
negative impacts on the
growth and production of
forests. Increased [CO2]
has fertilizer effect that
enables C3
plants like most forest
trees to photosynthesize
more and use water
efficiently. However,
climate change reduces
forest composition and
facilitate damages from
pest, and disease that
require appropriate forest
management including
adjusting harvesting
schedule, and modifying
silvicultural treatments.
Watershed management and
indigenous tree planting
practices were some of the
compatible adaptive actions
practiced in Ethiopia to
protect negative impacts of
climate change. For
successful forest
development and research in
the face of climate change
selection of high yielding
species, maintaining
diversity and establishing
of forestry enterprises
should be practiced.
Key words: Climate
change, forest, forest
product, management, and
tree species.
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