2025-26 Learning Exchange Series—The Changing South: Climate-Smart Forestry Education and the Southern Forestry Transition
May 6, 2026 3:00PM - 4:00PM
Zoom
Speaker
Puskar Khanal, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Forest Economics & Management
Department of Forestry & Environmental Conservation, Clemson University
Title
The Changing South: Climate-Smart Forestry Education and the Southern Forestry Transition
Description
Since the 1950s, forestry in the southern United States has undergone a significant transition, positioning the region as a global leader in timber production while generating substantial economic benefits. However, the conditions that enabled this growth are rapidly changing. Recent climate projections indicate that the southern United States will become hotter and wetter, with far-reaching implications for forest productivity, species composition, disturbance regimes, and workforce conditions. As a result, climate-smart forestry education is gaining momentum as a critical strategy for navigating this transition. This presentation focuses on the current understanding, perceived needs, and knowledge gaps of forestry and natural resource professionals in the southern U.S., specifically related to Climate Smart Forestry and forest resilience to natural disturbances. It highlights the urgent need for interdisciplinary, climate-informed education to equip the forestry and natural resources professionals with the tools required to manage forests in changing times.
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