Climate Forward Trees

In 2021 the University of California Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County partnered with the City of Santa Rosa to develop a recommend palette of tree species that are likely to thrive in our projected climate in the years 2050-2100. Forecasted changes in our region’s climate will require heightened focus and forward-thinking programs that will enable the community and its residents to thrive. Trees provide critical ecosystem services and are an effective, inexpensive way for individuals to participate in solutions to address climate change and its impacts. Our Climate Forward Trees project was modelled after a University of California at Davis project called Climate Ready Trees. We utilized California climate change projection tools, using a methodology called “substitution of space for time”, to project the future climate for Santa Rosa and select a city with a current climate similar to the projected climate of Santa Rosa. We used a weighting model based on 8 selection criteria to rate the trees. The list of Climate Forward Trees that our program developed will be part of a comprehensive outreach campaign to promote the use of appropriate species to plant now that will thrive in the future. For more information on our Climate Forward Trees project and planting & maintaining healthy trees, watch the following UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County videos: