Climate-Smart Forestry at the Hillsdale Preserve

URI Forestry Specialist and Research Associate Christopher Riely will lead a tour of a 40-acre research site at RI DEM's Hillsdale Preserve in Richmond, RI, that provides soon-to-be implemented examples of different climate-adaptive forestry approaches. The Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change project is an effort to test experimental stewardship strategies in different forest ecosystems in the United States and Canada, with the Southern New England Exurban Oak affiliate site being our local example. Partners from UConn, URI, and RI DEM are implementing three different silvicultural cuts (in addition to an unmanaged control) in adjacent areas of an oak-hickory forest that is experiencing forest health issues exacerbated by climate stress. We will discuss how “climate-smart” principles can be incorporated into traditional best management practices.

We will meet at the entrance to the site off Old Mountain Road, Richmond, RI 02898, where there is a small pull-off on the southeast side of the road and a chained entrance to an old woods road. GPS coordinates are (41.5324700, -71.656970). We will be walking both on the historic road and off-trail through the woods where thorny vines and many dead oak trees are present; please wear long pants and sturdy footwear.

Note: Instead of the GPS coordinates, one can use the following approximate street address although it is not as precise: 47 Old Mountain Road, Richmond, RI 02898