Forests are central to the Southeast’s economy, environment, and communities. South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama include some of the nation’s most productive forestlands, from working timberlands and planted pine forests to longleaf pine systems, bottomland forests, and other natural forests. These forests are being affected by changing temperatures, drought, hurricanes, pests, wildfire, and other extreme events. These pressures can influence forest health, growth, wildlife habitat, water resources, management costs, and long-term economic returns. Forestry professionals and Extension agents need practical, regionally relevant knowledge to help landowners understand these changes and make sound decisions.
The Southeastern Climate-Smart Forestry Education Module builds that capacity through four connected learning topics: understanding Southern forestry, preparing for future conditions, managing for climate and carbon benefits, and improving forest adaptation and resilience. Together, these topics help professionals connect climate information with the forestry decisions they make every day. The module translates climate science into clear, usable guidance for the Southeast. It supports professionals as they assess risks, consider management options, communicate with landowners, and develop strategies that maintain healthy, productive, and resilient forests over time.
Key learning objectives
By completing the module, participants will be able to:
- Understand regional climate-related challenges to sustainable forestry
Recognize how changing conditions and extreme events—including drought, hurricanes, pests, wildfire, and shifting growing conditions—may affect southeastern forests and forest-based businesses. - Apply climate-smart management approaches
Use regional information, practical tools, and balanced management strategies to reduce risks, support forest health, improve resilience, and maintain long-term productivity and climate benefits. - Provide useful guidance to landowners and stakeholders
Translate climate and forestry information into clear recommendations that reflect local conditions, management goals, policies, and stakeholder needs.
Three practical learning topics
1. Southern Forestry and Risks
This topic introduces the importance, diversity, and changing nature of forestry in the Southeast. Participants explore how forest productivity and management practices have evolved, along with the role of sustainable forestry and certification systems.
The topic also examines climate-related risks affecting southern forests, including drought, hurricanes, pests, wildfire, and changing growing conditions. Through regional examples and practical scenarios, learners consider how these risks may affect forest health, timber production, wildlife habitat, water resources, management costs, and landowner goals.
2. Managing for Carbon and Mitigation Benefits
Forests can help address climate change by storing carbon and supporting other environmental benefits. This topic introduces the role of southeastern forests in climate mitigation and helps participants consider carbon as part of a broader forest management strategy.
Learners explore how management decisions may influence carbon storage, forest productivity, wildlife habitat, water resources, and economic outcomes. The emphasis is on balanced planning that considers multiple benefits and avoids focusing on carbon alone.
3. Managing for Resilience and Adaptation
This topic focuses on helping forests remain healthy and productive as environmental conditions change. Participants explore practical approaches for reducing vulnerability, improving forest resilience, and supporting recovery after disturbances.
Learners consider how forest characteristics, site conditions, management goals, and anticipated risks can guide decision-making. The topic highlights strategies that help forests withstand climate-related stresses while continuing to provide economic, ecological, and community benefits over time.
Module Highlights
Flexible delivery
The module can be offered through online, in-person, or blended learning formats. This flexibility allows organizations to use the curriculum in professional certificate programs, Extension trainings, workshops, and local educational events. Online materials may include short video or podcast introductions, narrated presentations, interactive exercises, multiple-choice knowledge checks, and downloadable resources. In-person sessions can add discussion, guided practice, demonstrations, and opportunities to apply concepts to local forests and management situations. The modular structure allows instructors to present the full curriculum or select individual topics based on audience needs. Participants can learn at their own pace online, or engage in facilitated sessions with peers and subject-matter experts. The format also makes it easier for professionals to revisit materials when preparing management recommendations or educational programs.
Practical tools and resources
Participants receive access to a digital educational toolbox containing workbooks, fact sheets, websites, mobile resources, apps, and decision-support tools. These materials provide additional information for applying climate-smart forestry principles to local management decisions.
Support for Extension and outreach
The module is designed to strengthen the connection between research, climate science, forestry practice, and community education. It gives Extension agents and technical service providers understandable materials they can use when working with landowners, forest managers, community groups, and other stakeholders.
Resources can support one-on-one consultations, landowner workshops, field demonstrations, presentations, and follow-up conversations. The workbook and digital materials can also serve as a starting point for developing local educational programs tailored to specific forest types, climate concerns, and management goals. By building confidence in both the subject matter and the available tools, the module helps Extension professionals explain climate-smart forestry in practical terms and guide landowners toward informed, locally appropriate actions.
