The collaborative effort of 77 scientists from federal agencies, research institutions and universities across the country, the report examines ways to understand and mitigate effects of drought on forest and rangeland.

“Among the many benefits of having this solid baseline data is the improved ability to identify where restoration work can help forests adapt and prosper while minimizing the threat and impact of future wildfires,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Major findings from the report include:

• Drought projections show that some regions of the country will become drier, with most experiencing more extreme variations in precipitation. Different scenarios exist for the Smokies region, making its future more difficult to predict than that of the western part of the country, but the area will likely experience more extreme variations in precipitation. 

• Warmer temperatures will likely amplify drought effects, even if current drought patterns don’t worsen. 

• Risk of large wildfires and insect outbreaks might increase as a result of drought and warmer temperatures. 

• Habitats might change in favor of drought-tolerant species as less tolerant trees and shrubs die. The value and quality of forest-based products might decrease.

www.fs.fed.us/sites/default/files/DROUGHT_book-web-1-11-16.pdf.