Solutions

Over the coming decades, several direct drivers of change are expected to affect southern forests and their ability to provide ecosystem services. These direct drivers include suburban encroachment, climate change, reversion of agricultural land, forest management practices, surface mining, pest and pathogen outbreaks, invasive species, and fire. Going forward, what types of incentives, markets, and practices—collectively called “measures”—could help ensure that southern forests continue to supply needed ecosystem services and the native biodiversity that supports it? This chapter explores this question and outlines a number of measures, albeit not an exhaustive list. Although public policies have an important role to play in sustaining southern forests, this chapter primarily concentrates on non-policy measures.