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Weather & Science

US Forests Are Failing to Keep Up With Climate Change

A new study shows forests are adapting to hotter and drier conditions, but not nearly fast enough.

In recent years rampant wildfires and beetle infestations have decimated millions of acres of trees, driven in part by rising temperatures.

In recent years rampant wildfires and beetle infestations have decimated millions of acres of trees, driven in part by rising temperatures.

Photographer: Jen Osborne/Bloomberg

When it comes to saving the planet from the ravages of climate change, protecting forests is a high priority for almost everyone.

At the current rate of warming, though, forests may not be able to adapt fast enough to stay healthy, according to a study out Monday in the journal Proceedings of  the National Academy of Sciences.  That has adverse implications for everything from carbon storage to biodiversity.