In a bid to bolster the resilience of local forests against climate change, King County foresters are planting a bit of the future in the present. Pulling from regions that already experience the kinds of warm, dry conditions predicted for Washington, these forestry experts have kick-started a long-term study with seedlings that might just define the landscapes of tomorrow.

With trees sourced from Southwest Washington, Oregon, and Northern California, the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks is taking a proactive approach. Experts are planting these climate-hardened seedlings in four diverse King County locations, each with its distinct site conditions. Over the next ten years, they'll observe survival rates and overall tree health to see how these newcomers fare,

It's all part of King County's 30-Year Forest Plan, an initiative spearheaded by Executive Dow Constantine aimed at nurturing the tree canopy and overall forest health for generations to come. This plan isn't just about the present beauty of King County forests, but their ongoing vitality and ecological contribution well into the future.

"We are taking action to ensure that the forests of King County – recognized around the world for their ecological value and spectacular beauty – remain healthy and productive into the next century," Constantine said, as per King County. Indeed, the seeds sown today are a foundation for a climate-resilient heritage – a legacy, that King County hopes will stand the test of time and temperature shifts.

The details of the study, and the broader aims of the 30-Year Forest Plan, highlight a strategic shift towards adaptive ecology. In doing so, King County is not only acknowledging the imminent shifts forecasted by climate models but is actively preparing the local environment for the challenges ahead.