Stanford-led study reveals a fifth of California’s Sierra Nevada conifer forests are stranded in habitats that have grown too warm for them

Media coverage of a new Stanford-led study, which found that Sierra Nevada conifers are stranded in habitats which have grown too warm for them.

The New York Times | Mar 6, 2023 | Mapping California’s ‘Zombie’ Forests | Reporting on recent Stanford-led research studying the effects of a warming climate on conifer forests of the Sierra Nevada. 

Business Insider | Mar 6, 2023 | California's 'zombie forests' are 'cheating death' as the climate has changed so drastically it's no longer able to support them | Chris Field and Avery Hill on recent research regarding impending ecological transitions in conifer forests and beyond.

NPR | Mar 13, 2023 | Climate is changing too quickly for the Sierra Nevada's 'zombie forests' | New research discusses the environmental mismatch between climate and conifers. 

Smithsonian Magazine | Mar 10, 2023 | California’s ‘Zombie Forests’ Are Cheating Death—but Maybe Not for Long | Stanford researchers map conifer forest transitions amidst a changing climate. 

Futurity | Mar 8, 2023 | Zombie forests' are stuck in regions that are too warm | Stanford-led research finds that Sierra Nevada conifer environments have grown too warm for the trees to survive future disturbances. 

Science Blog | Feb 23, 2023 | CA Forests Are Stranded In Habitats That Have Grown Too Warm | Lead author Avery Hill notes the role of environmental mapping in the allocation of limited forest management time and resources.

Sierra Sun Times | Mar 1, 2023 | Stanford-Led Study Reveals a Fifth of California’s Sierra Nevada Conifer Forests Are Stranded in Habitats That Have Grown Too Warm for Them | Chris Field discusses the importance of managing Sierra forests.  

New Scientist | Mar 3, 2023 | Warming temperatures are creating 'zombie forests' in California | Study conclusions include the finding that conifers may not regrow if wiped out by wildfire or disease.

Sierra Club | Mar 1, 2023 | The Forests of the Sierra Nevada Are Full of Zombies | Avery Hill notes that warmer environments inhibit conifers from surviving and reproducing.

National Parks Traveler | Mar 2, 2023 | Study: Some Sierra Nevada Forests Are Being Stranded By Climate Change | Computer simulations run by researchers found shifted elevation ranges of conifer trees in the Sierra. 

Nature World News | Mar 1, 2023 | Warmer Temperatures in Some Areas in California’s Sierra Nevada Forests Affects Conifers and Other Trees | Researchers find that conifer forests need specific conditions to survive wildfire-- conditions that aren't as common anymore. 

Brightly.Eco | Mar 6, 2023 | Climate Change Is Creating 'Zombie Forests' In California | Chris Field says that protection and management of Sierra Nevada conifer forests should be taken seriously.