Did you know our Plant Hardiness Zone is changing?
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I've been tucked away in the office this unusually warm winter delving into data, technical reports, and research looking into the intersection of noxious weeds, native vegetation, Montana wildlife, and climate change. The latest research findings have me particularly preoccupied, especially the recent update to the USDA plant hardiness zones. It's more than just a new map— it's a story etched in temperature shifts and a testament to the pressures we are feeling here in Park County.
The newly released 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, compiled using data from a whopping 13,412 weather stations (nearly double the 7,983 used in the previous map), presents a fascinating picture of changing climate patterns. Notably, half of the country has shifted towards warmer zones, including significant portions of Alaska, while the other half remains unchanged.
Western Montana generally warmed, with some areas in the valleys moving from zone 4a to 5a and even 6a. Mountainous areas may have seen smaller changes or even stayed the same. Eastern Montana shows more mixed changes, with some areas warming and others seeing little to no difference. The high plains remained predominantly in zones 4a and 4b.
Park County has seen a warming trend, with lower elevations transitioning from primarily zone 4b to a majority of zone 5a. For Park County wild habitat landowners, this warming trend presents both challenges and opportunities.
On the one hand, warmer temperatures could lead to the encroachment of invasive species, disrupt established wildlife migration patterns, and alter plant communities. As the ideal range for noxious weeds expands northward, they could outcompete native vegetation (crucial for wildlife habitat and movement), increase the impact of drought, flooding, and the risk of wildfire, as well as impacting established agricultural systems.
This means proactive land management practices are now a necessity, such as early detection and removal of invasive weeds, diversifying plant communities to increase resilience, and potentially altering grazing regimes to accommodate changing forage availability.
On the other hand, warmer temperatures may also create opportunities for introducing new native plant species that were previously unable to thrive in the area. This opens doors for exploring innovative habitat restoration techniques that can benefit both wildlife and the overall health of your land.
This isn't just a story for scientists, and farmers; it's a chapter in the ongoing narrative of our relationship with the environment. The shifting hardiness zones, however minor, serve as a reminder that adapting to a changing climate is the new normal. Mitigation may no longer be a choice, but a necessity.
So, what's the takeaway? Knowledge is power, and awareness is the first step towards action. Familiarize yourself with the updated zones, and the most common invasive species, explore climate-resilient landscaping and management practices, and support initiatives that promote sustainable solutions and innovation when it comes to safeguarding our working and wild lands from the pressures of drought, flood, invasive species, and wildfire.
How can you stay informed and get involved? Sign up to be a PCEC volunteer to stay informed on opportunities we have coming up this spring. Here are some of PCEC’s initiatives that work on building resilience aimed to educate, connect, and protect our wild and working lands:
Livingston Loves Trees: This initiative was started in 2021 to enhance equity, diversity, and overall resilience in our urban forest that is at risk from the growing threat of the emerald ash borer. Collaborating with dedicated community volunteers, local landscaping businesses, and generous donors, we set an ambitious goal to plant 1,000 new tree species over the next decade.
Noxious Weed Monitoring Program: This initiative, started in 2022, focuses on treatment efficacy monitoring, invasive species education, and helping Park County landowners gain access to resources needed to create and implement integrated weed management strategies.
Wild Seed Initiative (new): This education and citizen science initiative, beginning this spring, aims to educate Park County residents with hands-on opportunities to test seed efficacy and planting practices for native species. Ultimately, this initiative could provide valuable data on what native seed mixes are the most resilient in Park County.
Let's keep the conversation going, share our observations, talk with our neighbors, and build on our local knowledge and resilience.