Dear Colleagues,

Humans have manipulated forests throughout history, often with dramatic consequences for these ecosystems. In general, however, forests have been remarkably resilient to human disturbances. Forests are now prone to more novel and pervasive disturbances, such as anthropogenic climate change, nitrogen saturation, increasingly intense wildfires, and invasive pests and pathogens. These disturbances may not only reduce the supply of forest products needed for a growing human population, but also threaten vital ecological services provided by forests. The enormous biodiversity of forests is also put at risk by these disturbances, particularly if forest managers need to fill the gap in wood production through the establishment of monocultures of high-yielding tree species. Forest managers have typically been as resilient as the forests they manage, but are now at the front lines confronting novel disturbances that may significantly and negatively alter the composition and function of forests. There are many tools available, including the establishment of more species-diverse forests, assisted migration, silvicultural treatments to reduce the risk of fire and pest outbreaks, biological pest and pathogen controls, and genetic engineering of tree species. I hope that this Special Issue will attract forest scientists from all fields of study who can document the threats to forests from current anthropogenic disturbances, model the possible outcomes, and, most importantly, propose novel solutions for forest management to mitigate the negative impact of these disturbances and preserve the ecological integrity of forests.

Dr. Todd Fredericksen
Guest Editor

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• anthropogenic disturbances
• climate change
• invasive species
• wildfire
• biodiversity
• ecosystem services
• forest management
• silviculture