Nothern Wisconsin may see some tree species fade with global warming, while southern species may be slow to fill the gap. That according to UW-Madison professor of forest ecology David Mladenoff, who says species like Blasam Fir, Spruce, and Jack Pine are likely to decline as the climate warms.
Meanwhile, the nature of the landscape in Southern and Central Wisconsin may prove to be a barrier to tree species moving north. He says forested areas often sit in patches, with agricultural land dividing them. He says that can make it hard for seeds to make the move north across farmers' fields.
Still, Mladenoff cautions woodland managers not to make any drastic changes now. He does think testing how certain southern Wisconsin species would do when planted up north might be a good idea though. He suggests that might also be done with different genetic stocks of the same species.