Negative human impact on temperate deciduous forest

Forests occupy nearly a third of Earth’s land surface, providing humans and countless other species with a wide range of benefits and services — from ecological functions such as water and air purification to goods such as lumber and paper.

But according to a recent report released by the United Nations, climate change is expected to worsen over the next century as greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase, a trend that experts say will have consequences for the health of forests worldwide.

At NC State’s College of Natural Resources, Robert Scheller is examining the impacts of climate change and human activities on long-term landscape health and developing models to forecast landscape change to inform policy and management decisions.

Scheller’s most recent book, “Managing Landscapes for Change,” explores how future landscapes will be shaped by pervasive change and where, when, and how society should manage landscapes for change. 

We recently spoke with Scheller, a profe