Mountain spruce forests as hotspots for extremes: impacts, resilience and management priorities (MountEx)

Spruce-dominated mountain forests (SMF) have undergone extreme management changes in the past and will likely endure extreme structural and compositional changes in future due to large-scale disturbances triggered by warming and drought. These forests are the most widespread forest type in Switzerland and are extremely important in providing protection against natural hazards and multiple other ecosystem services. The project goal is to develop guidance and tools for managing SMF under the influence of previously unthinkable, extreme disturbances. Across different spatial scales and approaches, and in close collaboration with stakeholders, this project will contribute to improved decision support for management priorities and strategies related to future extreme disturbances in SMF. The MountEx project is part of the WSL research program Extremes.