What may seem like merely an administrative change is actually a signal flare for a changing local climate.
County staff recently determined that due to the increasingly warming climate in Fairfax County, the start to tree planting must move from Sept. 1 to Oct. 1 and that the duration of the window would extend through all of winter. This new tree planting time from Oct. 1 to May 31 ensures the optimal health and survival of newly planted trees.
“Adapting to the changing climate is crucial for the success of establishing newly planted trees," says Adam Lipera, forest conservation chief from Land Development Services. "Warmer temperatures and shifting weather patterns, extreme weather events and changing soil conditions are just a few of the challenges that can significantly impact tree growth and survival as a result of climate change.”
Warmer Autumns and Winters Explain Reason for the Shift
The delayed start of the tree planting window is a direct result of hotter temperatures making it difficult for plants to properly take root and prosper. Young trees do not survive well if they are planted when it is too hot and dry.
According to daily temperature data recorded by the National Weather Service, September temperatures have increased 4 to 6 degrees on average in Fairfax County since 1962. Average temperatures are expected to increase an additional 4.4 to 9 degrees between now and 2085. The extension of the tree planting window through winter is a result of the ground no longer freezing through the winter months, another impact of climate change.
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