We here in Charlestown are justifiably proud of our scenic beauty and natural landscapes. How will a changing climate affect the flowering times and types of plants we see around us? A new project announced on Friday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) aims to answer that question.
“Climate change is happening now, and it’s beginning to affect the things we care about, such as our treasured gardens, parks and natural landscapes,” said NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco in a press release. “This new partnership provides a special opportunity for NOAA to connect with gardeners and communities across the nation to help everyone better understand what changes in local climate mean for the plants, trees and landscaped areas around them.”
Already, at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, Director Paul Redman said in the press release that researchers have observed that “plants are flowering earlier on average 1 day per decade over the last 150 years.” And according to NOAA, not only are some plants blooming earlier, but others are migrating from their traditional growing and planting zones. In fact, planting zones have changed in the past 10 years, and if the trend continues, plants normally grown in the south will start to be seen here up north.
The project uses NOAA climate data to create maps showing how changes in average annual minimum temperatures affect which plants grow best where, information that can help gardeners, landscapers, and farmers. The goal is to develop a public clearinghouse for information about climate change and adaptation—information that is vital to the local economy, as our number one industry is turf and landscaping plants.