The Wordsmith's Forge

Monarch butterflies could be wiped out by 2090. To save them, scientists are relocating an entire forest

On the slopes of the Nevado de Toluca volcano, about 80 miles away from the current biosphere, scientists are creating that new home — and helping the oyamel fir forests migrate there, too.

The technique is aptly called “assisted migration,” and would ideally situate the forest at a higher elevation to protect the species they house.


This is a great idea.

However, it's not actually new. Ricing cultures of Turtle Island have long carried wild rice to seed in new waters. You throw some in the next suitable body of water, just beyond its current range in your area, in case the manoomin feels like traveling. This helps it cope with changing conditions of all sorts -- it's rather fussy about its growing parameters -- and is one way that humans thank it for feeding them.

So to adapt this for backyard use in our times: if you're having trouble with climate change, try growing plants for one zone warmer than your current zone. This will work in the vast majority of places that are growing hotter. Only a few are growing colder. Similarly, many are getting drier but a few are getting wetter. Look up conditions for your locale, then look for plants suited to its changing conditions.