Take a look at this map, and notice how the climate zones have changed over the last 17 years. For those concerned with gardening, landscaping, and agriculture, it’s pretty obvious that areas that were once too cold for certain kinds of plants are suddenly warm enough to find themselves in an entirely new zone. Warmer weather plants that were limited to southern climate zones can now grow in climate zones further north.
From a natural point of view, this points to an ongoing problem of climate change, but from a political point of view, it’s worth noting that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has been working on updating its climate map for nearly four years, but hasn’t produced a finished product. (Thanks to reader B.M. for the tip.)
A warming climate has required a new look at what plants and trees can be grown in what parts of the country, according to the National Arbor Day Foundation. The nonprofit tree-advocacy group has put together its own version of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “hardiness-zone” map….
The foundation created the revised map after its members kept asking about an update and providing feedback about species that were thriving in areas contrary to the USDA zones, he said. The problem with the USDA map is that it uses 1990 information, [Woody Nelson, spokesman for the National Arbor Day Foundation] said. “The climate has gotten so much warmer since then,” he said. “Our understanding is that the USDA has been working on an update for years, beginning back in 2003.
“They never get around to announcing when they’ll get it done. In the meantime, millions of people want to plant trees and gardens, and we just wanted to get on with it.”
Both maps are based on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration climate data, but the foundation uses the more recent information. That makes a difference, because the 10 warmest years on record — records that officials began keeping about 1880 — were logged during the last 15 years, according to NOAA. Last year is in the No. 1 slot as the warmest.
The USDA, which started working on a new map in 2003, said an update should probably be available in the “near future.” One hates to be cynical, but do you suppose the Agriculture Department doesn’t want to help highlight global warming trends and their impact on U.S. climates? Just throwing that out there as a possibility.
Reader B.M. has already crafted an administration response: “You can’t trust plants. Agriculture has a well known liberal bias.”