Paul A. Harcombe 1997 Forests of the coastal plain region of the southeastern United States are among the most productive in North America. Because they form the basis of a large timber and wood products industry, these forests are of considerable economic importance. Also, the forests are rich in plant and animal species. Because they are diverse as well as productive, they have considerable conservation importance. Therefore, understanding potential impacts of climate change on southern forests is critical. application/pdf 10.3133/fs09397 en U.S. Geological Survey Effects of climate change on southeastern forests reports