Rebecca R. Sharitz
Savannah River Ecology Laboratory
Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802
803/725-5679, Fax: 803/725-3309
sharitz@srel.edu

Christopher D. Barton
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY

Diane De Steven
USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station
Stoneville, MS.

Description
Studies of bottomland forest restoration in the southeastern United States indicate that success can be improved by protecting planted tree seedlings from herbivores and selectively controlling competing vegetation, although such measures may be costly (Allen and others 2001). These studies are primarily from river floodplains, where flooding usually occurs during the dormant season and seedlings are susceptible to damage by river animals such as beaver and nutria. Reforesting “isolated” depressional wetlands may present different challenges, such as growing-season ponding that exposes seedlings to flooding stress. Although isolation from river systems might lessen the risk of herbivory, controlling competition may be undesirable because herbaceous cover is often a goal when restoring these wetlands.

SREL Reprint #2981