A Guide to Bottomland Hardwood Restoration

Abstract

The primary focus of this guide is to provide information for land managers and landowners who want to reestablish bottomland hardwood forest vegetation, particularly the trees, on lands where they formerly occurred. Restoration and reforestation are approached with the realization that hydrology, as the driving force of wetland ecosystems, must be explicitly considered in all projects. Without the proper hydrologic regime for the site conditions and tree species selected for planting, it is unlikely that a project will be a success. It is assumed that the goal of the audience using this guide is at least the reestablishment of bottomland hardwood forest systems and hopefully the restoration of all functions and values associated with these forests (e.g., storage of floodwaters, water quality improvement, provision of wildlife habitat, etc.).

Citation

Allen, J.A., Keeland, B.D., Stanturf, J.A., Clewell, A.F., and Kennedy, H.E., Jr.,. 2001. (revised 2004), A guide to bottomland hardwood restoration: U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division Information and Technology Report USGS/BRD/ITR–2000-0011 and Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station, General Technical Report SRS–40, 132 p