Document Actions
Bottomland Hardwood Restoration Outline
Synthesize the state of the science for bottomland hardwood restoration describing ecological and economic pathways for several possible desired outcomes or land uses. Describe three or four likely uses of afforested agricultural land and the several economic and ecological benefits they provide landowners and society; identify what is known and where there are important information gaps.
Lead Author: Dr. Ted Leininger
Bottomland hardwood restoration through afforestation will occur on land formerly used for agriculture to accomplish one of several main outcomes. Establishing a pathway to accomplish a particular outcome requires specific investments of time, money, and collaboration between private and public entities. Restored bottomland hardwood systems can help re-establish ecological functions at both the site and landscape levels, improve soil and water qualities, increase biological diversity, provide wood and non-timber products, capture and store terrestrial carbon, produce biomass for energy, and generate an array of other socioeconomic benefits.
What do we know about how to do restoration?
- Objectives set the stage
- Three pathways are addressed below (Note: Functions enclosed in parentheses play a minor role under a particular restoration or land use scenario.):
1. Bottomland hardwood and coastal forest restoration: sustained use – ecosystem services emphasis
Protective Functions:
- Soil erosion control
- Surface water quality
- In-stream aquatic habitats
- Stream banks and channels
- Reduce transport of agricultural runoff to streams
- (Treat stormwater runoff from communities)
- Restore ecological functions to watersheds
Biological Diversity
- Add structural and functional diversity to landscapes
- Increases forested landscape connectivity
- Increases plant and animal biodiversity, with an emphasis of waterfowl and TES
Productive Functions:
- Harvestable wood products – co-benefit
- Biomass for energy – co-benefit
- Carbon storage
- Nitrogen storage
- Non-timber forest products: medicinals, ornamentals, and food products – co-benefit
Socioeconomic Benefits:
- Increases economic diversification
- Recreational (hunting, fishing, hiking, ..)
- Aesthetic
- (Urban stormwater runoff management)
- Cost/benefit
Information gaps
- Site level
- Loss of viable native tree and shrub seeds
- Species effectiveness for non-point-source pollution control
- System linking upland and riparian buffers
- Watershed/Landcape level
- Tools to prioritise efforts
- Hydrologic changes impact on BLH restoration
- Urban/rural linkages
- Tools to evaluate landscape level functional benefits
CASE STUDY: USFWS or other similar reforested area
2. Bottomland hardwood forest restoration: sustained use – wood products emphasis
Protective Functions:
- Soil erosion control
- Surface water quality
- In-stream aquatic habitats
- (Stream banks and channel stabilization)
- Reduce transport of agricultural runoff to streams
- (Treat stormwater runoff from communities)
- Restore ecological functions to watersheds
Biological Diversity
- Add structural and functional diversity to landscapes
- Increases forested landscape connectivity
- Increases plant and animal biodiversity – co-benefit
Productive Functions:
- Harvestable wood products
- Biomass for energy
- Carbon storage
- Non-timber forest products: medicinals, ornamentals, and food products – co-benefit
Socioeconomic Benefits:
- Increases economic diversification
- Recreational (hunting, fishing, hiking, ..)
- Aesthetic
- (Urban stormwater runoff management)
- Cost/benefit
Information gaps
- Site level
- Loss of viable native tree and shrub seeds
- Species effectiveness for desired intermediate and final products
- (System linking upland and riparian buffers)
- Watershed/Landcape level
- Tools to prioritise efforts
- Hydrologic changes impact on BLH restoration
- Urban/rural linkages
CASE STUDY: Sharkey Afforestation Research and Demonstration Site
3. Short-rotation woody crop production for biofuels
Protective Functions:
- Soil erosion control
- Surface water quality
- In-stream aquatic habitats
- (Stream banks and channel stabilization)
- Reduce transport of agricultural runoff to streams
- (Treat stormwater runoff from communities)
- Restore ecological functions to watersheds
Biological Diversity
- Add structural and functional diversity to landscapes
- Increases forested landscape connectivity
- Increases plant and animal biodiversity
Productive Functions:
- Harvestable wood products
- Biomass for energy
- Carbon storage
- (Non-timber forest products: medicinals, ornamentals, and food products)
Socioeconomic Benefits:
- Increases economic diversification
- (Recreational (hunting, fishing, hiking, ..))
- (Aesthetic)
- (Urban stormwater runoff management)
- Cost/benefit
Information gaps
- Site level
- (Loss of viable native tree and shrub seeds)
- (Species effectiveness for non-point-source pollution control)
- (System linking upland and riparian buffers)
- Watershed/Landcape level
- Tools to prioritise efforts
- Hydrologic changes impact on BLH restoration
- (Urban/rural linkages)
CASE STUDY: hypothetical, single-species, two to five year timeframe