EFFECT OF FOREST MANAGEMENT-PRACTICES ON SOUTHERN FORESTED WETLAND PRODUCTIVITY

In the interest of increasing productivity of forested wetlands for timber production and/or wildlife value, management schemes that deal mainly with water-level control have been developed. The three forest types in the southeastern U.S. most commonly affected are cypress/tupelo forests, bottomland hardwood forests, and wet pine sites (including pocosins). In forested wetlands, hydrology is the most important factor influencing productivity. In bottomland and cypress/tupelo forests, water-level control can have mixed results. Alterations in natural hydrologic patterns leading to increased flooding or drainage can cause decreased growth rates or even death of the forest. Bottomland hardwoods respond favorably in the short term to water-level management, but the long-term response is currently under study. In wet pine sites, timber volume can be increased significantly by water-level management, but the impact upon other ecological functions is less understood. It is difficult to adequately describe productivity relations in wetland forests because of the great diversity in habitat types and the lack of data on how structure and function might be affected by forestry operations. There is a definite need for more long-term, regional studies involving multidisciplinary efforts.