New book helps guide conservation professionals in restoring red spruce to Appalachian forests
Media Contacts
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Matt Kane
Phone: 323-898-6510
Email: matthew.kane@tnc.org
A new book about red spruce ecology and restoration practices is now available for free download through Springer Press. Ecology and Restoration of Red Spruce Ecosystems in the Central and Southern Appalachians was designed to guide land managers and other conservation professionals with the science they need to make decisions about the management of red spruce-dominated ecosystems for restoration and climate adaptation. The book can be downloaded at this link.
This open-access book provides a “state of the science” for biological and ecological knowledge of red spruce (Picea rubens)-dominated ecosystems and highlights three decades of successful partnerships to restore them in the central and southern Appalachians. Over 40 authors from the Central Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative (CASRI) and Southern Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative (SASRI) contributed to provide in-depth syntheses of topics relevant to red spruce restoration in the Appalachians. The resulting book serves as a one-stop shop for new restoration practitioners and as a valuable resource for seasoned practitioners and research scientists.
Red spruce was one of the dominant tree species across the higher elevations of the Southern and Central Appalachian Mountain range but most spruce-dominated forests were extensively harvested in the previous century, leaving these forests much reduced from their historic range. Only about ten percent of historic red spruce forest is left in the Central Appalachians and about half is left in the Southern Appalachians.
Bringing red spruce back to these regions will help restore spruce-fir ecosystems and provide habitat for associated wildlife species, such as the northern saw-whet owl, Virginia and Carolina northern flying squirrel, Cheat Mountain salamander, and spruce-fir moss spider. Red spruce forests also provide refuge for wildlife facing changing climate conditions and sequester more carbon than many hardwood forest types.
The book was originally inspired by two regional partnerships focused on long term red spruce restoration – CASRI and SASRI – which have brought together private, state, federal, and NGO partners to champion restoration science, greater collaboration, and restoration activities. The artwork featured on the book’s cover is available for purchase from the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy and Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, with all proceeds going to support CASRI and SASRI.
The book was edited by Donald Brown – US Forest Service, Melissa Thomas-Van Gundy – US Forest Service, Corinne Diggins – National Forest Foundation, and Alexander Silvis – West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, and Kathryn Shallows – The Nature Conservancy. Fees to secure open access status for the book were paid by the National Forest Foundation and The Nature Conservancy
“This book provides both the broad context and the nitty gritty details of red spruce ecosystems and restoration efforts in the Appalachians, written by the scientists and land managers working in these forests. I expect that it will be a highly valued resource for the restoration community as red spruce recovery efforts continue to expand in the coming decades.”
– Donald Brown, Research Ecologist, U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station
“This book would not have been possible without the dedication and persistence of conservationists over the last several decades to understand the ecology of red spruce ecosystems and work out the practices that would restore its components and functions. We hope that this book inspires the next generation to continue this essential work of building climate refugia for both wildlife and the people that love wandering in the cool, moist forests of the central and southern Appalachians.”
– Katy Shallows, Appalachians Forest Director, The Nature Conservancy
“Red spruce grows slowly, writing a book about red spruce happens slowly, and it takes a long time to see restoration results for such a long-lived species, but it’s all worth our time.”
– Melissa Thomas-Van Gundy, Project Leader/Research Forester, U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station
“Ecology and Restoration of Red Spruce Ecosystems in the Central and Southern Appalachians is must-have natural history, management and research synthesis of one of the most iconic forest types and associated landscapes in North America. This amazing book was a collaborative effort by a diverse team of practitioners working in the red spruce and will be of great value to professionals and lay naturalists alike.”
– Mark Ford, Associate Professor, Virginia Tech
A hardcover version of the book is set to be released on July 1 and is available for purchase from Springer.
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more resilient. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 83 countries and territories (39 by direct conservation impact and 44 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. For more news, visit our newsroom or follow The Nature Conservancy on LinkedIn.