United States 

Department of 

Agricutture Proceedings: 

Forest ~ewice Atlantic Whi e-Cedar: 

Ecology and Managemen 

Southern Research Symposium Station 

General Technical Newport News,Virginia 

Report SRS-27 

August 6 and 7,1997 
COVER: 

View of restored Atlantic white-cedar cove at Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center 

on the Severn River, MD. Note the Atlantic white-cedar skiff in the foreground typical of 

histork small wooden boats on the river. Artist: Le#Jacobson. 

DISCLAIMERS 

The use of trade or firm names in this publication is for reader information and does not imply endorsement of any product or 

service by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or other organizations represented here. 

Papers were edited to a uniform format and type style; however, authors are responsible for the accuracy and content of their 

papers. 

PESTICIDE PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENT 

This publication reports research involving pesticides. It does not contain recommendations for their use, nor does it imply that 

the uses discussed here have been registered. All uses of pesticides must be registered by appropriate State and/or Federal 

agencies before they can be recommnded. 

CAUTION: Pesticides can be injurious to humans, domestic animals, desirable plants, and fish or other wildlife-if they are not 

handled or applied properly. Use all herbicides selectively and carefully. Follow recommended practices for the disposal of 

surplus pesticides and their containers. 

April I999 

Southern Research Station 

PO. Box 2680 

Asheville, NC 28802 
Atlantic White-Cedar: Eco ogy and 

Management Symposium 

Proceedings of a Meeting 

Held at 

Newport News, Virginia 

August 6 and 7, 1997 

Edited by: 

Theodore Shear 

North Carolina State University 

Department of Forestry 

Raleigh, NC 

K.O. Summerville (now retired) 

N.C. Forest Service 

Division of Forest Resources 

Raleigh, NC 

Sponsored by: 

Christopher Newport University; Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences; 

Newport News, VA 

North Carolina State University; Department of Forestry; Raleigh, NC 

North Carolina Division of Forest Resources; Raleigh, NC 

United States Department of Interior; Fish and Wildlife Service; Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife 

Refuge; Suffolk, VA 

United States Department of Interior; Fish and Wildlife Service; Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge; 

Manteo, NC 

United States Air Force; Dare County; Manteo, NC 

U.S. Department of Agriculture; Forest Service; Southem Research Station; Asheville, NC 
Atlantic white-cedar, colloquially referred to as 'Tuniper," was once one of the most valued timber 

species in North America; its wood was highly prized for light weight and durability. An obligate 

wetland species, Atlantic white-cedar was an important component of forested wetlands in the 

Coastal Plain from Maine to Louisiana. It was most commonly found on poorly drained, even 

saturated peats and fine sands throughout the coastal region, with the most extensive stands 

being in North Carolina and Virginia. Heavy cutting, wildfire, shifting land use, and altered 

drainage patterns have sharply reduced the area occupied by the species. Current estimates are 

that less than 10 percent of that found prior to colonial settlement remains, restricted to scattered 

and isolated stands and patches. Despite diminished economic significance, there is 

considerable interest in re-establishment of Atlantic white-cedar stands for both production and 

conservation. 

The 1940's and 1950's sw development of scientific inquiry into the management of the species. 

Throughout the 195Os, I. Frederick Trew of the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company (now 

simply Weswaco) initiated a wide variety of studies on Atlantic white-cedar production and 

management, including ncarsesy studies and regeneralion after harvest by seed trees. He spurred 

complementary work at other institutions throughout the range of the species. In October 1984, 

the first Atlantic white-cedar wetlands symposium was held at Woods Hole, MA. In August of 

1990, the extent and characterization of Atlantic white-cedar were the subjects of an International 

Conference of Ecology in Yokohama, Japan. Selected papers from that meeting and another at 

Yale University in New Haven, CT, formed the popular 1998 book, Coastally Restricted Forests, 

edited by Dr. Aimlee Laderman. And for several years now, Dr. George Zimmerman at Richard 

Stockton College of New Jersey has sponsored a webpage devoted to the sharing of information 

about Atlantic white-cedar: see http:/lloki.stocMon.edul-wcedard. 

in 1995, about 20 researchers and land managers from North Carolina to Massachusetts, who 

were studying and managing Atlantic white-cedar, gathered in Elizabeth City, NC, to form the 

Atlantic White-Cedar Alliance. The Alliance is charged to focus on both the species and the 

ecological communities in which it occurs. Both biological and economic facets will be promoted, 

including preservation and conservation, restoration, management, and harvesting and utilization. 

(The conference reported here in this proceedings was a direct outgrowth of the Alliance.) 

Hopefully, it will become just one in a long series of activities aimed at the protection and 

management of this most beautiful and useful tree. 

Bill Gardner 

Extension Specialist 

College of Forest Resources 

North Carolina State University 
Table of Contents 

Page Page 

Assessing the SunrivabilQ and GroMh of 

Atlantic White Cedar (Chamaecypads thyoies 

(I.) B.S.P.) in the Great Dismal Swamp National 

Wildlife Refuge ............................... 1 

D. A. Brown and Robert B. Atkinson 

Linking Ecosystem Management, Refuge 

Management and Atlantic White-Cedar 

Restoration ................................. 8 

Michael R. Bryant 

Evaluation of Existing Taper Equations to Predict 

Bote Diameters of Atlantic White-Cedar ............ 10 

Stephen M. Daniels 

Atlantic White-Cedar Ecosystem Restoration on 

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and 

United States Air Force Dare County Range ........ 13 

Thomas R. Eagle, Jr. 

Effects of Herbivore Pressure on Atlantic WhiteCedar Rooted-Cutting Survival on a North 

Carolina Coastal Plain Peatland .................. 18 

Jason !ago Guidry 

Effects of Propagule Type, Geographic Origin, 

and Fertilization on First-Year Performance of 

Atlantic Wh ite-Cedar ( Chamaecyparis thyoides) 

in New Jersey ................................ 22 

Michael J. Haas and John E Kuser 

Atlantic White-Cedar Wetland Restoration Project 

at Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge .......... 27 

Eric Hinesley and Mike Wieker 

Influence of Stratification, Temperature, and Light 

on Seed Germination of Selected Provenances 

of Atlantic White-Cedar ......................... 33 

Laura G. Jull and Frank A. Blazich 

Atlantic White Cedar Plantings in St. Tammany 

Parish, Louisiana and the Bogue Chitto National 

Wildlife Refuge, Mississippi ..................... 36 

John W: McCoy, BoMy D. Keeland, and 

James A. Allen 

The Penn Swamp Experiments: An Oventiew ....... 45 

George Zimmmann, Raymond Muellet; 

John Brown, Kyle Peer; Sandra Shapiro, 

Kdstin Mylecraine, Christopher Barber, Jeff 

Cherpika, and Thomas Venafrz, 

Some Noteworthy Vascular Plant Records from 

Atlantic Wh ite-Cedar, Chamaecyparis thyoiafes 

(L.) B.S.P., Habitats of Western Georgia ........... 49 

Phil Sheridan, Steve Orzell, and Edwin Bridges 

A Census of Atlantic White-Cedar, Chamaecyparis 

thyoides (L.) B.S.P., on the Western Shore of 

Maryland .................................... 61 

Phil Sheridan, Keith Undewood, Robert Muller, 

Judy Broersma-Cole, Robert Cole, and 

J. Richard Kibby 

Wood-Bark Spiral@ Correlation in Chamaecyparis 

thyoides ..................................... 66 

Craig William Stewart and Elisabeth Wheeler 

Atlantic White-Cedar Plant Production ............. 68 

KO. Sffmmrville, William E. Gardner, 

11. Eric Hinesk~ and Robert E- Bardon 

Production and Quality of Atlantic White-Cedar 

Seed in Coastal North Carolina .................. 76 

Franklin T: Bonner and K. 0. Summrville 

Inventory of Remnant Atlantic White-Cedar 

Stands in North Carolina ........................ 80 

Kelly N. Davis and Stephen M. Daniels 

The Analysis of White-Cedar Regeneration at the 

Belleplain Food Patch Site in Cape May County, 

NewJersey .................................. 81 

George Zimmmann, Claude Epstein, 

Christopher Barber; Shannon f3ehr; Christopher 

Pells, Gary Noa, and Tamq &nder 

Preliminary Study of Photosynthetic Rates of 

Atlantic White-Cedar Sources from New Jersey ..... 82 

George Zimmmann and Kristin wkcraine 

Restoration of an Atlantic White-Cedar Forest 

Ecosystem at Dare County Air Force Range, 

North Carolina ................................ 42 

ScotZ 6. Smith 
ASSESSING THE SURVIVABILIW AND GROWTH OF ATLANTIC WHITE CEDAR 

(CHAMAECYPARIS THYOIDES (L.) B.S.P.) IN THE GREAT DISMAL SWAMP 

NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE 

D. A. Brown and Robert B. Atkinson' 

Ahtract-Atlantic whitecsdar (Chmaecyparis tttyoides (L.) B.S.P.) is a unique wetland tree that is listed as globally 

threatened by The Nature Conservancy. Atlantic whitecedar has a number of uses which have made it a valuable timber 

crop. As a result, the species has been logged to extirpation in many areas. In this study, the effects of physical, 

chemical, and competitive interactions on Atlantic white-cedar grovvth and survivorship are examined. Plantings are 

currently undeway to reestablish the species within the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (GDSNWR), 

where sizable stands of Atlantic white-cedar still occur naturally. In 1990, a 2.8-hectare portion of a poorly performing 

mixed hahood I Atlantic white-cedar stand at GDSNWR was cleared of existing vegetation. In February 1996, 241 

rooted cuttings were planted at this site. First-year data have indicated that survivorship was high at the site (97.1 

percent). Growth, soil moisture, pH, and species composition appeared to correspond to microsite elevation differences. 

INTRODUCTTON 

Over the years, Atlantic whitecedar (Chamaecyparis 

thyoides (L.) B.S.P.) wetlands have been collectively 

described as "depauperate," "resplendent," "distinctive," 

and "stoic." The natural range of these habitats is from 

Maine to South Carolina along the Atlantic coastal plain, 

although there are some scattered remnants in northern 

Florida and coastal Mississippi (Little 1950). The trees are 

valued for the growth form and aromatic qualities of their 

wood (Korstian and Brush 1931, Hanlon 1970). Atlantic 

whiae-sedar often occurs in dense monocu~ures which 

may not regenerate naturally after being harvested, but 

have historically done well after disturbance by fire (Little 

1950). Labor-intensive methods to promote post-logging 

regeneration of the species have not been economically 

feasible. Atlantic whitecedar is also susceptible to drought 

and flood conditions in the early growth stages (Akerman 

1923, Ehrenfeld 1995) and becomes shade-intolerant after 

establishment (Little 1950, Moore 1994), further 

complicating reforestation attempts. Throughout much of 

the historic range, efforts to restore Atlantic white-cedar are 

underway, and research interest is growing (Carter 1987).2 

This study was designed to assess early site performance 

by examining growth and environmental variables. 

Growth parameters estimated for each rooted cutting 

included height, circumference, volume, and percent 

vegetative cover. Measured environmental factors included 

elevation, soil pH, volumetric water content, and bulk 

density. Statistical tests at each rooted cutting included ttests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and regression 

analysis (Clarke 1994, Sokal and Rohlf 1995) to determine 

the portion of the variabiltty explained by each variable. An 

alpha level of 0.05 was used throughout. 

Site Description 

A major management objective of GDSNWR is to restore 

Atlantic whitecedar to areas where it previously existed 

(USWS 1986). The study area, at the corner of Forest Line 

and Corapeake Ditches in North Carolina (fig. I), is 

situated in a 2.8-hectare cutout where refuge managers 

cleared a mixed hardwood I Atlantic whitecedar stand to 

study natural regeneration of Atlantic whitecedar (Brownlie 

1995). When the site was cleared in 1991, seed trees were 

left on the site to facilitate seedling establishment. In 1994, 

extensive flooding was reported at the site and few of the 

naturally regenerated seedlings survived. By the time of the 

research planting in February 1996, the site had been 

heavily recolonized by sweet pepperbus h ( Clethra alnifolia) 

and, to a much lesser extent, other wetland shrub and 

graminoid species. 

Fallen logs and deep trenches left behind by the initial 1991 

clearing effort helped to create a mound-and-pool 

topography on the site (fig. 2) and naturally regenerated 

Atlantic white-cedar throughout the site demonstrated 

potential for high survivorship. Current topographic 

characteristics are similar to those described in the 

literature (Laderman 1 989, Ehrenfeld 1995). 

METHODS AND MATERIALS 

Experimntat Design 

One-year-old rooted cuttings were obtained from the 

Weyerhaeuser Nursery in North Car~lina.~ The roots of the 

cuttings were coated in kaolin clay to retain moisture. 

Cuttings were packaged in bags of 100 individuals. Six 

permanent parallel transect lines were established 1.5 

Graduate Research Assistant and Assistant Professor, respectively, Christopher Newport University, Department of Biology, Chemistry and 

Environmental Science, 50 Shoe Lane, Newport News, VA 23606. 

1997 represents the third consecutive year that an Atlantic whitecedar conference of some sort has been organized on behalf of the 

species. Stockton State College in New Jersey now maintains a web page for Atlantic white-cedar research (http:/Aoki.stockton.edu/ 

-wcedarsl). 

Studies have shown no noticeable difference between rooted cuttings and bare-root seedlings for restoration of Atlantic white-cedar 

(Summerville 1995, Phillips and others 1 992). 

Citation for proceedings: Shear, Theodore H.; Summerville, K.O., eds. 1999. Atlantic white-cedar: ecology and management symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research 

Station. 82 p. 

Figure 24icrotopographic zone schematic. 

meters apart to form the study area, and 241 Atlantic whitecedar rooted cuttings were numbered and planted using 

standard forestry dibble bars. Based on the amount of 

standing water, and knowledge of Atlantic white-cedar 

intolerance of prolonged inundation (Akerman 1923), trees 

were not planted at any location where standing water was 

greater than 4 centimeters. Naturally regenerated Atlantic 

white-cedar within the transect were carefully removed and 

transplanted elsewhere in the cutout. 

Planting Densities 

In the first four transects (TI-T4), rooted cuttings were 

planted 1.5 meters apart and rooted cuttings in the last two 

transects (T5-T6) were placed 0.76 meters apart. The 

denser spacings in this study were established to 

determine if there was a difference in growth between 

densely and sparsely spaced plantings. 

Morphometric Measurements 

Rooted cutting morphometry was measured initially and 

after 1 year to determine growth. Morphometric parameters 

included circumference, height, volume, and pe~ent cover. 

Circumference was measured by circling the broadest 

width (diameter) of the rooted cutting canopy with a 

fiberglass metric tape. Heights were recorded by 

measuring from the root collar to the topmost groWh of 

each rooted cutting. For the purposes of this study, a 

conical shape was assumed to approximate Atlantic whitecedar canopy volume (V). Canopy volume estimates 

(modified from Comeau and others 1993) were based on 

height (h) and circumference (c) to provide the volume of a 

cone (V = [c*hj/3). Percent cover per meter-square was 

estimated for each rooted cutting and for all other species 

in each plot. 

Soil Sampling 

Soils were collected within a 10 centimeter radius of each 

rooted cutting using a 68.6 milliliter cylinder. Soil samples 

were analyzed to determine wet weight, dry weight, bulk 

density, volumetric water content, and pH to a depth of 10 

centimeters. 

Elevation and Well Data Collection 

Tree-wise elevation measurements were recorded using a 

standard survey level and rod. The measurements were 

relative to four Remote Data Systems RDS WL-40 

continuous water monitoring wells (WL40s) installed at the 

site and to the base of Wo seed trees on either side of the 

study area (permanent site benchmarks). The four WLNs 

were placed in a transect diagonal to the plot (fig. 3) 

following standard installation procedures (U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers 1993). Water table means and 

standard deviations were calculated for each well. 

RESULTS 

Initial and First Year Morphometric Measurements 

Descriptive morphometric measurements of the rooted 

cuttings at the initial planting stage are provided in table 1. 

In March, 1996, tree-wise inspections revealed that many of 

the rooted cuttings suffered moderate deer or rabbit 

browse; however, most individuals appeared healthy and 

no further herbivory was noted. Rooted cuttings planted 

near the higher water levels seemed to be showing some 

signs of stress (brown leaves, partially dead stems). In 

October, 1996, a survey was conducted to determine 

survivorship. Eight mortalities (six in standing water) were 

recorded from 241 planted cuttings. According to 

GDSNWR managers, this level of survivorship (97.1 

percent) was extremely high (personal communication. 

1997. Brownlie, David, P.O. Box 349, Suffolk, Virginia 

23439). Results of first year morphometric data were 

comparable to estimates for healthy stands described in 

the literature (Ackerman 1923). Rooted cuttings grew an 

average of 40.6 centimeters in the first growing season 

(table 2). 

Figure 3--Site map of transects and relative well locations. 
Table 1---Descriptive morp hometric measurements of 

raoted cuttings (initial planting) 

Height Circumference 

Transect N Min Max Mean Min IMax Mean 

Grand mean 23.5 34.2 

N = number of rooted cuttings. 

Table 2--4escriptive morphometric measurements of 

rooted cuttings (after first growing season) 

Height Circumference 

Transect N Min Max Mean Min Max Mean 

Grand mean 64.1 87.0 

N = number of rooted cuttings. 

Zonation ANOVAs 

The mound-and-pool topography at the site was divided 

into four microsite elevation zones: high mound, low 

mound, shallow pool and deep pool (fig. 2). An ANOVA was 

performed for species and environmental variables in each 

zone (table 3). The mean growth of Atlantic whitecedar 

was greatest at intermediate elevations, i.e., in the low 

mound and shallow pool elevation zones. Mean height 

(P=0.015) and circumference (P=0.043) were highest in the 

shallow pool zone. Mean soil pH was lowest in the deep 

and shallow pool zones (3.8) and increased to 4.1 in the 

high mound zone. Mean percent cover for pepperbush was 

highest in the high mound elevation zone (38.1 percent) 

and lowest in the deep pool zone (14.5 percent). 

Percent Cover Estimate Analysis 

Site-wise mean percent cover estimates were highest for 

pepperbush, Atlantic white-cedar, and llex glabra, 24.3 

percent, 13.7 percent and 9.2 percent, respectively (table 4). 

Species richness throughout the site was low (13 species). 

ANOVAs run on species other than Atlantic whitecedar 

between elevation zones, with the exception of pepperbush 

(PcO.001) and blue iris (Iris virginica) (P=0.004), did not 

return significant P-values. As stated previously, mean 

percent cover for pepperbush was highest in the high 

mound elevation zone (38.1 percent) and lowest in the 

deep pool zone (14.5 percent). 

Planting bnsity ANOVAs 

ANOVAs were also conducted to assess differences 

beween sparse and dense planting treatments. Mean 

percent cover for pepperbush was 25.2 and 23.6 percent 

for sparse and dense planting treatments, respectively, 

which was not significant (P = 0.633). Mean Atlantic whitecedar cover in sparse (1 1.7 percent) versus dense (15.6 

percent) plantings was significant at p=0.001 (only one 

planted Atlantic white-cedar occurred per meter square, 

percent cover estimate.) Height and circumference growth 

parameters showed no significant differences between 

treatments. Poison ivy (Tuxicudendron radicans) showed 

higher mean percent cover in sparse (3.2 percent) versus 

dense (0.5 percent) plantings (P = 0.003). 

Water Table Measurements 

Mean water table depths (table 5) taken from the four RDS 

WL40 wells during the growing season differed 

significantly (Pc0.001). The lowest mean water table depth 

was recorded from well DS-4 (-23.4 centimeters), while the 

highest mean water table depth was recorded at well DS-1 

(9.4 centimeters of inundation). 

CONCLUSIONS 

Zonation appeared to play an important role in early growth 

of Atlantic whitecedar rooted cuttings. Maximum growth 

occurred at intermediate elevations, i.e., downslope from 

the high mounds and upslope from the deep pools. 

Elevation may have been directly responsible, however 

several environmental variables also exhibited significant 

zonation responses, precluding assessment of causality. 

While not designed to test this specifically, the results do 

support the notion that Atlantic white-cedar growth may be 

impaired by competition with the shrub, pepperbush, on the 

high mounds. Pepperbush cover was much greater on the 

high mounds, and decreased significantly in the deep 

pools. In the deep pools, Atlantic white-cedar growth may 

have been limited by abiotic factors such as duration of 

inundation. Most Atlantic white-mefar mort.ai@y observed in 

the study was associated with the deep pools. 

Mortality was low throughout this study. However, other 

studies have found that Atlantic white-cedar is tolerant of 

shading during the first few years and later become shade 

intolerant (Little 1950, Moore 1994). If the two-year-old 

Atlantic white-cedar individuals at this site begin to exhibit 

shade intolerance, pepperbush cover and density on high 

mounds may be adequate to precipitate high mortality 

rates, precluding maturation of Atlantic white-cedar in this 

zone. Survival may be higher for Atlantic white-cedar in the 

deep and shallow pools since its flood tolerance appears 

to increase with age (Akerman 1923). 
Table 3--Anatysis of variance among site variables in four microsite 

elevation zones: high mound, low mound, shaflow pool, and deep pool 

Elevation zones 

Mean Mean Mean Mean 

high low shallow deep 

mound mound pool pool P-value 

Site 

variables 

Water content 1.44 

(mL waterl68mL core) 

Bulk density 0.45 

(silcm7) 

Soil pH 4.1 

Elevation (cm) 25.07 

Canopy volume (cm3) 1477 

Tree height (cm) 39 

Tree circumf. (cm) 42 

Clethra alnifolia 

(pct cover) 38.1 

Chamaecyparis 

thyoides (pct cover) 1 2.3 

Non-Chamaecyparis 66.5 

thyoides mean 

total pct 

cover per m2 

Table 4-Plant species collected from the Great Dismal Swamp 

National Wildlife Refuge site 

Wetland Mean 

Species indicator cover 

common name Scientific name status values 

Percent 

Sweet pepperbush 

Atlantic white-cedar 

Holly 

Blueberry 

Drummond red maple 

Bushy bluestem 

Poison ivy 

Cinnamon fern 

Green briar 

Virginia blueflag 

Blackberry 

Red bay 

American holly 

Clethra alnifolia 

Chamaecyparis thyoides 

llex glabra 

Vaccinium corymbosum 

Acer rubrum 

Andropogon glomeratus 

Toxicodendron radicans 

Osmunda cinnamomea 

Smiltvr laur#olia 

Iris virginica 

Rubus sp. 

Persea borbonia 

llex opaca 

Fac+ 

Obl 

FacWFacWFacW+ 

FacW+ 

Fac 

FacW 

Obl 

Obl 

Fac 

FacW 

Fac 

Mean total percent vegetative cover per m2 
Table 5-Well elevations and man water table levels 

Approximate 

corresponding High 

elevation zone mound 

Low Shallow Deep 

mound pool pool P-value 

Well number DS-4 

Relative well 

elevation (cm) 9.7 

Mean water table 

level (em) -23.4 

High planting density more closely simulates natural 

regeneration and may increase growth and survivorship of 

Atlantic white-cedar. In this study, higher planting density 

appeared to increase Atlantic white-cedar cover for 

individual seedlings, while other growth parameters were 

not significantly different. However, total Atlantic whitecedar cover at the site was clearly greater by virtue of the 

more dense planting. Higher planting densities may have 

the benefit of providing a competitive advantage for Atlantic 

whitecedar over pepperbush, particularly in the high 

mounds where pepperbush cover is highest. It is unclear 

how higher planting densities may influence Atlantic whitecedar success in pools. Additional studies are needed to 

determine which environmental factors influence growth 

and survivorship, and which factors are merely a result of 

the mound-and-pool topography commonly associated 

with Atlantic white-cedar swamps. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

This study was funded in part by the U. S. Naval Facilities 

Engineering Command, Atlantic Division. Professional 

advice and consultation was obtained from Weyerhaeuser 

Corporation, Geo-Marine, Inc. Engineering and 

Environmental Services, North Carolina State University 

Forestry Department, and Christopher Newport University 

(CNU) Environmental Science Department. Volunteer 

assistance was provided by the U.S. Naval Security Group 

Activity Northwest Public Works Department, the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service, Geo-Marine, Inc. Engineering and 

Environmental Services, Christopher Newport University 

students, and the Student Consewation Association. The 

Virginia Cooperative Extension laboratory in Windsor, VA 

provided space and equipment for initial soil analysis. 

Special recognition goes to Carter Goerger, who was 

instrumental in several aspects of the field vvork. 

REFERENCES 

Akerman, A. 1923. The white cedar of the Dismal Swamp. Va. 

For. Publ. 30: 1-21. 

Brownlie, D. J. 1995. Atlantic whitecedar (Chamaecyparis 

thyoides) natural regeneration at the Great Dismal Swamp 

National Wildlife Refuge, Suffolk, VA. In: Proceedings of current 

developments with Atlantic white-cedar management (unpubl). 

Washington, NC. [Unpublished.] 

Carter, A.R. 1987. Cedar restoration in the Dismal Swamp of 

Virginia and North Carolina. In: Laderman, A.D., ed. Atlantic 

white cedar. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. 

Clarke, G.M. 1994. Statistics and experimental design: an 

introduction for biologists and biochemists. New York: John 

Wiley. 

Comeau, P.G.; Braumandl, T.F.; Xle, C.Y. 1993. Effects of 

overtopping vegetation on light availability and growth of 

Engleman spruce seedlings. Canadian Journal of Forest 

Research. 23: 2044--2048. 

Ehrenfeld, J.G. 1995. Microsite differences in surface substrate 

characteristics in Chamaecyparis swamps of the New Jersey 

pinelands. Wetlands. 15(2): 183-1 89. 

Ehtenfeld, J.G. 1995. Microtopography and vegetation in Atlantic 

white cedar swamps: the effects of natural disturbances. 

Canadian Joumal of Botany. 73: 474-484. 

Hanlon, H.A. 1970. The bull hunchers. Parson, W: McClain 

Publishing Co. 352 p. 

Korstian, C.F.; Brush, W.D. 1931. Southem white cedar. Tech. 

Bull. 251. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 75 p. 

Laderman, A.D. 1989. The ecology of the Atlantic white cedar 

vvetlands: a community profile. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

Biol. Rep. 85(7.21). 114 p. 

Little, S., Jr. 1950. Ecology and silvicuiture of whitecedar and 

associated hardwoods in southem New Jersey. Yale University 

School of Forestry Bulletin 56. 103 p. 
Maryland Heritage 81 Biodiverslt)r Consenratton Programs 

Department of Natural Resources. 1994. Rare, threatened 

and endangered plants of Maryland. 

Moore, S.E. 1994. Natural regeneration of Atlantic white cedar in 

the Great Dismal Swamp: a review of two studies. Paper 

submitted to the Great Dismal Smp National Wildlife Refup. 

Phillips, R.W; Gardner, WE.; Summenrllle, K.O. 1992. 

Plantability of Atlantic white cedar rooted csrttings and bare foot 

seedlings. In: Brissette, John C., ed. Proceedings of the 7th 

biennial southern silviculturai rksearch conference; 1992 

November 17-19; Mobile, AL. New Orleans: U.S. Department of 

&riculture, Forest Service, Southem Forest Experiment Station: 

97-1 04. 

Sokal, R.R.; Rohlf, J.F. 1995. Biometry: the principles and practice 

of statistics in biological research. New Yo&: W.H. Frseman and 

Company. 

Summervllle, K.O. 1995. Bare-root vs. container seedlings. In: 

Proceedings of current developments with Atlantic whitecedar 

management. Washington, NC. [Unpublished.] 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 1993, lnstalfing monitosing wellsi 

piezometers in wtlands. WRP Technical Note. HY-IA9.1. 

U.S. Fish and WIIdlife Service, Region 5. 1986. Drafi 

environmental impact statement: master plan Great Dismal 

Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. 
LINKING ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT, REFUGE MANAGEMENT 

AND ATLANTIC WHITE-CEDAR RESTORATION 

Abstract-Several years ago the U.S. Fish and Wldlife Service (USFWS) embarked on an ecosystem-based approach 

to management. Over 50 ecosystems were identified by the USFWS. The USFWS manages a National Wildlife Refuge 

System (NWRS), which is embedded in the landscape of these ecosystems. The NWRS has grown to over 92 million 

acres. There are over 500 refuss across the United States and its territories, Three refuges in northeastern North 

Carolina and southeastern Virginia that are in one of the designated ecosystems have significant remnant populations of 

Aqantic Mitecedar (Chamaecypan's tl?yoides (L.) B.S.P.). The ecosystem approach to management, the goals of the 

NWRS, and the purposes for which these three refuges were created all speak to the need for management of Atlantic 

whitecedar stands, which historically formed a major component of the mid-Atlantic forested wetland system. The 

emsystem approach to management recognizes the need for broad-based partnerships when trying to accomplish 

landscape-based biotic community restoration. Atlantic white-cedar restoration fits this description and the successes 

thus far are a result of effective partnerships. 

INmODUCTION 

The USFWS began an ecosystem approach to 

management in 1994. To facilitate this management 

approach, the USFWS identified more than 50 ecosystems. 

This approach to management encourages us to manage 

for the benefit of the ecosystem even when our 

responsibilities are for the management of a specific landbase such as a national wildlife refuge. 

ECOSYSTEM APPROACH TO MANAGEMENT 

In at least one of these ecosystems, the Atlantic whitecedar (Chamaecyparis thyoickts (L.) B.S.P.) wetland 

communrty was historically a significant component of the 

forested wetland system. This ecosystem is referred to as 

the Roanoke-Tar-Neuse-Cape Fear (RTNCF) ecosystem, 

and consists of the watersheds of the four named rivers 

and covers parts of southeastern Virginia and eastern 

North Carolina. There are three refuges in the RTNCF 

ecosystem having significant remnant populations of 

Atlantic whitecedar. These are Pocosin Lakes National 

Wildlife Refuge, Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife 

Refuge, and Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Within 

the previous two decades and during implementation of the 

ecosystem policy, the USFWS established and managed 

these refuges. These refuges were established, in part, to 

conserve and manage their unique wetlands, including 

Atlantic white-cedar wetland forests. 

The RTNCF Ecosystem Plan (1994) states as its vision the 

management of biodiversity by restoring, conserving, and 

improving the quality and quantity of functioning terrestrial 

and aquatic ecosystems for the benefit of native species in 

the wild. The plan emphasizes the need for partnerships to 

meet its nine goals and numerous objectives. One goal is 

the restoration and maintenance of viable levels of natural 

diversity across the landscape, with emphasis on a 

number of plant community types including Atlantic whitecedar. 

NATiONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM 

The NWRS began in 1903 and has evolved and grown to 

over 92 million acres in size. It now includes over 500 

refuges, one in every state, and over 3,000 Waterfowl 

Production Areas. The original mission was clearpreserve wildlife and habitat for people today and for 

generations to come. In 1996, Presidential Executive Order 

12996 reemphasized that the NWRS's mission was to 

preserve a national network of lands and waters for the 

conservation and management of fish, wildlife, and plant 

resources of the United States for the benefit of present 

and future generations. At that time, the USFWS produced 

a "Promises" document stating its responsibility to protect, 

restore, and manage wildlife and habitat and to provide 

compatible, wildlife-dependant recreational opportunities 

for the public. Challenges identified in the "Promises" 

document include declining habitat and insufficient 

resources. The document stressed meeting the 

challenges and fulfilling our promises by strengthening 

existing partnerships and forging new ones. 

Atlantic white-cedar is an important plant resource, 

providing habitat for wildlife. To meet the goals of the 

NWRS we must attempt to restore this wetland forest 

communrty. Successful restoration and conservation of 

Atlantic white-cedar will help provide quantity and quality of 

habitat that supports America's diverse wildlife heritage. 

Restoration efforts will employ an ecosystem approach to 

resource conservation that considers landscapes beyond 

refuge boundaries. Also, this project will serve as a 

demonstration area for private land conservation and as a 

model for sound land use and ethics. 

ALLIGATOR RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE 

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge (ARNWR) was 

established in 1984 under the authority of two Federal 

laws: the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 and the Refuge 

Refuge Manager, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, P.O. Box 1969, Manteo, NC 27954. 

Citation for pmceedings: Shear, Theodore H.; Summerville, K.O., eds. 1999. Atlantic white-cedar: ecology and management symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research 

Station. 82 p. 
Recreation Act, amended 1972. A synopsis of the refuge 

purposes follows: '?or the development, advancement, 

management, consewation, and protection of fish and 

wildlife resources" and "suitable for ... the protection of 

natural resources, [and] the conservation of endangered 

species or threatened species." 

A master plan was developed for ARNWR and revised in 

1994. The plan states that the primary objectives of the 

refuge are to manage and protect the areas unique 

wetland habitats and associated wildlife species. 

Management efforts will be directed at restoring water 

levels that existed prior to alteration of this habitat. Past 

and present management have reaffirmed that one of the 

primary objectives for this refuge is wetland restoration. 

This restoration includes the re-establishment of former 

hydrologic regimes and forest communities. 

ARNWR has at least 8,000 acres of clearcuts. Many of 

these clearcut acres contained Atlantic white-cedar stands. 

The Atlantic white-cedar biotic communiq has been 

identified as critically endangered. The RTNCF ecosystem, 

the NWRS, and the ARNWR plans have as their goals the 

restoration, management, and conservation of the Atlantic 

white-cedar community. It was recognized early on that the 

refuge did not have the resources to accomplish Atlantic 

white-cedar restoration by itself. Partnerships would have 

to be developed. 

ARNWR nearly surrounds the 46,000-acre U.S. Air Force 

Dare County Range. The habitat is contiguous and similar 

to that of the ARNWR. The ARNWR formed partnerships 

with the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Forest Service Seed Lab at 

Mississippi State University, the NC Division of Forest 

Resource Nursery, and NG State Universrty Forestry 

Department in an effort to determine the best methods for 

Atlantic white-cedar restoration. Most of the work was 

funded through the Department of Defense Legacy 

Resource Management Program. The work has 

inventoried cutover tracts and remnant Atlantic white-cedar 

stands, established and utilized geographical information 

systems and global positioning systems, developed 

natural and artificial regeneration methods through applied 

research, improved management capabilities by improving 

roads and restoring additional wetlands, and increased 

public awareness of these efforts. 

REASON AND NEED FOR LINKAGES 

Many agencies interested in and tasked with restoring, 

managing, and conserving native biotic communities have 

limited resources. Successful forested wetland 

conservation requires a landscape-based management 

approach. Thus, Atlantic white-cedar restoration goals can 

only be achieved through joint efforts. The USFWS, along 

with all of its partners, has recognized this. The current 

Atlantic white-cedar conservation effort is a model for 

success and is necessary to achieve our goal of Atlantic 

white-cedar restoration in its historic range. 
EVALUATION OF EXISTING TAPER EQUATIONS TO PREDICT 

BOLE DIAMETERS OF ATLANTIC WHITE-CEDAR 

Stephen M. Daniels1 

Abstract-This study compares existing taper equations and detemines the models that most accurately predict upper 

stem diameters of Atlantlc white-cedar (Chamaecyparif ihyoides (L.) B.S.P.). Standing trees were sampled nondestmctively in the inner coastal plain of North Carolina. Modeis fested are mpmsentative of the wide array of 

lunctional forms that have been used with other species, ranging from simple quadratic and logarithmic models to 

complex segment& polynomials. Selections include those that are compatible with volume equations and others that 

are not. All models tested produced comparable results that should be suitable for most field applications, A rslatively 

simple, tuvo-parameter model was selected as the most precise, though the choice for paiticular application would 

depend on intended use. 

INTRODUCTION 

The prudent management of forest resources requires 

their accurate measurement. Tree sizes and volumes are 

needed for planning, valuations, and forecasting. Most 

volume equations require diameter at breast height (d.b.h.) 

and total height as inputs. Difficurties arise when volumes 

for less than the whole tree are desired. Merchantable 

volumes to a specified minimum top diameter or volumes 

to a given height are often required. These upper stem 

diameters are difficult and time consuming to measure in 

the field and are usually estimated occularly with 

questionable accuracy. Taper equations provide a means 

for estimating these upper stem diameters so that they 

may be used with merchantable volume equations. Taper 

equations predict upper diameters based on d.b.h. and 

total height, both of which can be accurately and precisely 

measured. Most of the functions can be rearranged to 

predict the height at which a given top diameter occurs, and 

some can be integrated to produce volume equations. 

Those that can be directly converted to (or are derived from) 

volume equations are termed compatible. 

The earliest taper data for Atlantic whitecedar 

( Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) B.S.P.) were published as 

tables of inside bark diameters for 10 foot increments of 

height (Korstian and Brush 1931). Modern taper equations 

allow prediction to any height increment, and can be easily 

incorporated into software for rapid calculations. Equations 

can also be adapted to other regions by changing the 

model parameters, an advantage not possessed by tables. 

This study evaluated five existing taper equations 

representing the wide array of functional forms available. 

Models requiring estimates of volume were not considered. 

The models were compared to determine which model 

best fit the stem profile of Atlantic whitecedar. Models 

selected for study are shown in table 1. 

METHODS 

Data was coliected from 80 trees in the inner and lower 

coastal plain of North Carolina. Upper stem 

Consulting Forester, Daniels Consulting Forestry, Knightdale, NC 27545. 

measurements (outside bark) were measured on standing 

trees with a Wheeler Pentaprism. Diameters were 

measured at I foot above ground, at d.b.h., and every 5 feet 

thereafter until the crown became too thick to see the stem. 

The top third or fourth of the stem was typically obscured by 

dense foliage and is not well represented in the data. This 

essentially treats the tree section from the highest 

measurement to the tip as a cone. Other taper models 

treat tree tops this way intentionally (Max and Burkhart 

1976). Fortunately, the top third of the tree is of little 

concern from a volume standpoint, and treating it this way 

allows the models Po betper predict lower stem diameters 

which have a much greater impact on volume and vaiue. 

Equations were fit to 60 of the trees, with the remaining 20 

being reserved for independent testing of the 

parameterized models. Models were evaluated based on 

their abilrty to predict diameters of the 20 independent 

trees. The criteria used to evaluate the models followed 

that of Cao and others (1980). The three measures used 

to rank accuracy were: (1) bias (the mean of the differences 

between the actual diameters and the predicted 

diameters), (2) the mean of the absolute values of the 

differences, and (3) the standard deviation of the 

differences. 

Model 5 is a segmented polynomial that recognizes the 

tree as three separate geometric solids. It treats each as a. 

separate submodel, then joins the submodels at join 

points into the final model. These join points must be 

estimated from the data based on the tree form. Model 1 is 

designed to estimate diameters above d.b.h. only, and for 

this reason the 1-foot measurements were eliminated in 

determining its accuracy rank. (When this allowance was 

made for the other models, there was some change in 

accuracy but little change in the ranking.) Models 1, 4, and 

5 do not require intercepts. 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

The estimated parameters are shown in table 2. Table 3 

shows the bias, mean absolute value, and the standard 

Citation for proceedings: Shear, Theodore ti.; Summerville, K.O., eds. 1999. Atlantic white-cedar: ecology and management symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Ashevilfe, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research 

Station. 82 p. 
Table 1----Models from past work selected for comparison 

Model 

Amidon (1984) d = b,* dbh(TH-h)/(TH - bh) + b,* (TH2 - h2) 

(h - bh)/TH2 

Kozak (1969) d2/dbh2 = b, + b, *(h/TH - 1) + b,*(h2/TH2 - 1) 

Demaershalk (1972) In(d) = b, + b,* In (dbh) + b, * In(h) + 

b3 * In(TH) 

Bruce (1968) d2/dbh2 = bl * (((TH-h)/(TH-4.5))fi)/10 

+ b2*((TH-h) / (TH-4.5))' '"((TH-h) / (TH-4.5)3*dbh / 100 

+ b3*((TH-h) / (TH-4. 5))1'5*((TH-h) / (TH-4. 5)3*(TH) / 1000 

+ b4*((TW-h) / (TH-4.5))f'5*((TH-h) / (TH-4.5)32*(TH)*(dbh) / 10000 

+ b'*((TH-h) / (Tti-4.5))l '"((TH-h) / (TH-4.5)32*(TH0*5) / 1000 

+ b6"((TH-h) / (TH-4.5))"*((TH-h) / (TH-4.5)40*(TH2) / 1000000 

Max and Burkhart (1976) d2/dbh2 = b,*(h/TH - 1) + b2*(h2/TH2 - 1) + 

b3 * (a, - h/TH)2 I, + b4 * (a, - h/TH)2 I, 

where 

I = 1, h/TH <=a,, i = 1,2 

I = 0, h/TH > a,, 

where 

d = upper stem outside bark diameter, inches 

dbh = diameter 

bh = 4.5 feet 

TH = total height, feet 

h = height on stem 

In = natural logarithm 

a, = join points for segmented model 

b,-b, = parameters estimated from the data 

I = indicator variable 

Table 2-fistirnated parameters 

Model --- 

Amidon 0.98767 0.02894 

Kozak 0.35124 -3.0426 2.11 71 

Demaerschalk 0.07329 0.96702 0.71 113 -0.71 12 

Bruce 9.46183 -1.4697 -1.2008 0.89207 0.34689 -5.885 

Max & Burkhart 1.26243 -1.1426 2.36872 64.26374 0.7 0.1 
Table Mias, standard deviation, and mean absolute 

value for each of the equations based on the independent 

data 

Actual minus 

predicted Standard Absolute value 

mean, BIAS deviation of difference 

Amidon 0.1 5024 

Kozak 0.30477 

Logarithmic 0.1378 

Max & Burk. 0.57823 

Bruce 0.24474 

Logarithmic 

Amidon 

Bruce 

Kozak 

Max & Burk. 

Amidon 

Kozak 

Logarithmic 

Max & Burk. 

Bruce 

Amidon 

Kozak 

Max & Burk. 

Logarithmic 

Bruce 

deviation for each of the equations. Below each table are 

the rankings based on the three criteria. 

The model by Amidon (1984), equation 1, ranked highest 

according to two criteria and was second according to the 

third. It is judged to be the best model of those tested. It is 

simple to model and requires only two parameters. Part of 

its success may be due to the fact that it does not attempt 

to model the stem below breast height, which accounts for 

much of the stem variability. The second-highest-ranking 

model is the one by Kozak and others(1969). This model 

has the advantage of being easily transfomd into models 

to predict heights to a given diameter and to predict 

volumes. One of these two models would be the best 

choice depending on the intended use. The species 

appears to have a fairty uniform rate of taper above any butt 

swell. 

Amidon, Efllot. 1984. A general taper functional form to pn?dict 

bole volume for five mixedconifer species in California. Forest 

Science. 30: 166-1 71 . 

Bruce, D.; Curtis, R.O.; Vancoevering, C. 1968. Development of 

a system of taper and volume tables for red alder. Forest 

Science. 14(3): 339-350. 

Cao, Quang V.; Burkhart, Harold E.; Max, Tlmothy A. 1980. 

Evaluation of two methods for cubic-volume prediction of lobiolly 

pine to any merchantable limit. Forest Science. 26(1): 71 80. 

Demaersehalk, J.P. 1972. Converting volume equations to 

compatible taper equations. Forest Science. 18: 241-245. 

Korstian, C.F.; Brush, W.D. Southern white cedar. Tech. Bull. 251. 

Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture. 74 p. 

Kozak, A,; Munro, D.D.; Smith, J.H.G. 1969. Taper functions and 

their application in forest inventory. For. Chron. 45(4): 278-283. 

Martin, Jeff. 1981. Taper and volume equations for selected 

Appalachian hardwood species. Res. Pap. NE-490. U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest 

Experiment Station. 21 p. 

Max, nmothy A.; Burkhart, Harold E. 1976. Segmented 

polynomial regression applied to taper equations. Forest 

Science. 22(3): 283-289. 
ATLANTIC WHITE-CEDAR ECOSYSTEM REST"ORA'I"I0N ON ALLIGATOR RIVER 

NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE AND UNITED STATES 

AIR FORCE DARE COUNW RANGE 

Thomas R, Eagle, 4r.I 

Abstract-Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyparis *ides (L.) f3,S.P.) was historiwlly a major component of the midAtlank forest& weIfmd ecosystem. Nearly 10,000 acres of Atlantic Lvhile-csdar wem clearcut on the Dare County 

mainland of North Carolina prior to the establishment of Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and U.S. Air For- Dare 

County Range. In 1992, a cooperative project involving Alligator River National Wildlife Refugs, U.S. Air Force Dam 

County Range, North Carolina Division of Forest Resources and North Carolina State Universiiy was initiated for the 

purpose of performing large-scale restoration of Atlantic whitetecedar in clearcut areas. The project was funded 

through the Department of Defense Legacy Resource Management Program, Intensive regeneration suweys on 3,000 

acres of clearcuts on Refuge and Range lands were initiated in 1995 to deternine the status of natural regeneration. 

Preliminary results indicate that adequate natural regeneration exists in most of the cut-over tracls sampled to date. 

However, data analyses and field*obsewations suggest that the occurrence and establishment of Atlantic hite-eedar 

are extremely variable and are directly correlated with soil distubance, shrub corngetition, and hydrologic condition. 

Immediate plans to restore stands characterized by adequate Atlantic vvhite-csdar regeneration and dense competing 

vegetation consist of chemically releasing the stntggling Atlantic white-cedar seedlings and saplings from competing 

hardwood species. 

INTRODUCTION 

Atlantic whitecedar (Chamaecyparis thyoi&s (L.) B.S.P.), 

known locally as juniper, was once a major component of 

the forested wetland ecosystem throughout the Dare 

County peninsula. Intense logging, wildfire and drainage 

coupled with the lack of proper forest management have 

resulted in a near 90 percent decrease in the coverage of 

Atlantic whitecedar in North and South Carolina from that 

which existed before European settlement (Smith 1 995). 

During WWI (1916-19), all of the available Atlantic whitecedar was harvested by numerous operators on 159,997 

acres (64,750 ha) of the Alligator River region. Throughout 

this period of intense harvesting, no attempts were made to 

encourage natural regeneration, and harvest methods 

indicate little concern for future timber production. The 

harvest of Atlantic white-cedar and associated species, 

prior to 1920, had a significant effect on the vegetation 

patterns that exist today. The timber practices determined 

regeneration densities and species composition. 

However, the hydrology of the organic substrate was 

apparently not substantially altered, for the use of oxen and 

later narrow gauge rails to move timber did not necessitate 

elaborate permanent road construction. 

Since the mid-1970s, Atlantic white-cedar has been the 

most valuable timber species in the Alligator river region. 

An elaborate netvvork of roads, canals and ditches were 

constructed to provide direct access to the pure, dense 

stands (La&rman 1989). Recent large-scale harvesting of 

Atlantic whitecedar began on the Alligator River National 

Wildlife Refuge and Dare County Range in 1975, prior to 

the establishment of the Refuge in 1984. The U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service (USWS) received a large portion of 

the land through a donation from The Nature Conservanq 

who received the land through a temporary donation from 

Prudential. However, the timber rights, which did not expire 

until 1996, were owned by Atlantic Forest Products. The 

timber rights were soid to Atiantic Forest Products by First 

Colony Farms prior to ownership by Prudential. Most of the 

Atlantic whitecedar stands on the Refuge had already 

been harvested by the late 1980"s or early 1990"s. Very little 

logging took place on the Refuge during the final years of 

the outstanding timber deeds. The Range, established in 

1964, was in a similar situation. Timber rights to Range 

property were not purchased by the Deparlment of Defense 

until 1981. These recent logging operations left both 

landowners with approximately 10,000 acres of Atlantic 

whitecedar clearcuts and scattered disjunct remnants of 

Atlantic white-cedar stands. 

Poor logging praaices, lack of post-harvest forest 

management, and hydrologic alterations have collectively 

resulted in poor Atlantic white-cedar regeneration in some 

areas. One of the major objectives in the overall 

management of the Refuge is the preservation of unique 

habitats. Therefore, restoration of Atlantic white-cedar 

habitat is a priority in Refuge management practices. 

Regeneration surveys to determine the status of natural 

regeneration in nearly 30 cut-over stands on the Refuge 

were conducted in 1986-88. Surveys resuRs revealed that 

adequate natural regeneration was very patchy. Follow-up 

surveys of the sam areas, conducted in 1991-92, 

confirmed this trend but also revealed several other facts of 

Forester, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, PO. Box 1969, Manteo, NG 27954. 

Citation for proceedings: Shear, Theodore H.; Summewille, K.O., eds. 1999. Atlantic white-cedar: ecology and management symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Sewice, Southem Research 

Station. 82 p. 
interest: regeneration continued to occur in clearcut areas 

where it was found to be occurring in 1986-88; and those 

clearcuts in which no regeneration was occurring in 1986- 

88 were completely captured by broadleaf trees and 

shrubs. 

Hydrologic conditions throughout the Dare County 

peninsula have been significantty altered over the past 50 

years resulting in the drainage or flooding of forested and 

previsusly forested wetlands. Prior to the recent logging 

operations, approximately 5,000 acres of forested wetlands 

were drained, cleared and converted to agricultural land. 

Aside from the deliberate destruction of forested wetlands, 

the construction of access roads has indirectly resutted in 

significant changes in the hydrologic regime. Access 

roads were constructed using material excavated from 

adiacent borrow canals. At the time of construction of the 

more recent roads, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

prohibited the alteration of the hydrology of an area; 

therefore, they did not allow connecting the man-made 

canals to an existing natural drain. By not providing an 

outlet for the canals, ground and surface water which once 

followed natural drainage contours became impounded by 

the roads. The actual impact of a road or canal on a given 

stand depended on the orientation of the road and on 

which side of the road the canal was dug. The roads 

essentially serve as dikes which restrict the flow of water 

into or out of a stand. The overall effects of the road and 

canal system have been steady declines in forest health 

and atypical shifts in species composition of most forested 

ecosystems. It is our intent to restore historic drainage 

patterns as best we can in order to again perpetuate 

Atlantic white-cedar and other native ecosystems. 

In 1992 the US Air Force Dale County Range received 

special funding through the Department of Defense Legacy 

Resource Management Program to perform large-scale 

wetland forest restoration, specifically Atlantic whitecedar 

restoration. The Range soon formed a cooperative 

partnership with the USFWS at the Refuge, North Carolina 

Division of Forest Resources (NCDFR) and North Carolina 

State University. A steering committee consisting of 

representatives from all of the above agencies was 

established for the primary purpose of combining 

knowledge and expertise in the field of wetland restoration 

and to ensure that only those projects directly related to the 

establishment of Atlantic white-cedar were provided 

funding. Several of the goals set forth by the committee are 

as follows: (1) inventory cut-over Atlantic white-cedar stands 

using Differential Global Positioning Systems (DGPS) to 

determine status of natural regeneration; (2) establish a 

Geographic Information System (GIs); (3) promote and 

enhance natural regeneration; (4) develop seed and 

seedling sources; (5) develop and implement methods of 

artEicial regeneration; and (6) establish water control and 

management to restore hydrology. 

METHODS 

Inventory Cut Over Stands 

Plans to perform regeneration surveys on the 3,000 acres 

of Atlantic white-cedar clearcuts were initiated in 1994. The 

plans originally called for bids from private contractors to 

conduct surveys and provide the desired final products. 

Bids received from nearly all prospective contractors greatly 

exceeded budget allocations. The committee then dmided 

to hire temporary USFWS employees to conduct the 

surveys and provide oversight for all field operations. The 

purpose of the survey that began during the summer of 

1995 was to determine the success or failure of natural 

Atlantic white-cedar regeneration in clearcuts and to identify 

critical limiting factors that might affect the germination and 

long-term survival of the species. 

The survey is being performed on an individual-stand 

basis. Stand delineation is determined by the intersecting 

road network. Four tenths of 1 percent of the entire project 

area will be inventoried using systematic sampling 

techniques. Two fixed-area circular plots that are 11500 of 

an acre in size are sampled per acre. Plots are installed 

104 feet apart along transects that are 208 feet apart. As a 

rule, transects are laid out perpendicular to the access 

roads. Field crews must suffer through vicious insects, 

even more vicious catbrier and extremely unstable ground 

to blaze numerous trails through the nearly impenetrable 

vegetation and mark plot centers. Once the plots are laid 

out along a transect an additional set of crew members 

locate the plots and collect the data. A total of 400 

permanent plots will be established in stands 

approximately 20 acres in size or in 20 acre blocks within 

larger stands. 

Actual data collected in the field consists of: (1) the number 

of stems of Atlantic white-cedar and other economically and 

ecologically significant species such as black gum (Nyssa 

sylvatica), bald cypress (mdiurn distichurn), pond pine 

(Pinus serutina) and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) in several 

height classes (< 1 foot, 1-3 feet, 3-5 feet, 5-7 feet and 

> 7 feet); (2) the estimated percent cover of the top three 

plant competitors on the plot; (3) the depth of standing 

water; (4) the depth of peat layer: and (5) a brief description 

of the plot and surrounding area. 

All data are recorded with hand-held data loggers that are 

an integral component of a DGPS. A digital data sheet 

referred to as a data dictionary is created and stored within 

the data logger. The data dictionary ensures that all 

required data are collected and recorded in the proper 

format. As a backup, data are also recorded on data 

sheets. General&, at the end of each work week, all of the 

stored data files are downloaded from the data logger to a 

PC where they are processed further. In addition to the 

descriptive data collected at each plot, the geographic 

For the purpose of this project, restoration efforts will be location of the plot center is generated by a DGPS and 

concentrated on 3,000 acres of nearly contiguous cut-over stored in the data logger. Unfortunately, raw DGPS 

Atlantic white-cedar stands located on the Refuge and positions generated in the field are usually very inaccurate 

Range property. as a result of inherent errors in satellite orbits and clocks. 

Due to these inherent inaccuracies, raw coordinate data 

must be corrected through a process called differential 
correction, which utilizes data generated by a DGPS base 

station to more accurately calculate the location of a given 

position. A DGPS base station consists of a DGPS receiver 

located at a known position with a clear view of the sky that 

records data from the same satellites and at the same time 

as the rover unit (Trimble 1996). Since a base station 

knows its precise location, it is able to calculate the amount 

of error transmaed in raw satellfie data. This error data is 

then utilized in a post-processing program to recalculate 

more precise locations. Through dMerential correction, 

DGPS units utilized are capable of achieving sub-meter 

accuracy and routinely achieve 3-meter accuracy. 

Once all of the geographic positions have been 

differentially corrected, the data files for a given stand are 

combined, downloaded into a spread sheet and 

statistically analyzed. Stand averages, ranges and 

variations are calculated for the following variables: number 

of stems per acre of all species in all height classes, as 

well as for Atlantic while-cedar stems over 5 feet tall; 

percent cover of the top three competitors; water depth; and 

peat depth. Both raw field data and calculated stand 

statistics are then incorporated into a GIs. 

Geographic Information System 

A GIs has been developed for the Dare County Peninsula 

that consists of the following base layers: landmass, 

roads, lakes, creeks, canals and V-ditches. In the near 

future, all of the data generated by the regeneration survey 

will also be incorporated into the GIS. Once integrated into 

the GIS, the raw database will display the geographic 

location of individual plots and transects and can be 

manipulated to display geographic ranges of different 

levels of Atlantic white-cedar regeneration, percent 

competition, stocking of other tree species, water depth 

and peat depth. The statistical database for each stand will 

be linked to the entire stand and can be used to display 

data such as number of stems per acre of each species, 

average percent coverage of the top three competitors, and 

much more. More detailed thematic maps can also be 

generated that display Atlantic white-cedar stands 

differently based on the following stocking ranges: ~850, 

850-1000, and >I000 stems per acre. The actual outline of 

the cut-over areas will be digitized from 1996 digital 

orthographically corrected aerial photography. Future plans 

not only include the use of digital aerial photography for the 

mapping of vegetation but also the use of satellite imagery. 

Promote and Enhance Natural Regenemtion 

Although natural regeneration of Atlantic white-cedar is 

occurring in all of the stands inventoried, stocking levels 

vary significantly between and within stands. For the 

purpose of this project, a stand is considered to be 

adequately stocked if it contains an average of 850 Atlantic 

white-cedar trees per acre, greater than 5 feet in height. 

Due to the ingrowlh of new germinates and accelerated 

mortality rates of seedlings and smaller sapling's, more 

emphasis is placed on the stocking of trees in the larger 

height classes that may have a better chance of survival. 

Successful mgeneration of Atlantic white-cedar has been 

hindered due to the shade intolerance of the species. 

Atlantic white-cedar seedlings growing under a closed 

canopy are believed to survive no longer than three years 

(Little 1950). Nearly all Atlantic whitecedar cut-over areas 

on the Refuge and the Range are characterized by an 

extremely dense layer of hardwood shrubs, vines and trees 

that compete with Atlantic white-cedar for light and 

nutrients. 

In order to promote seed germination and ensure the 

survival of Atlantic white-eedar seedlings and saplings, the 

competing hardwood vegetation must be controlled. Plans 

to release Atlantic white-cedar from competition from 

undesirable woody vegetation consist of herbicide 

application. The brand Arsenal (Isopropylamine salt of 

Imazapyr) will be applied aerially at a rate of 16-20 ounces 

per acre. Sites chemically treated with approved tank 

mixes, applied at a rate of 16 to 23 ounces per acre, are 

guaranteed to be at least 80 percent free to grow for two 

years following application. The release from competing 

vegetation will increase the amount of sunlight reaching the 

forest floor, which will enhance seed germination and 

seedling survival. The duration of the free-to-grow period 

will give Atlantic white-cedar trees in all stages of 

development at least a 2-year head start toward 

establishing themselves and dominating the stand. This 

method must be performed in conjunction with hydrologic 

restoration to improve conditions for seed germination and 

seedling survival. Under the right conditions, existing seed 

sources will germinate in response to the increase in light, 

and Atlantic white-cedar seedlings and saplings will be 

able to out-compete encroaching hardwood vegetation. 

Stands that contain an average of 850 Atlantic white-cedar 

trees per acre > 5 feet tall will be a higher priority for 

restoration due to the greater probability of success. 

Stands that contain fewer trees will be a lower priority since 

they may require more costly and labor-intensive 

treatments such as site preparation and planting. 

Develop Seed and Seedling Source 

As the efforts to regenerate and restore Atlantic white-cedar 

increase, so will the demand for Atlantic whitecedar 

seedlings. Extensive research has been conducted to test 

seed quantity, seed quality, environmental parameters 

needed for germination, nursery conditions, and seedling 

size. Although most of the seedling production techniques 

are not yet perfected, nurseries have been successful in 

producing large quantities of Atlantic white-cedar 

seedlings. Aside from the cost, the primary limitation of 

consistently producing large quantities of seedlings is 

availability and quality of seed. Atlantic white-cedar cone 

collection is an extremely labor-intensive operation. The 

process usually involves the felling of dominant to codominant trees in order to reach the tree crown and harvest 

cones. Research has shown that seed collected from 

smaller, immature trees is just as viable as seed collected 

from mature trees (Bonner 1996). However, mature trees 

usually produce larger, more dense crops of cones which 

make collection more productive. Cones are also collected 

from smaller trees that are growing along the roadside or 

in a plantation-type stand. Atlantic white-cedar cone 

production is cyclical; therefore, the availability of cones 

fluctuates from year to year. Flooding can cause additional 

stress to trees resulting in poor cone production. 
At the Refuge, we dedicate a minimum of one month per 

year to Atlantic whitecedar cone collection. Cones 

collected are sent to the NGDFR tree nursery, where the 

seeds are extracted, cleaned, tested for viabilrty and either 

planted the following spring to meet our seedling demands 

or put in cold storage for future needs. Additional research 

has been petformd to develop methods of producing 

Atlantic white-cedar trees from cunings. Weyerhaeuser 

Company has been successfully producing and selling 

rooted cuttings from mature trees for several years; 

however, the cost of the trees is significantly higher than the 

price of seedlings. If the demand for seedlings continues to 

increase, and easier methods for collecting seed are not 

developed, cuttings may be the only practical mans of 

producing Atlantic white-cedar nursery stock. 

Develop and Implement Methods of Artificial 

Regeneration 

Artificial regeneration of Atlantic whitecedar on the Refuge 

and Range has been performed on a limited basis. Nearly 

100 acres have been hand planted, including a 5-acre 

genetic test plot, a 5-acre Atlantic white-cedar cone 

production site and approximately 90 acres of recent 

clearcuts on the Range. In most cases, the cut-over areas 

were planted within a year after harvest; therefore, 

acmssibility and site preparation were not issues. 

Conducting large-scale artificial regeneration in clearcuts 

that are 5 to 10 years old is much more problematic due to 

the dense vegetation. It would be nearly impossible for a 

planting crew to efficiently maneuver through the brush 

while maintaining proper spacing of the seedlings. 

Additionally, any seedlings planted under the dense shrub 

layer would soon die due to the competition for nutrients 

and light. 

In 1996, a study to test various methods of site preparation 

for planting Atlantic white-cedar was attempted. The study 

was developed to determine the effectiveness of herbicide, 

mowing, drum chopping, and burning plus the combination 

of burning and each of the other three methods. Due to the 

extremely wet conditions, the only type of preparation 

successfully performed was mowing which proved to be 

too expensive and impractical for large-scale site 

preparation. Due to the failure of the other three methods, 

herbicide application was not attempted and no Atlantic 

whitesedar seedlings were planted. Plots that were 

mowed displayed vigorous growth of undesirable trees, 

shrubs, grasses, and ferns that completely dominated the 

site within hnro growing seasons. This method, unless 

follovved up with chemical control, would provide little 

benefit to seedling growth. Art#icial means of regenerating 

Atlantic white-cedar in cut-over stands on the Refuge will be 

performed only in situations where methods to promote or 

enhance natural regeneration have failed. As it now stands, 

there are more naturalty regenerating stands in need of 

restoration than we can afford to manage in the near future. 

Artificially regenerating Atlantic white-cedar is not only more 

costly but also has a much lower probability of success 

than restoring stands in which natural regeneration is 

occurring. Regardless of the method of site preparation, 

the planted seedling will most likely require some type of 

silvicuRura1 treatrnenl in order to keep them relatively free to 

grow. 

Hydtologic Restoration 

Efforts to restore the hydrology on the Refuge were first 

initiated in 1989 with the installation of water-control 

structures in the outlets of several major canals. In 1992, 

Legacy funding provided means to expand our restoration 

efforts and provide water-control cap;libilities in areas 

having a direct impact on Atlantic white-wdar regeneration. 

A significant number of structures have been installed that 

provide water control for thousands of acres. However, 

hydfologic restoration has not yet been achieved in all of 

the 3,000-acre study area. Several structures are to be 

installed in canals directly adjacent to the study area, while 

the remaining structures that still require permitting and 

purchasing will most likely be installed in the near future. It 

is essential to achieve some level of hydrologic restoration 

before any regeneration efforts can be attempted. 

In addition to establishing water control, a hydrology study 

is planned to monitor water quality and flow throughout the 

3,000-acre study area. Long-term monitoring will generate 

baseline data for determining current conditions, 

management needs, and the effect of restoration efforts. 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

Preliminary results of stand inventories reveal that natural 

regeneration of Atlantic white-cedar is occurring in nearly all 

stands. However, stocking levels between and within 

stands are extremely variable. Variations in stocking 

between stands appear to be directly associated with 

hydrology, site disturbance, and density of competing 

vegetation. Although it was not a variable in this inventory, 

the time of year a stand was harvested can also be 

correlated to the success of natural regeneration (Smith 

1995). The variabiltty, or patchiness of regeneration within 

a stand is most likely a result of micro-topography, site 

disturbance, and variation in shrub density. It has been 

suggested that micro-topography is a primary component 

of Atlantic whitecedar regeneration (Akerman 1923, Little 

1950). As a result of drastic soil disturbance in the skid 

trails, nearly all vegetation growth occurs between the trails, 

where it tends to be higher and drier. Skid trails within all of 

the stands are wetter than surrounding areas and are 

devoid of any soil properties essential for supporting tree 

growth. Seed stored within the area of skid trails prior to 

logging was also most likely destroyed by equipment traffic. 

Despite some minor variation in species composition 

behnreen the stands, the one variable which remains 

constant is the extremely dense shrub layer. In all stands 

inventoried, the primary cause of failed regeneration is 

competing hardwood vegetation. Aside from the 

competition for nutrients, Atlantic white-cedar must also 

compete for light which is essential for seedling survival 

and seed germination. Hardwood growth is usually so 

dense that it creates a nearly closed canopy. In addition to 

the shrub canopy, the leaf litter deposited by the deciduous 

species also acts as a barrier to light, thus inhibiting seed 

germination. Throughout the majority of the stands, the 

primary hardwood competitors, are fetter bush (Lyonia 

lucida), laurel or bamboo green briar (Smilax laurifolia), 

green briar (S, waltero, gallberry ( ilex coriacea), bitter 

gallberry or inltberry (I. glabra) and waxmyrtle (Mj/rica 

cerifera) . 
Also correlated with the success of Atlantic whitecedar 

regeneration is the presence of Sphagnum moss (Smith 

1995). Sphagnum is the most common substrate on 

which Atlantic whitecedar seed germination occurs (Little 

1950). The presence of Sphagnum also appears to be 

directly correlated with light availabiliv. Dense carpets of 

Sphagnum are present only within areas that receive nearly 

full sunlight, such as skid trails. Unfortunately, these sites 

often remain too wet for seed gemination and seedling 

survival. 

Although regeneration within a stand is patchy or occurs in 

rows between skid trails, many of the stands were found to 

contain an average of at least 850 trees per acre in the > 5- 

foot height class. One stand was determined to be 

regenerating successfully on its own with little competition 

and will require no treatment. Most of the other stands, 

anhough adequately stocked, will require sibicultural 

treatment. Plans to alleviate the effects of competing 

vegetation consist of herbicide application which will be 

administered in the near future. To date, chemical release 

from competing vegetation appears to be the only viable 

means of enhancing natural Atlantic whitecedar 

regeneration. Long-term monitoring of the effects of the 

chemical release will be accomplished by resurveying 

permanent plots that were established in several of the 

stands. 

Development of a complete GIs will be a continuing effort. 

All ecosystem-related data will eventually be incorporated 

into a GIs, which will become one of our most valuable 

tools for managing all aspects of the Refuge and Range. 

Although necessary at times, planting Atlantic whitecedar 

has proved to be so difficult that natural regeneration is 

preferred in areas where the opportunity exists (Laderman 

1989). Planting seedlings or cuttings is more costly and 

usually requires some type of follow-up treatment to 

minimize ingrowth of potential competition. The collection 

of seed for use in nursery production continues to be 

extremely labor-intensive. Producing Atlantic white-cedar 

trees from cuttings seems to be a simpler approach; 

however, the price of cuttings remains significantly higher 

than seedlings. 

As a result of the altered hydrology, some of the stands are 

flooded for extended periods. Standing water prevents the 

germination of seeds, induces additional stress, and kills 

neariy all new germinates. Completing the hydrologic 

restoration project on the Refuge and Range will take a 

considerable amount of time. We anticipated having water 

control throughout the majority of the entire 3,000-acre 

study area by the end of spring 1998. By installing watercontrol structures at key locations at the intersections of 

roads adjacent to cut-over stands, surface and ground 

water will be able to flow in and out of stands more 

naturally. 

Hydrologic restoration in conjunction with chemical release 

is essential to the success of natural regeneration of 

Atlantic white-eedar in most of the inventoried cut-over 

tracts. With any luck, the inventory of the 3,000 acres will be 

completed by the end of the 1997 field season. Once the 

inventor)? data analysis, and hydrology restoration are 

complete, plans to release Atlantic white-cedar 

regeneration can be implemented. The overall goal of this 

project is to restore the entire 3,000-acre study area; 

however, the number of acres restored will be determined 

by the limited amount of funds available. Due to limited 

funding, stands with the greatest amount of natural 

regeneration will be treated first, while the rest of the 

stands will be prioritized accordingly and treated as 

additional funding becomes available. The 3,000 acres of 

Atlantic white-cedar clearcuts sampled during this study is 

only a fraction of the total clearcut acreage in need of 

restoration on the Refuge and Range. Therefore, 

restoration efforts should be incorporated into the overall 

management of the ecosystem. 

REFERENCES 

Ackerman, A. 1923. The white cedar of the Dismal Swamp. Va. 

For. Publ. 30: 1-21. 

Bonner, F.T. 1996. Seed conditioning and seed quality of Atlantic 

white-cedar. Final report. Starkville, MS: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 12 p. 

[Unpublished manuscript]. 

Laderman, A.D. 1989. The ecology of Atlantic white cedar 

wetlands: a community profile. Biol. Rep. 85(7.21). U.S. 

Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. 115 p, 

Little, S. 1950. Ecology and silviculture of white cedar and 

associated hardwoods in southem New Jersey. Bull. 56. New 

Haven, CT: Yale University School of Forestry. 103 p. 

Smith, L.E., 11. 1995. Regeneration of Atlantic white-cedar at the 

Alligator River Nati~nal Wildlife Refuge and Dare County Air 

Force! Bombing Range. Rateigh, NC: North Carolina State 

University, Department of Forestry. 87 p. M.S. thesis. 

Trirnble. 1996. Pro XL training manual. Rev. C. Trimble Navigation 

Limited. Chapter 4. 
EFFECTS OF HERBIVORE PRESSURE ON ATLANTIC WHITE-CEDAR 

ROOTED-CUTTING SURVIVAL ON A NORTH CAROLINA 

COASTAL PLAIN PEATLAND 

Abstract-ln 1996, a study was initiated to evaluate the planting of Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyi~aris thyoides (L.) 

B.S.P.) as part of a habitat restoration project taking place on the Pocosin Lakes National Vdildlife Refuge, North Carolina. 

In the summer of 1993, 6,000 rooted vvhitecedar stem-cuttings were planted on 180 hectares of peatiand previously 

used for agriculture. In 1994, 57,000 cypress and pond pine (Pinus semtjna Michaux) were planted on the site. In 

1995, 3,500 water oak (Que~us nigra L.), 2,500 willow oak (Que~us phellos L.), 2,000 pond pine, 400 cherrybark oak 

(Que~us hlcata var. pagodaefolia Ell.), 200 bald cypress (Taxodium distichurn (L.) Richard) and 100 green ash 

(Frainus pennsylvanica Marshall) were planted. Due to extremely dry conditions at the time of planting, fire-plow 

ditches were used as planting beds for Atlantic white-cedar, The objective of this study was to determine Atlantic 

~ite-cedar survival within the fire-plow ditches from 1993 and to report the survival of bald cypress, pond pine and 

oak species. Initial findings indicated that survival of most planted species was low due to deer browsing. 

In 1997, a follow-up study was initiated to focus on the effects of herbivore pressure on newly planted Atlantic whitecedar and bald cypress. Tree shelters ("Super Tubes"; Treessentials Co., St. Paul, Minnesota) were placed over half 

the trees in a small plantation of Atlantic white-cedar and bald cypress. Survival and groMrth were compared among 

trees in control and "Super Tube" treatments. 

This paper presents the evaluation of the success of the 1993 planting of Atlantic white-cedar and offers 

recommendations for the use of "Super Tubes'as a beneficial practice in establishing Atlantic white-cedar and bald 

cypress on the Pocosin Lakes Refuge. 

INTRODUCTION 

Recognition of Atlantic whitecedar" (Chamaecyparis 

thyoiclles (L.) 6.S.E) many commercial and ecological 

values coupled with a well-documented loss of its 

historical range has provided an impetus for many recent 

projects concerning the restoration of Atlantic white-cedar 

ecosystems (Phillips and others 1 992, Smith 1 995, Moore 

1996). Whenever possible, natural regeneration should be 

the preferred method of establishing Atlantic whitecedar 

(Laderman 1 989). t-iowever, in many locations where 

Atlantic whitecedar restoration is planned, a natural seed 

source is not available; therefore, many projects rely on 

artificial means to recreate a Atlantic white-cedar habitat 

(Phillips and others 1992). 

With large- and small-scale restoration of Atlantic whitecedar, feeding by deer, field mice and rabbit populations 

can have detrimental effects on an Atlantic white-cedar crop 

(Little and Somes 1958, Zampella 1987, Phillips and 

others 1992). The need to provide protective measures to 

reduce depredations upon newly planted Atlantic whitecedar has been widely recognized (Little and Somes 1958, 

Laderman 1989, Kuser and Zimmerman 1995). Commonly 

used barriers for protecting tree crops are, for individual 

plants, plastic or metal mesh cages, and, for larger 

plantations, electric fence exclosures. Chemical repellants 

are often used in combination with physical barriers to 

further enhance control over deer feeding. 

Preference of a protective method is usually determined by 

the scale of planting, ease of installation and the cost per 

planted tree. This study used tree shelters ("Super Tubes"; 

Treessentials Co., St. Paul, Minnesota) for a small 

plantation of Atlantic white-cedar and bald cypress 

(Tmodium distichurn (L.) Richard) due to cost and time 

efficiency for such a small-scale planting. "Super Tubes" 

can also prevent damage by smaller animals that other 

methods may not. However, the protection afforded by the 

"Super Tubes" is relatively expensive ($2.60/tree) and may 

not be practical for large-scale planting (Kays 1995). Kays 

(1995) calculated that tree shelters were more affordable 

than electric fencing for plantations of one acre or less but 

become more costly than electric fencing for plantations of 

three acres or more. 

Study Area 

This study was conducted on a 180-hectare parcel of land 

that had been cleared of timber for agriculture. The parcel, 

known as the Selby Tract, was abandoned in 1985 and is 

now part of the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge 

which is located in Hyde, Tyrell, and Washington Counties, 

North Carolina. In 1993, Refuge managers initiated a 

restoration project on the Selby Tract that included the 

planting of 6,000 rooted Atlantic white-cedar cuttings. 

Besides planting, managers attempted to restore the 

wetland's hydrology by mechanical& plugging the tract's 

sixteen drainage ditches at the point where they drain into a 

first order canal. Due to extremely dry soil conditions, 

managers created ditches with a fire-plow to be used as 

planting beds. These ditches were intended to provide 

greater moisture for the rooted cuttings. No other site 

preparation was done before planting. 

' Research Assistant, Hardwood Research Cooperative, Box 8008, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695. 

Citation for proceedngs: Shear, Theodore ti.; Summerville, K.O., eds. 1999. Atlantic whitecedar: ecology and management symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southem Research 

Station. 82 p. 
The Selby Tract has several qualities that make it suitable 

for Atlantic white-cedar restoration. The organic soils are of 

the Pungo (dysic, thermic Typic Medisaprist), Scuppernong 

(loanry, mixed, dysic, thermic Terric Medisaprist), and 

Beihaven (loamy, mixed, @sic, thermic Tenic Medisaprist) 

series. All are deep, well-decomposed, low pH soils and 

are similar to those found in naturat Atlantic whitecedar 

wetlands (Laderman 1989). The Selby Tract is also within 

the recent, historical geographic range of Atlantic whitecedar and close to the Alligator Wildlife Refuge that 

contains some of the most extensive, natural Atlantic whitecedar stands in North Carolina (Frost 1987, Moore and 

Carter 1 987). 

The hydrology of the Refuge is controlled through an 

extensive drainage network of field ditches and canals 

constructed during the early 1900's and expanded as 

recently as the 1950's (Lilly 1981). Flash-board risers are 

in place in several main canals, giving managers the 

capability of controlling hydrology for the purposes of 

habitat restoration, wildfire and flood control. Typically, water 

levels are kept just below the soil surface for most of the 

Refuge, similar to that of natural of Atlantic white-cedar 

areas (Golet and Lowry 1987, Zampella 1987, Erhenfeld 

and Schneider 1991). 

METHODS 

In summer, 1997, ten planting rows were surveyed along 

their total length for presence or absence (mortality) of 

Atlantic white-cedar. On averaw, a row contained 100 

Atlantic white-cedars. Survival was determined as the 

percentage of trees that had survived since 1993. The 

planting locations of bald cypress, pond pine and oak 

species were also surveyed for remaining trees. 

Prompted by high tree mortality and strong evidence of 

herbivore damage to the surviving Atlantic white-cedar (e.g., 

snipped terminal buds, broken stems, etc.), a follow-up 

study was conducted to determine the effects of herbivore 

feeding on the survival of planted, rooted-cuttings of Atlantic 

white-cedar and bald cypress. Fifty Atlantic white-cedar and 

fifty bald cypress trees were planted on a 3 m x 3 m 

spacing on February 1, 1997 in a random block design (20 

trees per block, replicated 5 times). Trees of similar initial 

heights, of each species, were grouped together in blocks. 

Blocks consisted of 10 trees from both species with half 

the trees having "Super Tubes" (1.2 m high, translucent 

shelters) placed over them after planting. Site preparation 

consisted of physically clearing the native vegetation within 

a square meter around each planted tree. Trees were 

measured for initial height at the time of planting. Frequent 

inspections of the site were made to repair "Super Tubes", 

remove competing vegetation, and make note of herbivore 

damage to individual trees. Tree mortalrty and heights 

were recorded again on July 1, 1997. 

An analysis of variance was performed with tree mortality 

and mean tree growth data as the dependent variables; 

tests for significance used an alpha-level of 0.10. Dead 

trees were excluded from statistical analysis when mean 

growth was used as the dependent variable. The 

procedure of excluding dead individuals has also been 

used in similar tree shelter experiments (Minter and others 

1992, Smith 1992). 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

1993 Atlantic White-cedar Planting 

Twenty-one percent of the Atlantic whitecedar rootedcuttings survived (208 living trees from 1,000 planting 

locations). The total area sampled was 6192 square 

meters, resulting in an estimated Atlantic whitecedar 

density of 336 treesfhectare (136 treeslacre). Most of the 

surviving trees have had their main stems severed near 

ground level, resulting in poor growh and form; sign of 

deer was present at nearly all tree locations. 

The survival of the 1994 planting of bald cypress was 

surveyed at 969 tree locations within the fire-plow ditches; 

trees were found in 109 locations, and overall survival was 

11.2 percent. Surveys of those bald cypress planted 

outside of the fire-plow ditches was 8 percent (200 planting 

locations surveyed). 

Surveys of pond pine (Pinus serotina Michaux) found that 

46% of the original trees remained at planting locations 

(230 living trees from 500 planting locations). 

The survival of Quercus species was 51 percent (148 trees 

remained at 292 planting locations); most of the surviving 

trees were heavily browsed and less than 0.25 m in height. 

Tree Shelter Results 

Survival of Atlantic white-cedar and bald cypress differed 

among both the control and "Super Tubes" treatments 

(table 1). Mortality of all trees within the control treatment 

was attributable to deer browse, i.e., snapped stems or 

uprooting. Mortality within the "Super Tube" treatment was 

caused by the uprooting of trees due to vandalism ("Super 

Tubes" and stakes were knocked over and damaged by 

gunshot). There was significantly less mortality between 

trees with 'Super Tubes" for both Atlantic whitecedar and 

bald cypress (p = 0.05 and p r 0.01, respectively) (table 2). 

Among the trees without "Super Tubes," eight of the 16 

surviving Atlantic white-cedars and 9 of the 10 surviving 

bald cypress had been browsed. Tree heights after 5 

Table 14unrival and height growth of Atlantic whitecedar and bald cypress 

Height 

Treatment n Survival grovvth 

Percent crn 

W hite-cedar 

Control 25 64 4.1 

Super tubes 25 84 13.8 

Bald cypress 

Control 25 40 -12.7 

Super tubes 25 96 6.9 
Table 2?---ANOVA results for survival and height grovvth of 

Atlantic white-cedar and bald cypress. Treatments are 

with or wfthout "Super Tubes" 

Source df White-cedar Cypress 

Survival 

Replicates 4 NS NS 

Treatments 1 * * * 

Error 4 

Growth 

Replicates 4 NS ** 

NS 

Treatments 1 * 

Error 4 

months in the field are presented in table 1. Among the 

sunriving trees, relative growth of a tree was determined by 

the difference between initial height and height after 5 

months; these values were negative in many instances. 

Growth of surviving Atlantic whitecedar and bald cypress 

without "Super Tubes" averaged 4.1 centimeters and -12.7 

centimeters, respectively, while trees within "Super Tubes" 

averaged 13.8 centimeters and 6.9 centimeters over 5 

months (table 1). Differences in mean growth were 

significant for Atlantic white-cedar and bald cypress (p = 

0.01 and p = 0.02, respectitrely) (table 2). 

CONCLUSIONS 

While Phillips and others (1992) have found animal 

impacts to be minimal in some areas of eastern North 

Carolina, herbivore pressure on Atlantic whitecedar may 

be especially intense on the Pocosin Lakes Refuge. Newly 

planted trees are likely to be preferred by deer over pocosin 

vegetation; Atlantic white-cedar, an evergreen, might be 

especially susceptible to winter browsing (Little and 

Somes 1958). This notion is supported by a similar cedar 

planting project on the Refuge, which experienced 75% 

mortality in the first 2 years, even though electric fencing 

was in place (Hinesley and Wicker 1997). 

The relationship of the fire-plow ditches to Atlantic whitecedar survival is unknown since no trees were planted 

outside of this site preparation. However, creating fire-plow 

ditches as a site preparation appears to have been 

effective at both providing adequate moisture to the Atlantic 

whitecedar and avoiding permanent flooded conditions in 

the planting beds. Over the past 2 years, evidence of 

flooding in the ditches was only observed once (after 

Hurricane Bertha in 1996). Plans to install a flash-board 

riser in a main canal downstream of the Selby Tract will 

undoubtedly raise water tables in the future. Atlantic whitecedar wetlands typically have a water-tables 20 to 61 

centimeters below the surface (Erhenfeld and Schneider 

1991, Golet and Lowry 1987, Zampella 1987). Since the 

fire-plow ditches are approximately 50 centimeters in 

depth, restoring a more natural Atlantic white-cedar 

hydrological regime to the Selby Tract would likely flood the 

remaining trees. Atlantic white-cedar is likely to die in such 

a situation due to its intolerance to flooding for long periods 

of time (Laderman 1989, Moore 1996). This site 

preparation seems ill-suited for the local environmntal 

changes that will eventualv occur. 

The Pocosin Lakes Refuge and the Selby Tract have 

excellent potential for Atlantic white-cedar restoration. 

However, based on the low sunrival of Atlantic white-cedar 

without deer protection in this and other studies and 

considering the positive effects of "Super Tubes" an tree 

mortaltty and growth, furlher cedar restoration in this study 

area should be accompanied by a sound plan for 

controlling hebivore feeding damage. 

ACKNOWLEDCMENE 

A special thanks to Eric Hinesley, Mike Wicker, Ted Shear, 

Bob Kelfison and Julie Fontaine for their guidance with this 

project. Also, thanks to Jim Savery, Al Ambrose, David Kitts 

and the Pocosin Lakes Refuge staff for technical support. 

Work for this project was funded by a grant from the U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service. 

REFERENCES 

Ehrenfeld, J.G.; Schneider, J. 1986. Chamaecyparis thyoides 

wetlands and suburbanization: effects of nonpoint source 

water pollution on hydrology and plant community structure. 

Joumal of Applied Ecology. 28: 467-490. 

Frost, C.C. 1987. Historical overview of Atlantic white cedar in 

the Carolinas. In: Laderrnan, A.D., ed. Atlantic white cedar 

wetlands. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. 401 p. 

Golet, F.C.; Lowry, D.J. 1987. Water regimes and tree growth in 

Rhode Island Atlantic white cedar swamps. In: Laderrnan, A.D., 

ed. Atlantic white cedar wetlands. Boulder, CO: Westview 

Press. 401 p. 

Hinesley, E.; Wlcker, M. 1997. Personal communication. Dr. Eric 

Hinesley, Box 7609, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 

27695. 

Kays, J.S. 1995. Deer protection for small forest plantations: 

comparing costs of tree shelters. In: Proceedings of the tree 

shelter conference; 1995 June 20-22; Harrisburg, PA. Gen. 

Tech. Rep. NE-221. Delaware, OH: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment 

Station. 

Kuser, J.E.; Zlmmwman, G.L. 1995. Restoring Atlantic whitecedar swamps: techniques for propagation and establishment. 

Tree Planter's Notes. 46(3): 78-85. 

Laderman, A.D. 1989. The ecology of Atlantic white cedar 

wetlands: a community profile. Biological Rep. 85 (7.21). U.S. 

Department of the Interior, Fish and VVildlife Service. 115 p. 

Liily, P.J. 1981. The blackland soils of North Carolina: their 

characteristics and management for agriculture. Tech. Bull. 270. 

North Carolina Agricultural Research Service. 70 p. 

Uttle, S.; Sornes, S.A. 1965. Atlantic wkite-eedar being 

eliminated by excessive animal damage in south Jersey. Res. 

Note NE-33. Delaware, OH: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 3 p. 

Minter, W.F.; Myers, R.K.; Flscher, B.C. 1992. Effects of tree 

shelters on northern red oak seedlings planted in harvested 

forest openings. Northem Joumal of Applied Forestry. 

9(2): 58-63. 
Moore, J.W.; Carter, J.H., 111. 1987. Habitats of vvttite cedar in 

North Carolina, in: Lademan, A.D., ed. Atlantic white cedar 

wetlands. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. 401 p. 

Moore, S.E. 1996. Natural regeneration of Atlantic white-cedar in 

the Great Dismal Swamp. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State 

University. Ph.D, dissertation. 

Phillips, R.; Gardner, WE.; Summenrille, K.0. 1993. Plantability 

of Atlantic white-cedar rooted cuttings and bare-root seedlings. 

In: Prweedings of the seventh biennial southern sitviculturat 

research conference; 1992 November 17-1 9; Mobile, AL. 

Atlanta: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 

Southern Region: 97-1 04. 

Smith, C.W. 1992. Development of red oak seedlings using plastic 

shelters on hardwood sites in West Virginia. Res. Pap. NE-672. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern 

Forest Experiment Station. 

Smith, L.E., 11. 1995. Regeneration of Atlantic whitelcedar at the 

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and Dare County Air 

Force bmbing Range. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State 

University. M.S. thesis. 

ampella, R.A. 1987. Atlantic white cedar management in the 

New Jersey pinelands. In: Lademan, A.D., ed. Atlantic white 

cedar wetlands. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. 401 p. 
EFFECTS OF PROPAGULE TYPE, GEOGRAPHIC ORIGIN, AND FERTILIZATION 

ON FIRST-YEAR PERFORMANCE OF NLANTIC WHITE-CEDAR 

(CHAMAECYPARIS THYOIDES) IN NEW JERSEY 

Michael d. Haas and John Em Kuseri 

Abstract-We are investigating the impact of several faGlors on the establishment and grovvth of Atlantic ~ite-cedar 

(Chamaecyparis &yoides (b.) B.S,P.) in the field: (1) the type of propagute planted and the age of the parent tree, (2) 

the gtjctgraphic origin of the planting stock, and (3) amendment of poor soils wi% fertilizers at the time of planting. The 

results of the first year of these studies are reported here. To investigate the effects of propagule type and the agR of 

the parent tree, seedlings and rooted cuttings (stecklings) were prepared from immature, from middle aged, and from 

very old trees. After 1 year in the field, seedlings from the very old trees showed the greatest growth, while stecklings 

from this same group and stecklings from immature parent trees perfomed the poorest. To investigate the role of 

geographic origin, stecklings derived from mature Atlantic white-cedars in northern, central and southern New Jersey, 

and from a site in North Carolina, were planted in a common garden plot. Trees from the isolated northem-most site 

grew significantly slower than the others. The investigation of the role of fertilizer treatments was conducted on the 

barren, low-nutrient sand beach of a freshwater lake. The fertilizer types investigated were a time-release inofganic 

fertilizer, a course, undegraded mulch, and a fine, highly degraded mulch. Mulch treatment alone caused a slight 

decrease in growth compared to the no-treatment control. Treatment with inorganic fertilizer doubled growth compared 

to the control. Treatment with inorganic fertilizer in combination with undegraded, but not highly degraded, mulch nearly 

tripled growth. 

INTRODUCTION 

We report here the initial results of experiments designed 

to investigate the effects on the field performance of Atlantic 

whitecedar (Chamaecyparis thyoi&s (I.) BS.P.), 

according to the manner in which restoration is conducted. 

Our studies have focused on three topics: 

1. The effect of geographic origin of the planting stock: it 

has been often observed in the restoration of other plant 

species that adaptation to local climate, soil, moisture 

regimes, and geography can play major roles in the abilfty 

of a species to survive in the field. That is, locally-derived 

planting stock often performs best. To test the degree to 

which this effect pertains to Atlantic whitecedar, with 

particular emphasis on restoration within Mew Jersey, we 

have compared the growth of rooted cuttings (stecklings) 

derived from parent trees located at three widely separated 

sites within the state, along with stecklings produced from 

cedars grown in North Carolina, in a common garden plot. 

2. The elfeet sf type sf propagule and type of parent: Atlantic 

white-cedar can be propagated via the production of 

stecklings or through the sprouting of seeds to generate 

seedlings. The former of these methods is relatively quick 

and economical, and is the method of choice in the industry 

today. The latter method is slower, more tedious, and more 

expensive. However, through the use of seedlings, one is 

more assured of maintaining the full genetic complexity of 

the species. To test the effects of the propagule-type on the 

restoration of Atlantic whitecedar we have produced both 

stecklings and seedlings from a group of parent trees. 

These were then planted on a common site. Field 

performance, monitored as height increase, was 

monitored. In addition, since it is feasible that the vigor of a 

pro~agule may be a function of the age of the tree from 

which it was derived, we have employed as parent trees in 

this study cedars ranging in age from less than 10 to more 

than 100 years. 

3. The abilfty of planted Atlantic white-cedars to survive on a 

barren sand site, and the ability of nutrient amendments to 

increase their survival and growth: in New Jersey, as 

elsewhere along the Outer Coastal Plain of the Atlantic 

seaboard, industrial activities such as sand mining have 

created extensive bare sand areas that are devoid of 

vegetation. Subsurface fresh water is often available near 

the surface at such sites due to the collection water in the 

mining depressions. However, the nutritional status of 

these areas is very poor. Since the moisture levels and 

regional location are favorable to Atlantic white-cedar, we 

have investigated the ability of the species to survive on this 

site. In light of the poor nutritional status of these sites, we 

have also determined the effects of nutrient amendment on 

the survival and growth at these locations. 

METHODS 

Bionraterial 

Biomaterial for the production of stecklings and seedlings 

was gathered from healthy Atlantic white-cedar between 

' Graduate Student, Department of Plant Biology, Cook College, P.O. Box 231, Rutgers University, New Bntnswick, New Jersey 089034233; 

Associate Professor, Departments of Plant Biology and of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Cook College, P.O. Box 231, Rutgers 

University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903-0231, respectively. 

Citation for proceedings: Shear, Theodore H.; Summewille, KO., eds. 1999. Atlantic white-cedar: ecology and management symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, CIA. Gen. Tech, Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Suthern Research 

Station. 82 p. 
October, 1994 and January, 1995 at High Point State Park 

and Lebanon and Belleplain State Forests. These sites 

are located, respectively, in extrem northern, central, and 

extreme southern New Jersey. The long&udinal distance 

between the northernmost and southernmost site is 

approximately 160 mikes. The distance between High Point 

and Lebanon is approximate& 105 miles. The E3elleplain 

site sits essentialty at sea level, and the Lebanon site is 

less than 100 feet above sea level. In contrast, the High 

Point cedar swamp sits approximate4 1,500 feet above 

sea level, the highest reported Atlantic white-cedar site. 

Material gathered for steckling production was the terminal 

25 to 35 centimeters of cedar boughs. From the current 

season's new growth on these boughs, the terminal 

shoots, rough4 10 centimeters in length, were cut. At the 

cut end of these, the bark and phloem were removed from 

one side for a length of approximately 2 centimeters. This 

portion was coated with Hormodin 3 rooting hormone (MSD 

Agvet Division of Merck & Co., Rahway, NJ, active 

ingredient: 0.8 percent indole 3-butyric acid) and the cutting 

was planted in a conical plastic tube, 21 centimeters long X 

4 centimeters diameter. (Leach tube, Stuewe Inc., 

Corvallis, OR) filled with Promix BX (Premier Horticulture, 

Red Hill, PA) planting medium. Racks of cuttings were 

placed on heat mats (22 "C) in a greenhouse with a 10- 

hour minimum day length (350 ~Einsteins) and 

automatically misted with water for 6 seconds every 6 

minutes. To acclimate the trees to frost, they were 

transferred in January 1996 to an open-air chamber with a 

minimum nighttime temperature of 0 "C. Final outplanting 

was done in April and May, 1996. 

Cedar cones were allowed to open by drying at room 

temperature for 3 days. The seeds were shaken from the 

opened cones, placed on top of moist sphagnum moss 

and stratified by incubation at 4 OC for 6 weeks. 

Germination was then induced by transferring the seeds to 

filter papers moistened with distilled water within Petri 

dishes (papers, water, and dishes were pre-sterilized) and 

exposing them at 25 "C to 16-hour day length artificial 

illumination. After 1 month each seed was transferred to 

the surface of ProMix BX in a Leach tube and exposed to 

the mist and illumination regime described above for the 

stecklings. 

Stecklings from North Carolina were the gracious gift of the 

Weyerhauser Corp. and originated from sites 

approximately 300 miles south of the New Jersey samples. 

They were produced from a hedge orchard, located in 

Trenton, NC, whose parent material came from a single 

site in Craven County, NC (8. Cooney, personal 

communication). 

Experimental Plan and Conduct 

All trees were planted on 5-foot centers in May and June, 

1996, at sites in central New Jersey. Heights at planting 

were generally between 10 and 20 centimeters. After 

planting, vegetation which overtopped the young trees was 

removed as necessary with a weed whacker during the 

growing season. The maximum above-ground height of 

each tree was measured at planting and again in January, 

1997 following one season of growth. Net growth for that 

season was calculated from this data. Data was not 

collected from trees that had died or been browsed by deer. 

Statistical analysis of data was conducted with Design 

Expert 5 sonware (StatEase Corp., Minneapolis, MN). 

Geographic Origins Stu* 

This work was conducted on a small (0.5 ha) Atlantic whitecedar wetland located at the New Jersey Forest Resources 

Education Center in Jackson, NJ. The site was cleared of 

trees prior to initiation of the experiment. For each 

geographic origin (north, central and southern New Jersey, 

and North Carolina), 12 stecklings prepared from each of 

five trees were planted, for a total of 60 trees per origin, 

Stecklings raised by our methods were 10 to 20 

centimeters tall at planting. Stecklings from North Carolina 

were 25 to 35 centimeters tall. 

Parent Age I Propagule Type Study 

Trees from three age classes were chosen as donors of 

biomaterial: (1) late-mature trees, with average ages (by 

increment boring) of 11 2 to 150 years, (2) relatively young 

mature trees, with ages between 30 and 50 years, and (3) 

immature trees less than 6 feet tall and not yet producing 

cones. Cuttings were gathered from all three groups for 

the production of stecklings. Seedlings were produced 

from cones gathered from the first two groups. 

The study site is on the edge of an existing Atlantic whitecedar site in Lebanon State Forest, MJ. Atlantic whitecedars were naturally colonizing this site prior to planting, 

which indicated its suitability for growth of this species. 

Brush and trees above 8 centimeters in height were 

removed prior to the experiment. For each age group and 

type of propagule, 12 trees from each of five parent trees 

were planted in random order. Deer were effectively 

excluded by an electric fence. 

Establishment of Atlantic Whiae-Cedar on a 

Sterile Site Study 

These studies were conducted on the shore of a 

freshwater-filled open-pit sand mine at the Lakehurst, NJ 

facility of the Clayton Sand and Block Go. Two replicate 

rows of 6-15 x 5.6 meter plots, separated by a 10 meter 

bare strip, were laid out parallel to one another on the bare, 

approximately level, sand shore of the lake. Each of the six 

plots in each row received one of ihe following treatments, 

assigned randomly: 

1 . Osmocote (O.M. Scott, Marysvilie, OH) time-release 

fertilizer, 12 month release duration. N:P:K = 17:7:12. 

Application rate: 1,930 kilogramslacre. Mixed into the soil 

to a depth of 15 centimeters by roto-tilling. 

2. An undecomposed, freshly prepared mulch derived by 

course shredding of deciduous trees, primarily red maple 

(Acer rubrum). Typical fragment sizes were 1 square 

centimeter, A layer approximately 5 centimeters deep was 

applied manually across the plot and incorporated by rototilling. 

3. A finely ground, highly decomposed mulch derived from 

municipal yard waste. This material resembled black 

potting soil, with few pieces as large as 0.5 square 

centimeters. Rate of application and incorporation by rototilling were as described above. 
4. A combination of Osmocote and fresh mulch applied as 

above. 

5. A combination of Osmocote and decomposed mulch, 

applied as above. 

6. No treatmnt, rsto-tilled as &scribed above. 

Each of these plots was then planted with seedlings (9) 

from Lebanon State Forest parent trees and stecklings (15) 

from Lebanon S.E and from Belleplain State Park. 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

The steckling suntCval rate through the greenhouse phase 

of production was about 90 percent in most cases, 

although for about 5 percent of the parent trees the rate of 

steckling establishment was less than 75 percent. The 

production rate of viable seedlings exceeded 95 percent. 

Field survival of both stecklings and seedlings exceeded 

95 percent in virtually all cases. 

The Effects of Geographic Origin on 

Field Performance 

Efficient electric fencing was not installed in time to exclude 

deer. Approximately 50 percent of the test trees were 

browsed, removing them from this study. Browse damage 

was not equally spread across all samples. Particularly 

hard hit were trees from North Carolina, where the 

browsing rate was nearly 80 percent. 

Table 1 presents the average first year increases in height 

for trees from each of three New Jersey sites and the North 

Carolina site. Trees derived from the Lebanon and 

Belleplain sites grew the best, while those from High Point 

grew the slowest. Trees from North Carolina, the most 

distally separated of the sites, performed intermediately 

between the extremes established by the New Jersey 

trees. Analysis of variance indicated a significant (Pc0.05) 

difference only between the average height of trees derived 

from High Point and those from the Lebanon and 

Belleplain sites. Growth of trees from Lebanon, Belleplain, 

and North Carolina were not statistically different (at 

Pc0.05). The slow growth of the High Point trees may 

represent the consequences of adaptation to the High 

Point site, which experiences much more severe winters 

than the other sites studied. It may not be coincidental that 

the reiatively weather-stressed and isolated High Point 

stand has been shown to be genetically less diverse than 

other cedar sites (Kuser, in press). The data suggests that 

there is not a large origin-dependent component to the field 

performance of Atlantic white-cedar. It must be cautioned, 

however, that these data are from only one growing 

season, and that substantial amounts of data were lost 

due to deer browsing. 

The Effects of Parent Age and Type of Propagule 

on Field Performance 

Browsing losses in this experiment were less than 5 

percent, and mortality was less than 5 percent. Table 2 

presents first-season growth data for 283 trees, stecklings 

and seedlings, derived from parent materials of three 

different degrees of maturity. The best groMnh was by 

seedlings derived from the most mature trees studied. 

Their growth was significantly greater than that of any other 

type of propagule examined (Pc0.01). The poorest growth 

was by stecklings produced from this same class of 

parent. Stecklings from these old trees may exhibit 

reduced vigor, as their very production was difficult. Their 

Frequency of survival and rooting during the greenhouse 

phase of the operation was less than 25 percent. 

Stecklings from juvenile trees are the commercial source of 

cedar propagules in many reforestation operations. It is 

notable that this class of propagule grew almost 40 percent 

poorer (significant at Pc0.0001) than the best-growing 

group (table 2). Intermediate and statistically identical 

growth was displayed by seedlings and stecklings of 

relatively young mature trees (table 2). Again, these data 

represent only the first year of growth and should be taken 

as only indications of trends, at best. Firm conclusions 

regarding the fitness of the various types of propagules 

must await the time when the trees are of sufficient age to 

form an ecological community or to be harvested for timber. 

Nonetheless, the apparently superior ability of seedlings 

from very mature trees to increase their heights, and 

presumably their biomasses, may put them at a 

competitive advantage in terms of the capture and 

utilization of sunlight and nutrients and may also provide 

them with additional resistance against environmental 

stress. 

Table l--Mean first year growth of Atlantic white-cedar 

derived from different geographic locsltions 

Geographic 

origin Growth 

High Point 

Lebanon 

Belleplain 

North Carolina 

em, +/- mean 

18.9 (1.4) 

25.8 (1.5) 

23.9 (1.6) 

22.0 (2.3) 

ean first year growth of Atlantic white-cedar 

as a function of parent age and type of propagule 

Type of propagule Growth 

Late mature parent 

Steckling 

Seedling 

Young mature parent 

Steckling 

Seedling 

Immature parent 

Steckling 

em, +/- mean 

a Means within same column are not statistically different at 

Pe0.05. 

Establishment of Atlantic Whitecedar 

on a Sterile Site 

Excellent survival was obtained, despite the bleakness of 

this site: mortality through the first season was only 4 

percent. Even among trees that were planted in the bare 

sand with no accompanying mulch or inorganic fertilizer 

treatment there was virtually complete sunrival. Water is 

vital to the survival of cedars, and the fact that the water 

table at this site was within a foot of the surface throughout 

the growing season may have fostered their survival. There 

was no sign of deer and no browsing by deer at this barren, 

isolated site. Growth data from 276 trees were analyzed. 

Either stecklings or seedlings would make acceptable 

biomaterial for introduction of cedar on a site such as this, 

since there was not a significant difference in the 

performance of trees in these two groups (fig. 1). The 

application of organic mulches slightly but significantly 

(PcO.01) reduced growth compared to the no-treatment 

controls (fig. I), perhaps due to a sequestering of nutrients 

by microbial or plant communities introduced with the 

mulches. The use of inorganic fertilizer was quite 

beneficial: treatment with Osmocote caused slightly more 

than a doubling in average height (fig. 1). Treatment with 

both Osmocote, and highly degraded yard mulch did not 

significantly increase growth compared to the use of 

Osmocote alone (fig. 1). This may be due to the fact that 

this mulch contained a large number of weed seeds, 

primarily those of crab grass. This led to the growth of a 

dense mat of grass that may have competed with the 

cedars for nutrients provided by the Osmocote and the 

mulch. Freshly prepared course-ground mulch did not lead 

to the growth of nearly as much competing vegetation. 

When it was applied along with Osmocote a substantial 

and significant (Pe0.01) nearly two-fold stimulation in 

growth was achieved compared to the use of Osmocote 

alone (fig. 1). The magnitude of this stimulation was quite 

impressive, yielding trees that were more than three times 

taller at the end of the growing season than were the notreatment controls. The stimulation was not manifested in 

a height increase alone: substantial increases in overall 

mass also resulted from fertilizer treatment (data not 

shown). 

CONCLUSIONS 

1. There is little effect of geographic origin on the field 

performance of Atlantic white-cedar stecklings, with the 

exception that propagules from the isolated site at High 

Point, NJ may perform stightly poorer than cedars from 

other locations. 

2. The age of the parent tree and the type of propagule may 

impact the field performance of this species, with 

seedlings from very old trees growing significantly better; 

and stecklings from very young and very old trees growing 

significantly poorer than others tested. 

3. It is possible to introduce seedlings and stecklings of 

Atlantic white-cedar into extremely barren sand locations. 

Of the treatments tested, fertilization of such a site with a 

combination of an inorganic time-release fertilizer and a 

freshly prepared course-ground mulch provided the best 

(three-fold) stimulation in growth. 

4. All these conclusions must be viewed as provisional 

since they relate only the first year in the life of a species 

that typically lives in excess of 100 years. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of Deborah 

Woolf; Thornton Hartshorn and the Clayton Sand and Block 

Co.; Joe Hughes and Bernadette Cooney of Weyerhauser 

Corp.; various students of Rutgers Universrly; Jim Haase, 

Craig Cutros and other members of the New Jersey 

Department of Environmental Protection; and the 

Superintendents of Lebanon State Forest and High Point 

and Belleplain State Parks. This work was funded by a 

grant from the Forest Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. 

REFERENCES 

Kuser, J.E.; Meagher, 1; Sheely, D.; White, A. [In press]. 

Allozyme frequency in New Jersey and North Carolina 

populations of Atlantic White-Cedar (Chamaecyparis fhyoides, 

Cupressaceae). American Journal of Botany. 
NLANTIC WHITE-CEDAR WETLAND RESTORATION PROJECT AT 

POGOSIN LAKES NNIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE 

Eric Hinesley and Mike Wicker3 

Abstract-A non-point-source pollutton reduction project (Clean Water Act, Section 319) was funded in 1994 by the 

United States Environmental Protection Agen~y and admrnistered by the North Carolina Division of Water Quality and 

North Carolina Division of Forest Resources. The objective was to reduce nitrrzgen and mercury loading of downstream 

waters by restoring wetland hydrology and vegetation to a 640-acre research area within an 18,000-acre peat bog that 

was cleared and drained for fanning in the 1970's. The site became part of Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in 

1991. 

In April 1995, an experiment (randomized complete block; five replications and 14 treatments) was established in a block 

(0.5 x 1.0 mile) near the center of the area targeted for wetland restoration, Four vegetation treatments-Atlantic 

vvhite-cedar (Chamaecypaffs thyoides (L.) B .S. P.), pond pine (Pinus semtina Michaux), bald cypress (Taxodium 

difti&um (L.) Richard), and mntrol-were combined with two tree spacings (8 x 8 feet and 10 x 10 feet) and two site 

preparation treatments (none vs. heavy disking). Plots were 2.0 acres in size, and there were 70 plots, totaling 140 

acres. Undisturbed border areas separated plots, and riparian strips were maintained along drainage ditches and 

canals to protect wateways. An electric fence was installed to exclude deer. 

Survival of bald cypress, Atlantic white-cedar, and pond pine was 63, 25, and 43 percent, respectively, after 2 years. 

Site preparation (disking) was most beneficial to bald cypress. Average height of bald cypress, Atlantic white-cedar, 

and pond pine was 25, 12, and 13 inches, respectively. Deer browsing was severe despite the fence. Achieving 

survival of Atlantic whitecedar commensurate with that of bald cypress will likely demand additional protection against 

deer. 

Depth to water table averaged 7 to 13 inches. Water samples were collected quarterly from 12 surface water sites in 

canals surrounding the experimental area. Total Kjeldahl N was 1.8 to 3.5 parts per million (ppm) in surface water, with 

nitrate and ammonia usually r 0.01 and 0.2 ppm, respectively. In 1996, mercury concentrations in unfiltered surface 

water samples were 5.7 to 22 parts per trillion (ppt). The only samples higher than the State standard of 12 ppt were 

taken in the winter; others were within the range of values for rainfall. 

In the future, higher water levels will hopefully reduce levels of N and mercury in surface and groundwater. In addition 

to the 640-acre research area, another 1,330 acres have been replanted to primarily bald cypress and Atlantic whitecedar. Plans are underway to restore wetland hydrology on the remaining acreage by installing a total of 14 watercontrol structures on canals that drain the area. 

INTRODUCTION 

This report summarizes activities and findings for a nonpoint source pollution reduction demonstration project 

funded in 1994 by the U. S. Environmental Protection 

Agency and administered by the North Carolina Divisions of 

Water Quality and Forest Resources. The Clean Water Act, 

section 319, project was designed to reduce nitrogen and 

mercury loading of downstream waters by restoring 

wetland hydrology and vegetation to a peat bog that was 

cleared and drained in the 1970's. 

The site is located within Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife 

Refuge and is currently owned and managed by the U. S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service (USWS). Prior to public 

ownership, the area was cleared, ditched and drained for 

use in commercial farming and in anticipation of being 

mined for a peat-methanol plant. In the colonial period the 

demonstration site was part of the East Dismal Swamp, 

20,000 acres of peat and muck swamp (Powell 1987). The 

proposed peat mining fueled a long-lasting environmental 

debate based in part on concerns about mercury 

contamination of surface waters. 

Ultimately, proposals for peat mining were abandoned, and 

the area was transferred to USFWS ownership in 1991. 

Although the transfer of property to federal ownership 

ended the likelihood of peat mining in the area, the site 

remained devoid of a natural community of plants and 

animals, and the water draining from the site exceeded 

North Carolina water quality standards for mercury. Further, 

nitrogen in the runoff was likely contributing to 

eutrophication downstream. Runoff from the site flows 

south into Clark-Mill Creek, and eventually Pungo River. 

These surface waters are classified as nutrient sensitive, 

as is the whore Tar-Pamlico Basin (Clark 1995). The TarPamlico River Basin-wide Water Quality Management Plan 

(Clark 1995) indicated that Clark-Mill Creek and the upper 

end of the Pungo River do not met their water-use 

classification standards. Thus, there is a clear need to 

bring drainage waters into compliance with state standards 

and to reduce nitrogen loading. 

The USFWS intends to gain insights from this 640-acre 

demonstration project for the restoration of the surrounding 

area. The restored area should provide downstream water 

Professor, Department of Horticultural Science, Box 7609, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7609; Biologist, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 33726, Raleigh, NC 27636-3726, respectively. 

Citatibn for proceedings: Shear, Theodore H.; Summenrille, K.O., eds. 1999. Atlantic whitecedar: ecology and management symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Sewice, Southem Research 

Station. 82 p. 
quality benefits (i.e., reduced erosion and surface-water 

discharges with concentrations of total nitrogen and 

mercury less than or equal to those in rainfall). Other 

project benefits include wildlife habitat restoration, 

contributions to the scientific literature on wetland 

restoration, and the potential for this large demonstration 

project on restoration of Atlantic white-cedar, bald cypress, 

and pond pine to serve as a catalyst for the replanting of 

these wetland trees on private lands with deep organic 

soils. Ali these species are valuable for timber and are 

adapted to grow under wetland hydrologic regimes. Land 

managed for sibicutture of wtland trees would not require 

ditching, which is considered detrimental to the 

environment in wetland areas. 

Peat in the project site and surrounding area (the old East 

Dismal Swamp) has developed over the last 9,000 years 

since the Wisconsin period of glaciation. Dolman and Buol 

(1 967) believed that peat formation in the demonstration 

area started about the same time as it did in the Dismal 

Swamp in Virginia, 8,900 & 160 years before present (Oaks 

1964). Several factors contributed to its formation: low 

relief, high sea level, and the development of dunes along 

the Pungo River, which blocked drainage (Dolman and 

Buol 1967). Under these conditions, vegetation generated 

organic material faster than it could decompose, and a 

thick layer of peat was formed slowly over thousands of 

years. The peat retained nitrogen that had been stored by 

growing plants, and eventually created a very large bank of 

nitrogen. The peat also sequestered mercury from the rain 

cycle, similar to the way an activated charcoal filter cleans 

water by accumulating contaminants. Historically, mercury 

was present in the atmosphere at low levels from volcanic 

activity, but its levels have increased in recent times due to 

a variety of anthropogenic activities (e.g., combustion of 

fossil fuels, smelting). 

Ditching aerated the peat, causing it to decompose and 

release mercury. Subsidence from carbon loss after 

ditching has been estimated at 2.7 centimeterstyear for the 

first two years and 0.4 to 1.2 centimeters/year thereafter 

(Lilly 1981). Total mercury concentrations in surface water 

reported for the site have been variable. The highest total 

mercury concentrations recorded after ditching ranged from 

800 to 1,100 parts per thousand in a report prepared for 

Peat-methanol Associates (Environmental Science and 

Engineering, Inc. 1982). Concentrations have ranged from 

less than 2 to over 200 parts per thousand in subsequent 

reports (N.C. Division of Environmental Management 1983, 

Evans and others 1984). The surface water-quality 

standard for mercury is 12 parts per thousand. Total 

mercury is defined here as the sum of organic and 

inorganic forms including dissolved and suspended 

fractions. 

MATERIALS AND METHODS 

Hydrology Restoration and Monitoring 

A watercontrol structure was installed downstream from 

the demonstration area in 1996 so that the wetland 

hydrology could be restored. This structure controls the 

water regime on 1,500 acres. 

Reforestation 

About 100,000 trees of Atlantic white-cedar Chamamypaffs 

Ih-yoides (L.) B.S.P.), pond pine (Pinus serotina Michaux), 

bald cypress ( Tmodium distit=hum (L. ) Richard) were 

planted by machine and by hand on Block B6 (0.5 mile x 1.0 

mile) in April 1995. The tract had 16 columns (20 acres 

each) separated by small V-ditches (oriented north-south), 

spaced about 320 feet apart. Ditches drain to the south 

toward Clark-Mill Creek and the upper Pungo River. 

Elevation is about 16 feet above sea level, and depth to 

water table has varied from 7 to 13 inches. 

The experimental design is a randomized complete block 

with five replications and 14 treatments. Four vegetation 

types (Atlantic whitecedar, pond pine, bald cypress, and 

control), were combined with two tree-to-tree spacings (8 x 

8 feet, and 10 x 10 feet) and two site preparation treatments 

(none vs. heavy disking). Plots are 2.0 acres, with six plots 

in each column. There are 70 plots, totaling 140 acres. 

Undisturbed border areas separate experimental plots, 

and riparian strips are maintained along v-ditches and 

canals to protect waterways. 

Block B5 (320 acres) was planted in late February 1996, 

with no site preparation and no protection from deer. Trees 

were planted directly into the existing vegetation, primarily 

broom sedge (Andropogon spp). A commercial crew hand 

planted 233 acres (28,000 Atlantic white-cedar, 27,000 bald 

cypress, and 15,080 pond pine), using a target density of 

300 trees/acre. An additional 25,000 trees, consisting of 

eight hardwood species, were machine planted. About 

2,000 acres have been planted since 1995, mostly with 

bald cypress and Atlantic whitecedar. 

Plots in Block B6 were measured for survival and growth in 

January 1997. Two circular sub-plots (radius of 30 feet) 

were installed in each 2-acre plot, yielding a 6 percent 

sampling intensity. Total number of living trees was noted. 

Heights and diameters were measured on 5 to 10 trees in 

each sub-plot. If there were fewer than 10 trees, all were 

measured. Survival counts were converted to trees per 

acre, and subjected to analysis of variance to determine 

treatment effects. Average height of plants was also 

calculated for each species. 

Water Sampling 

Total mercury, nitrite, nitrate, total ammonia, and pH were 

sampled at fixed surface-water stations and ground-water 

wells. Nitrogen samples were analyzed in the Department 

of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at NC State 

University. Samples for total mercury analysis were 

shipped on ice overnight to Frontier Geosciences (414 

Pontius Ave. North, Seattle, WA 98109) for analysis. 

Mercury concentration was determined in nanogramslliter 

(parts per thousand). Surface-water samples for total 

mercury were run unfiltered but were preserved with 5 

percent BrCl, due to the turbidrty of the samples, and 

allowed to oxidize overnight prior to analysis. Aliquots of 

the samples were analyzed using SnCI, reduction, dual 

gold amalgamation, and cold vapor atomic fluorescence 

detection (Bloom 1993). Sample analyses, which included 

quality-control samples and lab performance on precision 

(repeatability of results based on relative percent deviation 
of duplicates) and amuracy (based on percent spike 

recoveries and anabses of standard reference material 

and blanks), were acceptable. 

Rainfall 

There were two rocal weather stations from which rainfall 

data could be compiled for calculations relative to annual 

rainfaH, nutrient inputs, evapo-transpiration, runoff, and 

nutrient loading. One station was located on the Pungo 

Unit of the Refuge (approximateiy 4 miles from the 

experimental site), the other on Allen Rd (approximately 1 

mile from the experimental site). The average of these two 

stations was used in calculations. Atmospheric inputs of 

mercury were obtained from data collected as part of the 

National Atmospheric Deposition Program (MADP) at 

Pettigrew State Park on the north side of Lake Phelps 

(approximately 5 miles from the experinrental site). 

Atmospheric inputs of nitrogen were estimated from airdeposition data from the National Acid DepositionlNationat 

Trends Network at the Lewiston Station in Bertie County 

(approximately 60 miles northeast of the experimental site). 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

Survival and Growth in Block 66 (Planted in 1995) 

Target stocking levels were 680 treeslacre at an 8 x 8 foot 

spacing, and 435 treeslacre at 10 x 10 feet. No inventory 

was conducted immediately after planting to determine 

actual plant densities. 

The effect of spacing was significant after 2 years in the 

field (table 1). Bald cypress, Atlantic white-cedar, and pond 

pine planted at 8 x 8 feet averaged 366, 186, and 265 trees1 

acre, respectively, which was 11, 68, and 27 percent greater 

than the stocking at 10 x 10 feet (table 2). A target density of 

8 x 8 feet initially has 55 percent more trees than 10 x 10 

feet. The number of trees surviving after 2 years also varied 

significantly among species (table 1). Cypress performed 

best, averaging 352 treeslacre (table 2). This represented 

an average survival of 63 percent. Atlantic white-cedar 

sustained the greatest losses, averaging 148 treeslacre. 

Only 25 percent of the Atlantic white-cedar seedlings 

survived the first 2 years. Pond pine averaged 237 trees/ 

acre, indicating that 43 percent of the plants lived through 

the first 2 years. 

The result of site preparation varied by species (significant 

'spec x site' interaction, table 1). The difference was 

primarily with bald cypress; without site preparation, there 

were 277 treeslacre after 2 years, compared to 427 trees/ 

acre in disked plots (table 2). A stocking of 427 treeslacre 

equates to an average spacing of slightly more than 10 x 10 

feet. Stocking levels of Atlantic white-cedar and pond pine 

were relativety similar between disked and nondisked 

plots, with Atlantic white-cedar and pond pine averaging 

134 to 162 treeslacre, and 224 to 245 treeslacre, 

respectively (table 2). 

Table 1---Analysis of variance for stocking levels 

(trees per acre) and height of Atlantic white-cedat; 

bald cypress, and pond pine in Block B6 after 2 years 

in the f ield 

Variable 

Source 

Trees per 

df acre Height 

Replication 

Treatmentsa 

Species = spec 

Site prep = site 

Spacing = spac 

Spec x site 

Spec x spac 

Site x spac 

Spec x site x spac 

Experimental error 

Pure error 

Corrected total 

a Site prep treatments were disking vs. undistuhed; spacings 

were 8 x 8 ft and 10 x 10 ft. 

Significant at P = 0.01(**), 0.05(*), or not significant (NS). 

Table 24tocking levels of Atlantic white-cedar, bald 

cypress, and pond pine in Block 66 after two growing 

seasons, as affected by spacing and site prep treatment 

Species 

Atlantic 

Bald white- Pond 

Treatment cypress cedar pine 

--------- -Trees per acre - - - - - - - - Spacing (ft) 

8x8 366" 186 265 

(25.9) (21.9) (1 8.9) 

10x10 338 11 1 208 

(28.2) (1 9.6) (20.4) 

Mean 352 1 48 237 

(1 9.0) (1 5.7) (14.5) 

Site prep 

None 277" 162 245 

(22.1 ) (23.4) (1 9.0) 

Disk 427 134 224 

(20.2) (21.1) (-1 

Mean of 10 plots (5 reps x 2 site prep treatments); s.e. of mean is 

given in parentheses. 

After 2 years in the field, the only variable that significantly 

influenced tree height was species (table 7). Average total 

height of bald cypress, Atlantic whitecedar, and pond pine 

was 24.6, 11.6, and 13.1 inches, respectively. Average 
height at planting was not determined, but bald cypress 

was initially much taller than the other two species. In 

addition, most trees were browsed during the first and 

second year despite the presence of a Gallagher electric 

fence. No stern diameters were measured in the 1996 

inventory. 

In general, it appeared that bald cypress was less severely 

browsed than Atlantic whlte-cedar and will likely outgrow 

the adverse influence of browsing. Most of the surviving 

Atlantic white-cedar were heavily browsed, and many plants 

might eventually succumb or never grow into good trees. 

On this site, we have concluded that achieving survival of 

Atlantic white-cedar commensurate with that of bald 

cypress will demand additional protection against deer, 

e.g., plastic or metal netting, sleeves, cages, or different 

typeslconfigurations of electric fencing. Consequently, we 

are currently carrying out experiments at the site to evaluate 

various types of deer exclusion. 

Nitrogen Analysis 

Total Kjeldahl N (TKN), which includes organic N and 

ammonia, averaged 1.8 to 3.5 milligramsfliter in surface 

water (table 3). On occasions when NO,-N was measured, 

the readings (3 decimal places) were zero milligramsfliter 

(data not shown). in addition, the concentration of NO,-N 

never exceeded 0.02 milligramslliter, and was usually < 

0.01 milligramlliter (table 3). NO,-N was equivalent to 

approximately 1 percent of the TKM. 

TKN in surface water exiting the demonstration plot (1.8 to 

3.5 milligramsfliter) is higher than levels recorded at the 

State downstream ambient water-quality monitoring 

station, which ranged from 0.5 to 1 milligramlliter in 1996 

samples. The current level of TKN is only slightly less than 

levels reported by Environmental Science and Engineering, 

Inc. for this area in 1982, of 2 to 4.95 milligramslliter. fn 

contrast, nitratelnitrite levels (c 0.01 milligramlliter) in 

surface water exiting the site were lower than those 

recorded at the ambient station, which ranged from 0.1 to 

1.5 milligramslliter. 

We believe that the level of TKN can be reduced by raising 

water levels so that the peat is saturated during the winter 

and part of the growing season. Now that all tree planting 

and work requiring machinery on site have been 

completed, the water level can be elevated so that the site 

is wet enough to be delineated as a jurisdictional wetland, 

which requires that "the soil is saturated to the surface at 

some time during the growing season of the prevalent 

vegetation" (Environmental Laboratory 1987). We intend to 

maintain a covering of several inches of water over the peat 

from December through February and to inundate or 

saturate the site at or near the peat surface between 12.5 

and 25 percent (30 to 60 days) of the growing season so 

that the area meets the hydrologic criteria for seasonably 

flooded wetlands (Tiner 1994). Our goal is to have water 

exiting the site no higher in concentration of total nitrogen 

than rainfall, which was approximately 1 milligramlliter in 

1 996. 

Ammonia in surface water ranged from 0.05 to 0.67 

milligramlliter, but was mostly s 0.2 mgfliter (table 3). The Mercury Analysis 

ammonia fraction in surface water was 110 percent except Mercury concentrations in unfiltered surface water at the 

in July 1996 (22 percent). demonstration site ranged from 5.7 to 255 parts per 

thousand (table 3). In both years, the only samples higher 

than the State standard of 12 parts per thousand were 

Table 3-4itrogen and mercury content of surface water, by date, from 

canals surrounding Block B6 on the Atlantic white-cedar wetlands 

restoration site 

Sampling date 

Jul Oct Dec Apr Jul Oct Dec May Jul 

Sourcea 95 95 95 96 96 96 96 97 97 - 

-----------------------M@liter----------------------- 

TKN - 3.5 2.3 1.8 3.3 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.4 

NW4 - 0.17 0.09 0.05 0.67 0.16 0.12 0.08 

NO3 b -- - b b 0.02 0.01 0.01 

@For 1995 and 1996, means for N were based on six or more sampling sites; means 

for Hg were based on duplicates from two sampling sites. In 1997, means for Hg 

were based on 6 sites. 

Content < 0.01 mgiter. 
taken in the winter, and all other samples were within the 

range of values reported for rainfall (National Atmospheric 

Deposition Program 1997). The high winter values could 

be caused by freezing and thawing an exposed layer of 

peat from December through February. In the future, a layer 

of several inches of water will be maintained over the peat 

in the winter to prated it from freezing. 

1996 Oemnstratlon site annual inputs and outputs for 

water, mercury and nCtrogen (area = 640 acres or one 

square mile) 

Water Mecury Nitrogen 

(lo9 liters) (grams) (kilograms) 

Inputs (precip.) 3.4 30 3.5 (lo3) 

Banked in peat - 2.25 (16) 3.7 (lo7) 

Outputs: 

ET 2.0 - - 

Runoff 1.4 37 3.6 (lo3) 

In this tabulation, evapo-transipiration (ET) was estimated 

as 59 percent of precipitation (Charles Daniel, personal 

communication), bulk density of peat as 0.37 gramslcubic 

centimeter, and nitrogen content of peat as 1.16 percent 

(Dolman and Buol 1967). 

When peatlands are ditched, the water table is lowered, 

and the peat is aerated, which improves microbial activity 

and accelerates decomposition and nutrient release 

(Havisto and others 1988). To illustrate the magnitude of 

non-point pollution that could result from the 

decomposition of the peat layer, consider the following 

comparison. The City of Raleigh, NC discharges 2.26(106) 

liters/day (60 million gallons) of wastewater with a 

concentration limit for total nitrogen of 6.0 milligrams/liter 

resulting in a nitrogen discharge of 1,364 kilogramsfday or 

4.97(1 05) kilogramsfyear (1,100,000 pounds). The peat on 

the 640-acre demonstration plot contains an amount of 

stored nitrogen equal to 75 years of the City of Raleigh's 

wastewater discharge. 

In 1996, the average concentration of mercury in rainfall at 

the demonstration area was 8.8 parts per thousand 

(National Atmospheric Deposition Program 1997). Total 

mercury occurs in concentrations of 83 parts per billion, 

approximately 9,000 tims the concentration in rain, in the 

peat (Evans and others 1984). Similar (within one order of 

magnitude) concentrations of mercury are found in peat 

from other bogs in North America and Denmark 

(Csagrande and Erchull 1976, Daniels 1981, Madsen 

1981, Glooschenko and Capoblanko 1982, Grigal and 

Nord 1983). Assuming a constant rate of atmospheric 

deposition (estimated at 9,677 nanogramslsquare meter, 

National Atmospheric Deposition Program 1997) and a 

peat depth of 2.4 meters (8 feet), about 7,500 years of 

rainfall would have to be filtered at 100 percent efficiency to 

produce the amount of mercury currently on the 

demonstration site. Net accretion of organic material is 

essential for a peat bog to perform its natural role, which 

benefits water quality. If ditched bogs are allowed to 

decompose, they can cause nutrient loading to coastal 

rivers and estuaries on par with the largest point-source 

discharges. Wetlands with deep organic soils can be 

either very good or very bad for surface-water quallty 

depending on their condition. Restoration of hydrotogy and 

native plant communities in peat bogs is the catatyst that 

turns a debilitating environmental liability (drained 

decomposing peat bog polluting downstream coastal 

estuary) into a lucrative environmental asset (fundional 

wetland with surface water discharges cleaner than 

rainwater). 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

We thank the many people who have contributed to this 

project; it could not have been done without their 

assistance and resources. Special thanks to Bill Barber 

and Joe Hughes (Weyerhaeuser Co.); Jim Savery, David 

Kitts, Al Ambrose, and other personnel from Pocosin Lakes 

National Wildlife Refuge; Layne Snelling and Gary Pierce 

(Research Technicians, NC State University); Laura Jull, 

graduate research assistant, NC State University; Warren 

Boyette, K. 0. Summerville, and other NC Forest Service 

personnel; The Nature Conservancy volunteer planters; 

and David Harding, Brian Bledsoe, and Linda Hargrove 

(NC Division of Water Quality). This research was funded 

by EPA grant C9994513-94-0. 

REFERENCES 

Bloom, N.S. 1 993. Ultra-clean sampling, storage, and analytical 

strategies for accurate determination of tram metals in natural 

waters. Proceedings of the 16th annual EPA conference on 

analysis of pollutants in the environment. EPA 821 -R-94-001. 

Washington, DC. 

Casagrande, D.J.; Erchull, L.D. 1976. Metals in Okefenokee peatforming environments: relation to constituents found in coal. 

Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta. 41: 1391 -1394. 

Clark, Alan. 1995. Tar-Pamlico River basinwide water quality 

management plan. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Division of 

Environmental Management, Department of Environment, Health, 

and Natural Resources. 

Daniel, P.B. 1981. The occurrence and distribution of elements in a 

modem coal-forming environment on the Atlantic coastal plain in 

Dare County, North Carolina. Columbia, SC: University of South 

Carolina at Columbia. M.S. thesis. 

Dolman, J.D.; Buol, S.W. 1967. A study of organic soils 

(Histosols) in the tidewater region of North Carolina. Tech. Bull. 

181. North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station, 52 p. 

Environmental Laboratory. 1987. Corps of Engineers wetlands 

delineation manual. Tech. Rep. Y-87-1. Vicksburg, MS: U.S. 

Amy Engineer Wateways Experiment Station. 

Environmental Science and Engineering, Ine. 1982. 

Hydrology, biology, and water quality studies for the Pungo River 

area of North Carolina: preliminary assessment, Gainesville, FL: 

Environmental Science and Engineering, Inc, 

Evans, D.W.; Digiulio, R.T.; Ryan, E.A. 1984. Mercury in peat and 

its drainage waters in eastern North Carolina. Rep. 84-218. 

Water Resources Research Institute of the University of North 

Carolina. 66 p. 
Giooschmko, W.A.; Capobfanco, J.A. 1982. Trace element 

content of northern Ontario peat. Environ. Sci. Technol. 16: 187- 

188. 

Grigal, D.F.; klord, W.S. 1983. Investigations of heavy metals in 

Minnesota peatlands. Report to the Minnesota Department of 

Natural Resources, Division of Minemls. 

Navlsto, V.F.; Jegume, J.K.; Groot, A. 1988. Managsment 

practices4lack spruce ecosystem. In: Hook, D.D. [and others], 

eds. The ecoiogy and management of wetlands. Portland, OR: 

Timber Press: 195-203. Vol. 2. 

Ully, J.P. 1981. The blackland soils of North Carolina, their 

characteristics and management for agriculture. Tech. Bull. 270. 

North Carolina Agricultural Research Service. 

Madsen, P.P. 1981. Peat bog records of atmospheric mercury 

deposition. Nature. 293: 127-1 30. 

National Atmospheric Deposition Program. 1997. Penigrew 

State Park, North Carolina. Ebuldsr, CO: Colorado State 

University. 

North Carolina Divtsion of Environmental Management. 

1983. Investigations of mercury in the Pamli~ofAIbemade 

Peninsula. Raleigh, NC: Department of Natural Resources and 

Community Development. 

Oaks, R. 1964. Post-miocene stratigraphy and morphology, outer 

coastal plain, southeastern Vrginia. New Haven, CT Yale 

UniversiQ, Department of Geology. Ph.D. dissertation. 

Powell, W.S. 1987. The North Carolina Gazetteer. Chapel Hill, NC: 

University of North Carolina Press. 155 p. 

Tlner, R.W. 1994. A guide to identiqing wetlands of the Southeast. 

Sherbom, MA: Institute for Wetland Environmental Education and 

Research. 
INFLUENCE OF STRATIFICATION, TEMPERATURE, AND LIGHT ON SEED 

GERMINNION OF SELECTED PROVENANCES OF ATLANTIC WHITE-CEDAR 

Laura G. Jull and Frank A. Blazich" 

Abstract-Seeds of six provenances (Escambia Co., AL; Santa Rosa Co., FL; Wayne Co., NG; Burlington 

Co., NJ; New London Co., CN; and Barnstable Co., MA) of Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoihs 

(L.) B.S.P.) were stratified (moist-prechilled) for 0, 30, 60, or 90 days at 4 "C followed by germination at 

25 "C or an 8/16 hour thermoperiod of 30 "120 "C with daily photoperiods of 0 {total darkness), 1 or 24 

hours. Alabama and Florida provenances required 30 days stratification, afternating temperatures of 30 "1 

20 "C and photoperiods 2 1 hour for maximum germination. In contrast, the North Carolina, New Jersey, 

Connecticut, and Massachusetts provenances required 30 days stratification, alternating temperatures of 

30 "120 "C and continuous light for maximum germination. However, if photoperiods were c 24 hours, 

stratification for 60 to 90 days was necessary to maximize gemination. When averaged over all 

treatments, total germination for each provenance was greater at 30 "120 "C than at 25 "C. 

INTRODUCTION 

Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) B.S.P.) 

has a wide distribution, occurring in a narrow belt along the 

northeastern and southeastern coasts of the United States 

extending west to the Gulf Coast (Korstian and Brush 

1931). This evergreen tree with highly prized wood also 

has the potential for wetlands reclamation, as an 

ornamental and Christmas tree, and as an understock to 

graft superior cultivars of other species of Chamaecyparis 

Spach. Throughout its range, natural stands of Atlantic 

whitecedar are diminishing rapidly. Acreage of white-cedar 

in North Carolina alone has declined by as much as 90 

percent within the last 2 centuries (Frost 1987). Whitecedar usually fails to regenerate naturally after logging 

when no measures are taken to control competing 

vegetation. 

Due to extensive reclamation efforts, there is increasing 

demand for transplants of Atlantic white-cedar. However, 

little research has been reported on propagation and 

culture of the species. Therefore, the objectives of this 

research were to examine the influence of strat8ication 

(moist-prechilling), temperature, and light on seed 

germination of selected provenances of Atlantic whitecedar. 

METHODS 

Mature cones of six provenances (Escambia Co., AL; Santa 

Rosa Co., FL; Wayne Co., NC; Burlington Co., NJ; New 

London Co., CN; and Barnstable Co., MA) of Atlantic whitecedar were collected fall 1994 (Alabama, North Carolina, 

New Jersey, and Connecticut), winter 1995 

(Massachusetts), or fall 1995 (Florida) from open pollinated 

trees. Cones were dried for 2 months, followed by seed 

extraction and storage in sealed glass bottles at 4 "6. 

In July 1996, seeds were removed from storage and 

graded initially with the use of an air column (General Seed 

Blower-Model ER, Seedburo Intl. Equip. Co., Chicago, IL). 

Abnormal, damaged, undersized or discolored seeds and 

other large debris not eliminated by the air column were 

removed manually. Graded seeds selected for the 

research were firm with a dark brown color. Graded seeds 

of each provenance were then stratified for 0, 30, 60, or 90 

days at 4 "C. Following stratification, seeds were sown in 

covered, 9 centimeter glass petri dishes containing two 

prewashed (rinsed) germination blotters moistened with 

tap water. Following placement or" seeds in the dishes, haif 

were designated for germination at 25 "C; and the other half 

to be germinated at an 8/16 hour thermoperiod of 30 "1 

20 "C. All dishes were placed in double layer, black sateen 

cloth bags and the seeds allowed to imbibe overnight at 

21 "C. The next day, bags were randomized within two 

growth chambers (C-chambers, Downs and Thomas 

1991) set at the appropriate temperatures. Chamber 

temperatures varied within 0.5 "C of the set point. 

Within each temperature regime, seeds were subjected 

daily to the following photoperiods with a photosynthetic 

photon flux (400-700 nanometers) of 34 pmoles1metePlsec 

provided by cool-white fluorescent lamps: 0 (total 

darkness), 1, or 24 hours. Light was measured at dish 

level with a cosine corrected LI-COR LI-185 quantumf 

radiometerlphotometer (LI-COR, Lincoln, NE). Photoperiod 

treatments were regulated by removal and placement of the 

petri dishes in black sateen cloth bags. Regardless of 

temperature, the 1 hour photoperiod was administered the 

same time each day, and for the alternating temperature of 

30 "120 "C, it began with the transition to the high 

temperature portion of the cycle. For the 24 hour 

photoperiod treatment, the petri dishes remained 

continuously unbagged in open chamber conditions. 

Temperatures in the petri dishes never deviated from 

ambient temperature by more than 1 "C as measured by a 

thermocouple. The constant darkness treatment was 

maintained by keeping the petri dishes in the black cloth 

Graduate Research Assistant and Professor of Plant Propagation, respectively, Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State 

University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7609. 

Citation for procesdhgs: Shear, Theodore H.; Summenrille, K.O., eds. 1999. Atlantic white-cedar: ecology and management symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research 

Station. 82 p. 
bags throughout the duration of the experimnt. Seeds 

maintained in darkness were examined under darkroom 

conditions utilizing a green safelight. 

For each provenance and temperature, all photoperiod and 

stratification treatments were replicated four tims. A 

replication for a provenance, with the exception of 

Massachusens, consisted of a petri dish containing 100 

seeds. A replication for the Massachusetts provenance 

utilized 40 seeds per dish. Germination counts were 

recorded every 3 days for 30 days, A seed was considered 

geminated when radicle emergence was 2 1 millimeter. 

Decayed seeds were removed promptly from the dishes. 

Percent gemination was calculated as a mean of four 

replications per treatment. Data were subjected to analysis 

of varianee procedures and regression analysis. 

RESULTS AND OlSCUSSlON 

Stratification, temperature, and light had significant effects 

on seed germination of Atlantic white-cedar. However, 

responses to these factors varied according to provenance. 

Averaged over all treatments, the Alabama provenance 

exhibited the greatest gemination (61 percent) followed by 

the Florida provenance (45 percent), with the remaining 

provenances ranging from 20-38 percent. However, there 

were specific treatments for each provenance that resulted 

in germination > 50 percent. Seed germination of various 

species of Chamaecyparis has been reported to be 

inherent@ low, due in part to poor seed qualrty and also to 

various degrees of embryo dormancy (Harris 1974). 

Regardless of stratification, germination was generally 

lower at 25 "C than at 30 "120 "C for each provenance (31 

vs. 43 percent, respectively). Howver, germination was not 

significantly dliferent bemen these two temperatures for 

four of the provenances (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Mew 

Jersey, and North Carolina) when geminated in the 

absence of light. Sirnilarb, BiancheRi and others (1994) 

reported greater germination of stratified seeds of Atlantic 

white-cedar at an alternating temperature of 30 "120 "C 

versus constant temperatures of 23 "C or 26 "C. 

With regard to light, Little (1950) reported "a fair amount of 

light, probably to provide heat, is desirable for obtaining 

good seed germination of white-cedar." In the present 

study, seeds of the Alabama and Florida provenances of 

white-cedar did not exhibit an obligate light requirement. 

However, a daily photoperiod of 1 hour and 30 days 

stratification increased germination greatly in these 

provenances in comparison to stratified seeds germinated 

in darkness (48 vs. 76 percent) (fig. 1). 

In contrast, the North Carolina, New Jersey, Connecticut, 

and Massachusetts provenances had an obligate light 

requirement. When subjected to continuous light, these 

provenances only required 30 days stratification for 

maximum germination. When subjected to a 1 hour 

Photoperiod 

Figure l-Seed gemination of six provenances (listed by state) of Atlantic white cedar as influenced by photoperiod. Seeds 

were stratified for 30 days followed by gemination at 30'120 "C with daily photoperiods of 0 (total darkness), 1, or 24 hours. 
photoperiod, seeds from these provenances required 

longer stratification times for maximum germination. 

Regardless of the length of stratification, the New Jersey 

provenance needed a 24 hour photoperiod to maximize 

gemination (63 percent). This is similar to data reported 

by Boyte and Kuser (1994) where seeds of whitecedar 

from New Jersey provenances exhibited greater 

gemination under a 7 6 hour photoperiod (32 percent) in 

comparison to negligible germination under a 10 hour 

photoperiod (0.7 percent). 

Blanchmi, A.; Kelllson, R.C.; Summervllle, K.O. 1 994. 

Substrate and tempemlure tests for gemination of Atlantic 

white cedar seed (Chmaecypa/is tftyoides). Tree Planters' 

Notes. 45(4): 125-1 27. 

Boyle, E.D.; Kuser, J.E. 1994. Atlantic white cedar propagation by 

seed and cuttings in New Jersey. Tree Planters' Notes. 45(3): 

104-111. 

Downs, R.J.; Thomas, J.F. 1991. Phytotmn pmcsdural manual 

for ~ntrolled~nvironment research at the Southeastem Plant 

Environment Laboratory. Tech. Bull. 244. Revised. North Carolina 

Agricultural Research Service. 43 p. 

Frost, C.C. 1987. Historical overview of Attantic vvhite cedar in 

the Carolinas. In: tademan, A.D., ed. Atlantic white cedar 

wetlands. Boulder, CQ: Westview Press: 257-264. 

Harris, A.S. 1974. Chamaecyparis Spach white-cedar. In: 

Schopmeyer, C.S., tech. coord. Seeds of woody plants in the 

United States. Agric. Handb. 450. U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Forest Service: 316-320. 

Korstian, C.F.; Brush, W.D. 1931. Southem white cedar. Tech, 

Bull, 25 1. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 

Little, S. 1950. Ecology and silviculture of white cedar and 

associated hardwoods in southern New Jersey. Bull. 56. New 

Haven, CT Yale University School of Forestry. 
ATLANTIC WHITE CEDAR PLANTINGS IN ST. TAMMANY PARISH, 

LOUISIANA AND THE BOGUE CHImO NATIONAL 

WILDLIFE REFUGE, MlSSlSSIPPl 

John W. McCoy, Bobby D. Keeland, and James A. Altenl 

Abstract-Populations of Atlantic white cedar (Chamaesypan's thyoides (L.) B.S.P.) growing at the extreme vvestem range of 

the species are in danger of being lost, and infomation on the emlow of these populations is limited. Seeds and seedlings 

('"wildfings") were collected near Vandeave, MS. The wildtings were transplanted to bay-head sites on E3ogue Chitto National 

Wildlife Refugeere canopy gaps had been created in eariy 1989. Seeds were geminated, grown in a greenhouse, and 

transplanted a year later to three locations within a slash pine plantation: a bedded and fertilized site, the margin of a cypress 

pond, and a wet gap, in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. These plantings were established to study survival and grovvth in 

different habitat types, to compare seedlings grown from seed versus transplanted wildlings, and to attempt to generate some 

interest in planting Atlantic white-cedar in the extreme westem portion of its natural range. 

Overall seedling survival averaged 94 percent after five growing seasons, although significant differences were detected 

among sites. Mean height per site in 1994 was significantly greater at the bedded and fertilized site (233 centimeters), and 

lowest at the slash pine site (91 centimeters). Growth at the cypress pond site was intermediate (1 58 centimeters). Wildlings at 

the bay-head sites had lower survival rates (75 and 64 percent), but average heights for the two sites were similar to those of 

the seedlings (265 and 165 centimeters). These results show that plantings involving either local seed or wildlings are viable 

choices for regenerating Atlantic white-cedar in southem Mississippi and eastem Louisiana. 

INTRODUCTION 

Atlantic whitecedar ( Chamaecyparis thyoides(L.) B.S. P.) is 

a medium sized conifer in the Cupressaceae distributed in 

swamps and bogs along the Atlantic Coastal plain from 

Maine to Florida and west along the Gulf Coastal plain to 

Mississippi (Little 1971). Along the Gulf Coast, the main 

population consists of Chamaecyparis thyoides var. 

henryae and occurs in the panhandle of Florida and 

southern Alabama (Ward and Clewell 1989). Small 

scattered populations of Chamae~yparis thyoides var. 

thyoides also occur along creeks and in swamps, bay 

heads, and other wet areas in southern Mississippi. The 

few stands that remain are in danger of further degradation 

due to continued cutting, hydrologic modifications, and 

clearing for agriculture (Ehrenfeld 1990, Boyle and Kuser 

1 994). 

Natural regeneration of Atlantic white-cedar may be limited 

by deer browsing, competition from hardwoods, and 

variable seed germination rates (Little 1950, Boyle and 

Kuser 1994). In addition, this shade-intolerant species 

needs disturbance to reestablish (Boyle and Kuser 1994). 

Because of the uncertainties of natural regeneration and 

concern over the ongoing losses, considerable interest in 

artificial regeneration of Atlantic white-cedar has developed 

in recent years, especially in the mid-Atlantic portion of its 

range. The potential for Atlantic whitecedar reforestation 

along the western extent of its range, however, has 

received little attention. This paper examines the potential 

for establishing Atlantic white-cedar stands in southern 

Mississippi and adjacent Louisiana. These plantings may 

produce populations capable of maintaining Atlantic whitecedar in the southcentral United States. Specific objectives 

of this study were to establish stands in different habitat 

types, compare seedlings grown from seed versus wildlings 

(wild seedlings) transplanted in the field, and generate 

interest in planting Atlantic white-cedar in the extreme 

western portion of its natural range. 

METHODS 

Description of the Study Sites 

The study was conducted in the lower Pearl River 

watershed at three sites on private land in eastern 

Louisiana and two gap sites on the Bogue Chitto National 

Wildlife Refuge (BCNWR) in southern Mississippi (fig. 1). 

Three sites in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana were located 

in a slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) plantation that 

included several wet areas supporting cypress stands and 

pitcher plant bogs. Most of the plantation had been 

cleared, bedded, and fertilized, and was supporting very 

young pine trees. Characteristic vegetation of the wetter 

areas of the plantation included woody species such as 

baldcypress ( Tmodium distichum (L.) Rich.), pondcypress 

(T. distichum var. nutans (Ait.) Sweet), slash pine, 

sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.), wax myrtle (Myrica 

cerifera L.), blackberry (Rubus louisianus Berger), and 

catbrier (Smilax laurifolia L.), and heibaceous species such 

as pitcher plants (Sarricinea spp.), hatpins (Eriocaulon 

spp.), clubmoss (fycopodium spp.), and sedges (Carex 

spp. and Gyperus spp.). Most of these species are 

I General Biologist and Ecologist, U.S. Geofogjcal Survey, National Wetlands Research Center, 700 Cajundome Blvd., Lafayette, LA 70506; 

Ecologist, USDA Forest Service, Institute of Pacific Island Forestry, 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 323, Honolulu, HI 96813, respectively. 

Citation forproceedings: Shear, Theodore W.; Summenrille, K.O., eds. 1999. Atlantic white-cedar: ecology and management symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southem Research 

Station. 82 p. 

common on sites throughout the range of Atlantic whilecedar (Laderman 19813). Two sites were located in open 

areas too wet to permit slash pine suwival. These include a 

site on the edge of a pond dominated by cypress (POND 

site) and a wet gap where planted pines did not sunrive 

(PINE sile). The third site (B&F) was an area adjacent to 

the POND site that had been fresh& cleared, bedded and 

fertilized for planting slash pine. 

The two BCNWR sites wre located in seeps that lie along 

the sides of gently sloping and wooded bay heads. These 

sibs are characterized by a closed canopy of black gum 

(Nyssa sybalica Marsh.), swmtbay magnolia (Magnolia 

virginiana L.), and other hardwood tree species similar to 

the Louisiana sites. At each of the two BCNWR sites, a 

small canopy gap (less than 200 &) was created to provide 

light and reduce competRion for the wildlings. These sites 

were referred to as Wildlingl and Wildling2. 

Field Methods 

Source material was collected from a natural Atlantic whitecedar stand near Van Cleave, MS during December, 1988. 

Seed was collet=led from mature trees. Thirty wildlings were 

taken from a nearby site and transplanted onto the BCNWR 

sites during January 1989, about a month after being 

removed from their original germination sites. Wildlings 

were planted irregularw within the created gaps. 

The collected seeds wre stratified, germinated, and grown 

in a greenhouse before being transplanted to the field sites 

during March, 1990. A total of 2W seedlings was 

transplanted to the three sites in St. Tammany Parish, 

Louisiana. All seedlings, including those at the bay head 

sites on BCNVVR, were measured for height (to the nearest 

centimeter) at the tim of planting. 

Height was rameasured in 1990, 1991, and 1994. The 

PINE sile was also remasured during the growing season 

of 1997. Diameters at 140 centimeters were measured to 

the nearest millimeter with a micrometer. 

Statistical Analysis 

DHerences in the height grovvth among sites were tested 

using SAS procedure GLM and the REGWF test (SAS 

Institute, Inc. 1988). 

RESULTS AND DlSGUSSlOM 

Sunrival Rates 

Survival was excellent for seedlings planted in Louisiana, 

with an average of 94 percent survival by the end of the 

1994 growing season (fig. 2). Trees at the POND site had 

the highest survival (98 percent) while the PINE site had the 

lowest (89 percent). By the middle of the 1997 growing 

seson, survival of trees at the PINE had dropped to 87 

Year of Study 

Figure 24sedling and wildling sunrival rates at each of the five study sites. See text for study site designations. 
percent, The overall high survival of the trees may have 

been a result of several factors. The propagules (seed and 

wildlings) were obtained from a source only about 80 

kilometers distant, suggesting adaptations to macro-climate 

conditions similar to those at the study sites. The openness 

of the Louisiana study sites, the recent bedding and 

ferliliring of the B&F site, and the high water table at all 

sites provided conditions welt suited for Atlantic white-cedar 

suwlval and growlh. 

The transplanted wildlings at the Mississippi bay-head sites 

had lower suwival rates when compared with the seedlings 

planted in Louisiana. Suwivai at the Wildlingl site began to 

drop off early and continued dropping to a low of 64 percent 

by the end of the 1994 growing season. At the Wildling2 

site survival was high through 1991 and then dropped off 

dramatically to a low of 75 percent. Conditions at the 

wildling sites were less appropriate because of lower light 

levels caused by the surrounding canopy. Atlantic whitecedar has been shown to be shade intolerant and seedlings 

require open conditions and intermediate moisture 

conditions for survival (Laderman 1989). In addition, the 

transplant shock of removing these seedlings from a natural 

setting, maintaining them in a greenhouse for approximately 

one month, then transplanting them into a new site may 

have resulted in higher mortality than obsewed at the 

Louisiana sites where seedlings were transplanted with their 

complete root systems intact. Direct comparisons of 

survival or grovvth between seedlings and wildlings must be 

taken with caution. S&e conditions in Louisiana versus 

Mississippi may have been dmerent enough to have caused 

the observed differences, and no sites wre planted to both 

seedlings and wildtings. 

Height GrovvlR 

In 1994 there were significant dinerences in height groLvth 

among sites (fig. 3) and high variation within sites (table 1). 

Significantly greater grovtrlh was obsewed at the Wildling2 

and IS&% sites (average height 265 and 234 centimeters, 

respectively; PeO.OOO1). GroMh at the Wildlingl and 

POND sites had intermediate grovvth of 163 and 158 

centimeters, respectively. The lowest growlh in 1994 was 

observed at the PlNE sac where height averaged only 91 

centimeters. By the 1997 growing season, however, 

saplings at the PINE sb had grown to an average height of 

250 centimeters. 

The Louisiana planting sites may have had good growth due 

to the recent clearing (in preparation for the slash pine 

plantation) of the site, fertilization, and an abundant supply 

of water. Although there was little variation in seedling 

heights at the tim of planting, variabilay increased 

dramatically by the end of the 1994 growing season (table 

I). Parl sf the variation may have ben related to elevated 

Year of Study 

Figure 3-Cumulative height grovvth of Atlantic white-cedar seedlings and wildlings at each of the five study sites. 
Table I--Heights and diameters of Atlantic while-cedar 

on the five sites 

Height Diameter 

Site Year N Mean STD N Mean STD 

F&B 1990 156 

1991 150 

1994 148 

PlNE 1990 89 

1991 81 

1994 80 

1997 77 

POND 1990 44 

1991 44 

1994 43 

Wildlingl 1989 11 

1991 9 

1994 7 

Wildling2 1989 16 

1991 15 

1994 12 

areas such as bedding strips that appeared to enhance 

growh. At the PlNE site, where growth was lowest, 

saplings on the elevated bedding strips achieved 278 

centimeters of height growth by the 1997 season, whereas 

growth on the low ground beween bedding strips was oniy 

223 centimeters. H uenneke and Sharitz (1 9861, Titus 

(19901, and Ehrenfeld (1995) have shown that 

microtopographic relief provides safe sites for the 

establishment and growth of many wetland plant species, 

including Atlantic white-cedar. 

In comparison with other tree species (fig. 4), Atlantic whitecedar was found to be relatively slow growing. Slash pine 

seedlings, even on sites with a relatively poor site index, 

can achieve about 6 meters of growth by the eleventh year 

(USFS 1976). Baldcypress seedlings at Lake Chicot, LA 

(B.D. Keeland and W.H. Conner, unpublished data) grew to 

an average height of only 4.75 meters in the same amount 

of time. Based on the average heights in 1990, 1991 and 

1994 for all Atlantic whitecedar seedlings planted in 

Louisiana, growth by year 11 would be about 4.25 meters 

(fig. 4). 

A potential problem for the Atlantic white-cedar saplings at 

the Louisiana sites was the heavy growth of catbrier. This 

600 

Baldcypress (Lake Chicot, LA) 500 

400 CI 

E 

0 

w 

+ 300 

,cll 

m 

6- 

a, 

= 200 

I00 

0 n 

0 2 4 6 8 I0 I2 

Age (years) 

Figure 4--Growth comparison for Atlantic vvhite-cedar, baldcypress, and slash plne. Growth of Atlantic white-cedar was projected through year 11 

using regression analysis. The year seven value shown on the figure for saplings measured in this study were not included in the regression as 

they were from the site that had the lowest growth measured, and therefore were not considered representative of the entire population. 
woody vine can compete with saplings by growing over 

them and shading them. The weight of the vines may also 

cause the loss of limbs or even the stem during storms. 

Although we noted the vine climbing onto the Atlantic 

whitecedar saplings, the vines were not disturbed or 

mmoved during measuremnts. It is of interest in this study 

to learn how successfully saplings can compete with vines 

in a semi-natural setting. 

Cones were observed on several 8-year-old saplings at the 

PINE site in 1997. Little (1950) reported the onset of conebearing in natural stands of cedar in as little as seven years, 

and for a nursery grown field transplants in as little as three 

years after germination. Although the number of cones was 

small, it is possible that these trees are now providing 

propagules that could continue or expand the stands 

originally planted. As the trees mature, the number and 

quality of seeds will increase. The first seed crops of a tree 

have a lower average germination rate than later production 

(Laderman 1 989). 

Diameter Growth 

Diameter measurements were begun in 1994, when a 

substantial proportion (73 percent) of the trees were greater 

than 1.4 meters in height. Mean diameters in 1994 were 

less than 2 centimeters (table 1). Diameters were highly 

variable, however, and the average for the trees of greater 

than average height was 1.8 centimeters (for all measured 

sites combined). 

CONCLUSIONS 

Atlantic white-cedar is native to southern Mississippi and 

has been specifically noted in both Jackson and Pearl River 

counties (Laderman 1989). Although the species has not 

been noted in natural stands in Louisiana, the proximity of 

the Mississippi stands suggests that the current or past 

presence of this species is probable (Brown 1964). The 

number of individual trees and populations of Atlantic whitecedar are small, adding to the problem of maintaining a 

viable population. Because most of the cedar stands along 

the Mississippi Gulf coast are on private lands, they are 

unprotected and subject to disturbance through land 

development. Although Atlantic white-cedar is a tree of high 

commercial value (Ward 1989), the small volume available 

in Mississippi is generally not sufficient to generate a strong 

market. As such, the existing stands are largely ignored 

and occasionally lost through land conversion and 

hydrologic alterations. Ehrenfeld and Schneider (1 991) 

showed that as the level of urbanization increased, 

reproduction of cedar decreased significantly. 

Due to variable seed viability (Boyle and Kuser 1994), 

stringent habitat requirements, and limited ability for seed 

dissemination, Atlantic white-cedar does not easily become 

established naturally. This study has shown, however, that 

it is possible to establish viable populations of Atlantic whitecedar in Louisiana and Mississippi through planting of either 

nursery grown seedlings or wildlings collected in the field. 

Planted seedlings experience high survival rates and show 

good growth in this area. Such stands are needed on 

protected property to insure the long-term viabilrty of 

Atlantic white-cedar populations along the Gulf Coast of the 

United States. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

Suggestions for manuscript improvement by Chris Wells 

and Joy Young and assistance in the field by Joe Cruthirds 

are grateful& acknowledged. 

REFERENCES 

Boyie, E.D.; Kuser, J.F. 1994. Atlantic white-cedar propagation by 

seed and cuttings in New Jersey. Tree Planters' Notes. 

45(3): 104-1 11. 

Brown, C.A. 1964. Commercial trees of Louisiana. Baton Rouge, LA: 

Louisiana Forestry Commission. 80 p. 

Ehrenfeld, J.G. 1995. Microtopography and vegetation in Atlantic 

white cedar swamps: the effects of natural disturbances. Canadian 

Journal of Botany. 73: 474-484. 

Ehrenfeld, J.G.; Schneider, J.P. 1 991 . Chamaecypan's thyoides 

wetlands and suburbanization: effects on hydrology, water quality 

and plant community composition. Journal of Applied Ecology. 

28: 467-490. 

Huenneke, L.; Sharitz, R. 1986. Microsite abundance and distribution 

of woody seedlings in a South Carolina cypress-tupelo swamp. 

American Midland Naturalist. 11 5: 328-335. 

Laderman, A.D. 1989. The ecology of Atlantic white cedar wetlands: 

a community profile. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Rep. 

85 (7.21 ). 11 4 p. 

Little, E.L. 1971. Atlas of United States trees: conifers and important 

hardwoods. Misc. Publ. 1146. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Forest Service. 312 p. Vol. 1. 

Little, S., Jr. 1950. Ecology and silviculture of white cedar and 

associated hardwoods in southern New Jersey. Yale University 

School of Forestry Bulletin 56: 1-1 03. 

SAS Institute Inc. 1988. SASSTAT user's guide. Release 6.03 ed. 

Cary, NC: SAS Institute, Inc. 1,028 p. 

Titus, J.H. 1990. Microtopography and woody plant regeneration in a 

hardwood floodplain swamp in Florida. Bulletin of the Torrey 

Botanical Club. 1 1 7: 429-437. 

United States Forest Service (USFS). 1976. Volume, yield, and 

stand tables for second growth southern pines. Misc. Publ. 50. U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 

Ward, D.B. 1963. Southeastern limit of Chamaclcyparis thyoides. 

Rhodora. 65: 359-363. 

Ward, D.B.; Clewell, A.F. 1989. Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis 

thyoidesf in the Southem States. Florida Scientist. 52: 8-47. 

Whigham, D.; Good, R. Management of wetlands, tasks for 

vegetation science 25. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer 

Academic Publishers: 63-78. 
REST0RA;TIQM OF AN ATLANTIC WHITE-CEDAR FOREST ECOSYSTEM 

AT DARE COUNTY AIR FORCE RANGE, NORTH CAROLINA 

Abstract-In 1992 the U.S. Department of Defense Legacy Resource Management Program provihd initial funding to 

restore approximately 3,000 acres of Atlantic whiteadar (Chamaecypan's thyaides (L.) B.S.P.) ecosystem. Prior to Air 

Force ownership, the forest had been clearcut during a twenty-year period and left in a severely altered condition. The 

U.S. Air Force formed a collaborative partnership with the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina Division 

of Forest Resources, and North Carolina State Universiv. Repmsentatives from these agencies organized a steering 

committee and developd a strategic plan to accomplish the following: inventorl, cutover and remnant forest stands, 

promote and enhance naturai regeneration, develop seed and seedling sources, develop and implement artificial 

regeneration methods, restore previously high-graded stands, implement a geographic information system and 

difierential global positioning system, and establish water control and management to restore a more natural hydrologic 

rwime. 

INTRODUCTION 

Dare Counly Air Force Range was established in 

northeastern North Carolina in 1964. The Range is 

situated on a peninsula bordered by the Alligator River, 

Pamlico Sound, and Croatan Sound. It provides bombing 

and gunnery training for fighter pilots in the U.S. Air Force, 

Navy, Marine Corps, and Air National Guard. Ordinance 

delivery and strafing are restricted to two impact areas; 

each area is approximately 2,500 acres in size. 

to initiate restoration of the severely altered Atlantic whitecedar ecosystem. Genetic and species preservation, 

enhanced biological diversrty, wetland restoration, and 

increased aesthetic considerations are far-reaching 

benefits to be gained from this project. Thus far, the Legacy 

program has provided more than one million dollars for 

this effort. The Air Force Air Combat Command provided 

additional funding from the Conservation and Forestry 

programs. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the North 

Carolina Division of Forest Resources have also 

The balance of 42,rn acres is managed under ecosystem contributed substantial funds and expertise towards this 

management principles in conjunction with multiple-use project. 

and sustained yield policies. These buffer lands are made 

up of swamp forests, pocosins, and freshwater and The U.S. Air Force formed a collaborative partnership with 

saltwater marshes. The Range is completely surrounded the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina 

by the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge which is Division of Forest Resources, and North Carolina State 

administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. University. Representatives from these agencies formed a 

Featured plant communities include Atlantic white-cedar steering commiaee chaired by the Dare County Range 

(Chamaecyparis thyoi&s (L.) B.S.P.) and old-growth pond forester, and adopted a strategic plan. A basic premise of 

pine (Pinus serotina) forests. Protected animal species the committee was to fund only those activities that would 

include the red cockaded woodpecker, red wolf, American result in Atlantic white-cedar establishment and production. 

alligator, and black bear. Elements of the strategic plan include: 

The Dare County peninsula has a long history of timber 

management. Dare Lumber Company hawested Atlantic 

white-cedar from 1885 until 1930. West Virginia Pulp and 

Paper Gompany managed their forest resources from 

1950 to 1975, during which time efiensive road and canal 

systems were established. Mac Millan Bloedell Inc. 

hawested Atlantic white-cedar from 197 5 to 1985. Alligator 

Timber Company continued hawesting Atlantic whitecedar 

from 1985 to 1989. The Air Force purchased all available 

timber rights on Dare County Range in 198Mwhh 

included extensive tracts of Atlantic while-cedar forest in 

cutover condition. The Air Force started a natural resources 

management program at the Range in 1985. 

1. Research the local area's silvicultural history 

2. Review available literature on Atlantic white-cedar 

3, lnventory cutover areas for natural regeneration 

4. Inventory remnant Atlantic white-cedar stands 

5. Promote and enhance natural regeneration 

6. Develop seed and seedling sources 

7. Develop and implement artificial regeneration methods 

8. Restore previously high-graded stands 

9. lmplemnt a geographic information system 

10. Establish a differential global positioning system 

"1. Estabtish water control and management to restore 

hydrology 

12. Repair roads for access 

In 1992 the Department of Defense Lega~y Resource Interagency partnerships are dynamic by nature. They 

Management Program provided the only mans available require formulating common goals and long-range 

planning to address inherent differences in policy, 

qlnstallaliorr Forester, Dare County Air Force Range, P.O. Box 2269, Manteo, NC 27954. 

Citation for pmceedings: Shear, Theodore H.; Surnmerville, K.O., eds. 1999. Atlantic white-cedar: ecology and management symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southem Research 

Station. 82 p. 
procedures, and work loads. In the case of Atlantic whitecedar restoration, regularly scheduled meetings have been 

effectlve in addressing issues related to contractual 

procedures, administrative charges, funding procedures, 

and fiscal schedules between federal and state 

governments, A continual, open dialogue has helped to 

avoid problems and formulate solutions, 

An initial objective was to contract an inventory of the nearly 

contiguous 3,W acres of cutover trar=ts to determine 

success or failure of natural regeneration and the level of 

competing undesirable plant species. The project area is 

shared by the Dare County Range and Alligator River 

National Wildlife Refuge and is almost equally divided by 

their common boundary. Bids received from prospective 

contractors ranged from 100,000 to 2 million dollars. After 

=viewing the proposals, the steering committee decided to 

use Refuge personnel and temporary hires to accomplish 

the inventory. In addition a forestry consultant firm was 

contracted to inventory 1,400 acres of remnant mature 

Atlantic white-cedar stands on the Range. Refuge staff will 

inventory remnant stands on Alligator River National 

Wildlife Refuge. 

In a preliminary experiment, areas with a sutficient number 

of Atlantic white-cedar seedlings (600 stems per acre and 

greater) were treated with herbicide to release the 

seedlings from overtopping vegetation. Wax myrtle and 

gallberry shrubs were the most difficult of the competing 

plant species to control because of the waxy cuticle 

covering their leaves. The hefbicide Arsenal proved to be 

the most effective on these plants. Working with 

representatives from American Cyanamid, Dare County 

Range was one of three test sites in an effort to add 

release of Atlantic whitecedar to the Arsenal label. The 

success of the test at the Range led the Environmental 

Protection Agency to approve the new label in August of 

1995. 

Legacy funding was also provided to Mr. Lenwood Smith, a 

graduate student from North Carolina State University, to 

investigate the interrelationships and effects of soil type, 

time of year harvest, and subsequent site conditions on 

natural regeneration of Atlantic white-cedar. Mr. Smith's 

thesis was completed in 1995 and concluded that overall, 

regeneration was found to be more probable on Belhaven 

and Pungo muck soil types logged in the winter. Soil acidlly 

and percent base saturation were also found to be good 

indicators of Atlantic whi2e-cedar trees or saplings in both 

soil types. Hydrology appeared to be more critical to 

Atlantic white-cedar success on Pungo muck soils where 

different sediment deposits are found beneath the organic 

layer than on Belhaven soit. General observations 

indicated that the presence of Sphagnum moss could be 

linked to the success of Atlantic white-cedar and microrelief 

also appears to play an important role in Atlantic whitecedar success. 

Innovative logging mthods are being tested in an effort to 

minimize soil disturbance during harvest operations. 

Approximately 70 acres of mature (60 years old or older) 

Atlantic white-cedar has been successfully, naturalb 

regenerated using clearcut harvesting. A seed-tree 

regeneration harvest of 20 acres is planned for 1997. One 

harvesting method involves placing the harvester on mats 

and installing dual wheels with large rubber tires on front 

and back axles of conventional rubber-tire skidders. An 

extraction mthod effedive in reducing soil disturbance and 

rutting invokes constructing corduroy skid trails from timber 

and logging slash. However, sow ru"rting is desirabk; it 

provides microtopography that enhances seed germination 

and establishment. Merchantable timbr from the corduroy 

skid trails is extraded upon completion of the harvest 

operation. 

In the beginning, the most limiting factor we faced in our 

efforts to restore previously high-graded timber stands was 

the lack of available seedlings. Production of Atlantic whitecedar seedlings was last aaempted by West Virginia Pulp 

and Paper Company in the mid-to-late 1950's. 

Weyerhaeuser Corporation successfully initiated the 

propagation of containerized rooted cuttings. The North 

Carolina Division of Forest Resources began producing 

seedlings from seed in 1994, but not in large quantities 

due to the limited seed supply. Thus far, 90 acres have 

been hand planted wiZh survival rates above 95 percent. 

The Legacy project funded several U.S. Forest Service 

projects in 1993. The experiments were conducted at the 

Southern Forest Experiment Station. Improved techniques 

were developed for extracting, cleaning, germinating, 

testing, and storing seeds. Soil seed bank tests indicate 

that Atlantic white-cedar seed is viable for at least three 

years. Preliminary results from a tetrazolium test indicate 

that trees with adequate cross pollination can yield viable 

seed at 6 years of age. 

The Legacy project also funded several North Carolina 

Division of Forest Resources research projects. In 1993 

the North Carolina Division of Forest Resources 

established a provenance study plot at Dare County Range. 

This study will determine genetic variation of grovvth, wood 

structure, and aromatic oil content of trees wghin local seed 

sources and between different soil types across the 

coastal plain of North Carolina. Seedlings were grown 

from seed extracted from five high quality trees which 

exhibited superior growZh characteristics on the Range. 

The containerized seedlings were planted in peat soil. 

Other soil vpes included in the concurrent studies are wet 

mineral and stream floodplain, A solar powered electric 

fence was required to protect the young seedlings from 

deer browsing for the first 4 years. Seedlings also 

experienmd browsing by rabbits. On the contrary, lmfe to 

no browsing was obsewed in the naturally seded or hand 

planted tracts. 

The Norlh Carolina Division of Forest Resources is 

conducting bo studies related to nursery production of 

Atlantic white-cedar. One involves monitoring the effects of 

soil temperature and sunlight intensily to determine the 

best cuttural practice and soil treatment to enhance seed 

germination and subsequent grovvth for bare-root seedling 

production. The other is a seedling standard evaluation 

study which will provide information to help guide decisions 

made by the nursery staff on what is considered to be an 

acceptable bare root-seedling for distribution. 
Several methods of site preparation in organic soils are 

being evaluated. These include mowing, roller drum 

chopping, sheering and piling, herbicide applications, and 

a combination of he&icide and burning. Mowing was 

determined to be too costly. Physical limitations 

associated with heavy equipment pulling a roller drum 

chopper over saturated organic muck soil proved to be too 

difficult to overcorn. The other four methods will be 

attempted in future years. 

A hydrology study scheduled to begin in 1998 is designed 

to restore a more natural hydrologic regime to the 3,000 

acres of wetlands that were altered by past logging 

practices. The nehnrork of roads and canals constructed to 

access timber resources function like dams. They impede 

sheet flow and impound water, resulting in water 

stagnation and conversion of forested wetland habitat. 

This project will result in improved water circulation, 

hydrologic regirns, and water qualtty, thereby improving 

the growing conditions for Atlantic white-cedar forests. 

The Range and Refuge staffs are working together to 

develop a geographic information system using Maplnfo 

sofhrvare. A global positioning system base station has 

been established to provide accurate maps using 

differential correction software. This element has 

augmented partnership opportunities through sharing 

digital databases, equipment, expertise, and volunteer 

services. 

Final analysis shows that the Department of Defense 

Legacy Resource Management Program project is a public 

relations success for the Air Force and all partners 

invoked. New information is being discovered that will lead 

to the recovery and management of the Atlantic white-cedar 

forest ecosystem. 
THE PENN SWMP EXPERIMENTS: AN OVERVIEW 

George Zimmermann, Raymond Mueller, John Brown, Kyle Peer, Sandra Shapiro, 

Kristin Mylecraine, Christopher Barber, Jeff Cherpika, and Thomas Venafrof 

Abstract-Penn Swamp is a 55 hectare Atlantic white-cedar (Chmaecypan's thyoides (L.) B.S.P.) swamp located in 

VVharZon State Forest in southern New Jersey. Starting in 1989 and ending in 1995, a series of studies were conducted at 

Penn Swamp, the longest of which was conducted on a clearcut within the swamp. This experiment evaluated deer 

impact and logging slash effects on Atlantic white-cedar regeneration and vegetation in general. Due to space constraints 

only a few highlights of the regeneration experiment are presented here. Other studies conducted at Penn Swamp 

include histosol mapping and sampling, and cover type analysis of aerial photos over a 46-year period. 

Results from these studies show a very significant negative impact of white-tailed deer on Atlantic white-cedar 

regeneration. Maximum histosol depth in the clearcut was 190 centimeters, and mapping revealed an old stream channel. 

Radiocahon dating show the deepest histosols formed 9,980 years ago (2 210 YBP). Charcoal layers indicate fire was a 

force in at least the first few thousand years of histosol genesis. Histosol depositions measured in two of the five cores 

sampled were 1 centimeterf53.6 years and I centimeterBO.6 years. Aerial photo analyses show a dynamic swamp with 

windthrow events being a significant force on some parts of the swamp. 

These data indicate a dynamic forest, which is an amalgam of mixed age groups, influenced by multiple factors including 

white-tailed deer populations, cutting, logging slash, fire, and windthrow. 

INTRODUCTION 

Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) B.S.P.) 

forests in the United States have undergone dramatic 

reductions in acreage since European settlement 

(Vermeule and Pinchot 1 900, Little 1 950). Atlantic whitecedar stands that remain in New jersey are mostly small 

patches, with few large stands (48 hectares or more) 

remaining (Zampella 1 987). It is important to understand 

the forces that affect Atlantic white-cedar forest 

development and composition in order to maintain and 

enhance the presence of this important wetland 

community. 

Penn Swamp is a 55-hectare stand composed mostly of 

Atlantic white-cedar and is found in Wharton State Forest in 

southern New Jersey's Pine Barrens. In the late 1980's a 

decision was made by state foresters to harvest 3.4 

hectares of the swamp (fig. 1). We started a regeneration 

experiment to study deer and logging slash effects in the 

clearcut. We also conducted additional studies at Penn 

Swamp of its history and dynamics. 

METHODOLOGY 

Histosol Sampling 

To map histosol thickness, depths were determined at 10- 

meter intewals across most of the cleared area. To map 

the edges of the clearcut's underlying histosols, sampling 

was done at 5-meter intewals around the margins. 

Histosol thickness was determined by pushing a steel rod 

into the histosol and both feeling and hearing a change as 

the rod entered the mineral layer. Tests of depths next to 

open soil pits showed this method to be accurate. 

In 1994 a transect was surveyed in the clearcut and 5 cores 

of the histosols taken to the mineral soil at each location 

(fig. 2). The peat cores were 2 inches in diameter. On two of 

the cores (numbers 2 and 41, a histosol sample was 

carefully taken from the bottom and sent to an independent 

laboratory (Beta Analytical, Inc.) for radiocarbon dating. In 

addition, the bottom 44 centimeters of core 4, and bottom 

16 centimeters of core 3 were divided into consecutive twocentimeter sections and examined for evidence of charcoal. 

The other cores were too fragmented to reconstruct for this 

part of the experiment. 

Aerial Photographic and GIS Analysis 

During 1992 and 1993 an analysis of Penn Swamp aerial 

photography was done. Aerial photographs from 1940, 

1962, 1974, and 1986 were geo-referenced and overlays of 

cover type delineated. Aerial-photo and wetland specialists 

at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection 

(NJDEP) helped verify the aerial photo signatures. Ground 

verification was used when appropriate. Ail data were input 

and analyzed using the ARCIINW (Environmental Systems 

Research Institute, Inc.) geographic information system 

(GIs). 

Regeneration Experiment 

A Latin-square design was used and was replicated inside 

and outside a 10-foot-high fence designed to protect a part 

of the ctearcut (fig. 1). Vegetation was measured by species 

and height class each year for 5 years after the clearcut. 

Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Environmental Studies Program, Department of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Jim Leeds Road, 

Pomona, New Jersey, 08240. 

Citation for pmceedngs: Shear, Theodore H.; Summerville, K.O., eds. 1999. Atlantic white-cedar: ecology and management symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Sewice, Southem Research 

Station. 82 p. 
FIgure 1-Location of Penn Swamp and the clearcutlstudy area design. 

Figure 2--Contour map sh~wing histosol depths (centimeters) undertying the study area and the histosol core 

transed. Inset shows histosol core locations and depth profile along the sampling transect. 
Other parameters measured were percent ground cover 

and downed debris. 

RESULTS AND DISCUSStON 

Histosols 

Within the Penn Swamp clearcut area the soil 

characteristics are those of a Typic rather than Terric 

subgroup of histosols (USDA 1977). The thickness of the 

histosol varied greatly, ranging from near zero along the 

margins to a maximum depth of 193 centimeters. Soil pits 

showed that there was an abrupt contaa between organic 

matter and the underlying mineral substrate. 

A map of the histosol thickness (or depth to mineral layer) 

showed the presence of an infilled stream channel. The 

channel has a meandering pattern with steeper slopes on 

the outside of the meanders (fig. 2). The modern stream 

flows entirely within organic matter and corresponds with 

the buried channel only in the western part of the research 

area. 

In nearby study areas, Buell (1970) found that conditions 

favorable to bog formation were not present until 

approximately 11,000 years before present (YBP). Prior to 

that, the increased precipitation of the Wisconsin glacial 

period combined with increased stream gradients 

produced by lower sea levels led to erosion as well as 

vailey widening and incision. As sea levels rose and 

precipitation declined, Pine Barren streams flowed siower, 

and organic matter began to accumulate. Basal organic 

matter from the Buell study (1970) had radiocarbon dates 

of 9,125 -t 195 and 10,485 + 240 YBP. Our sample from the 

old buried channel (core 4, depth = 186 cm) had a 

radiocarbon date of 9,980 + 210 years while our second 

sample out of the channel (core 2, 40 cm depth) had a date 

of 3,250 -t 140 YBP. These correspond to histosol 

deposition rates of 1 centimeterl53.6 years and 1 

centimetern0.6 years, respectively. These rates are within 

the deposition rates found by Buell (1970). 

Analyses of 2-centimeter segments for charcoal conducted 

on the intact continuous core pieces showed 18 of the 30 

samples to contain charcoal. These samples came from 

the bottom of two cores (186 cm and 46 cm deep) 

indicating that fire was a force in the first few thousand 

years of Penn Swamp's histosol formation. Penn Swamp 

is in the New Jersey Pine Barrens and thus has a higher 

fire probability than most if not all Atlantic white-cedar in the 

East (Forman and Boerner 1981). Little (1979) points out 

the wide range of effects fire can have on cedar svvamps, 

depending on the parameters of the burn. Even outside the 

Pine Barrens, researchers have found fire to be the 

dominant force in pre-settlement Atlantic white-cedar 

forests (Mottkin and others 1993). 

Aerial Photographic and GIS Analysis 

Figure 3 shows the vegetation patterns determined from 

four aerial-photo interpretations of Penn Swamp during a 

46-year period. Even in this relatively brief period of time, 

the dynamics of the swamp are evident. The Penn Swamp 

seen in 1940 has at least two age classes discernible. We 

noted that the older cedar were in the more inaccessible 

(interior) and wetter (southwest) areas where logging 

would be more difiicut2. Young cedar comprised 25 percent 

of the stand area in 1940 and dropped to almost zero as 

the Atlantic whitecedar matured and reached the upper 

canopy. Coring of cedar trees at Penn Swamp and aging 

sturnps in the clearcut show Penn Swamp to be a mosaic 

of multi-aged cedar. The ages found (not including the 

current cohorts from the recent clearcut) ranged from 28 to 

130 years old, By 1962 a number of gaps had formed 

(since the 1940 photo). Field inspection of some of these 

gaps in 1993 found numerous intact Atlantic white-cedar 

blown down from some mteorological event that occurred 

between 1940 and the 1962 photo. Some of these gaps 

were regenerating to Atlantic white-cedar, while others were 

dominated by swamp hardwoods andlor shrubs and other 

herbaceous species. The 1974 photo shows enlargement 

and consolidation of some gaps formed before 1962. 

Emergent meadows decreased in area from 1974 to 1986 

(10.4 percent of the swamp area to near 0 percent) while 

hardwood swamps increased during the same time (0.7 to 

7.9 percent). 

Regeneration 

The regeneration data collected over the five-year study 

show dramatic effects of white-tailed deer on Atlantic whitecedar, with no cedar growing to 1.3 meters outside the 

protection of the deer fence. This is consistent with the 

literature in the Pine Barrens as well as in the East (Little 

1958, Marquis 1974). Not all species were negatively 

impacted by deer (these data to be published elsewhere). 

The effects of logging slash on Atlantic white-cedar and 

other species, when analyzed by species and height class, 

present a complex picture that does not fully agree with 

published literature (Korstian and Brush 1931, Little 1950). 

These results, once again, are too complex to present in 

this limited space. 

CONCLUSIONS 

It is apparent from this study that Penn Swamp is a very 

dynamic site in both short- and long-term time scales. 

Because stands of this size are relatively rare, their 

management must take into account all forces that 

influence them and recognize the resulting spatial 

heterogenerty. The short- and long-term factors that have 

impacted Penn Swamp include fire, windthrow, cutting, and 

deer. The white-tailed deer is currently the largest single 

factor preventing this and many other Atlantic whitecedar 

stands in New Jersey from regenerating and maintaining 

their composition. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

This work was funded in part by the New Jersey 

Department of Environmental Protection's Office of Science 

and Research (Contract no. A042481 06 

Bureau of Forest Management, and by the United States 

Forest Service (Grant no. NA-95-0255). Special thanks to 

George Pierson, Martin Rosen, John Troxell, Robert 

Cubberly, and Drs. Vera Farris and Richard Trout. Very 

special thanks to all the wonderful technicians throughout 

these exciting years. 
Figure 3-Aerial photo interpmtation of cover types at Penn Swamp in 1940, 1962, 1974, and 1986. 

REFERENCES 

Buell, Murray ft: 1970. Time of origin of New Jersey Pine Barrens 

bogs. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. 97(2): 105-108. 

Forman, Richard T,X; Boerner, Ralph E. 1981. Fire ftequency 

and the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. Bulletin of the Torrey 

Botanical Club. 108(1): 34-50. 

Korstian, C.F.; Brush, W.D. 1931. Southem white cedar. Agric. 

Tech. Bull. 251. U.S. Department of Agircutture. 75 p. 

Little, Sitas. 1950. Ecolog)r and silvicutture of white cedar and 

associated hardwoods in southem New Jersey. Vale University 

School of Forestq Bulletin 56. 103 p. 

Little, Silas. 1958. Forests and deer in the Pine Region of New 

Jersey. Upper Darby, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 

Service. 

Little, Silas. 1979. Fire and plant sucmssion in the New Jersey 

Pine Barrens. in: Foman, R.I.T., ed. Pine Barrens: ecosystem 

and landscape. New Yo&: Academic Press: 229-243. 

Marquis, David A. 1974. The impact of deer browsing on 

Allegheny hardwood regeneration. Gen. Tech. Ref. Rep. NE308. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 8 p. 

Mot+kin, Glenn; Patterson, William A.; Drake, Natalie E.R. 

1993. Fire history and vegetation dynamics of a Chamaecyparis 

thyyoides wetland on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Journal of 

Ecology. 8 1 : 39 1 -402. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1977. Soil taxonomy. Agric. 

Handb. 436. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 754 p. 

Vermeule, C.C.; Pinchoft, G. 1900. The forests of New Jersey. 

In: Annual report of New Jersey state geologist for 1899: 13- 

101, 137-172. 

amperla, Robert A. 1987. Atlantic white cedar management in 

the New Jersey Pinelands. In: Laderrnan, A.D., ed. Atlantic white 

cedar wetlands. Boulder, CO: Westview Press: 295-311. 
SOME NOTEWORTHY VASCULAR PLANT RECORDS FROM 

ATLANTIC WHITE-CEDAR, CHAMAECYPARlS THYOIDES (L.) B.S.P., 

HABITATS OF WESTERN GEORGIA 

Phil Sheridan, Steve Onell, and Edwin Bridges" 

Abstract-Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaewris thyoides (L.) B.S.P.) is documented for five counties in the western 

Gsorgia fall-line sandhills region and from Richmond County in the fall-fine sandhills of eastern Georgia. The most 

extensive stands of Atlantic white-cedar in westem Georgia are in the mitewater Creek watershed, along streams draining 

the sandhills in Taylor County At western Georgia stations Atlantic whitecear occurs along clear-flowing, sand-bottom, 

seepagelspring streams in stream valleys that dissect CretaceouslEmene-age fall-line sandhills. Ten Georgia state rare 

plants are reported from western Georgia Atlantic white-cedar habitats, including one state threatened, one state 

endangered, and two state historical species. A total of 48 plant taxa representing Georgia county records were 

documented. The Atlantic vvhite-cedar habitats of western Georgia are now known to harbor floristic elements of disjunct 

taxa from the outer Central Gulf Coastal Plain, disjunct taxa from the Appalachian MountainIPiedmont region, and other 

local or regionally uncommon obligate seepage plants, The occurrence of a signifiwnt number of rare andlor disjunct plant 

species from Atlantic white-adar habitats supports protection of these streams as natural areas. 

INTRODUCTION 

Atlantic white-cedar, Chamaecyparis th'yoides (L.) B.S.P., 

was reported for Georgia by Harper (1926) as occurring 

near the town of Juniper, at the border of Talbot and Marion 

counties in the fall-line sandhills of western Georgia. James 

(1961) indicated four Georgia sites in his Florida and 

Georgia distribution map of this species, of which three are 

in western Georgia and one is in eastern Georgia, all from 

within the fall-line sandhills region. Little (1971) maps 

Atlantic white-cedar for Talbot, Taylor, and perhaps a portion 

of Marion counties, and also maps a historical record from 

Richmond County. Wharton (1 978) reports Atlantic whitecedar from the area of Whitewater and Cedar Creeks (on 

the boundary of Taylor and Schley counties) and notes that 

this appears to be the only Georgia location known for 

Atlantic white-cedar. Clewell and Ward (1 987, 1989) 

mention the occurrence of Atlantic whitecedar stations in 

Georgia separated by 30 km, one on a tributary of Upatoi 

Creek (on the border between Talbot and Marion Counties), 

and another from Whitewater Creek in Taylor County, 

presumably based upon Wharton (1978). Mellinger (1 984) 

maps Atlantic white-cedar for nine Georgia counties. Of the 

counties mapped by Mellinger (1 984), three counties 

(Thomas, TI and Laurens) may represent questionable 

records, since Meilinger (1984) includes sight and 

photographic records, rather than being entirely based upon 

herbarium vouchers. Jones and Coile (1 988) map Atlantic 

whitecedar from Marion, Talbot and Taylor counties, all 

within western Georgia. Jones and Coile (1988) is based 

primarily on herbarium specimens at University of GeorgiaAthens with some supplemental records from other sources; 

therefore? it does not represent a statewide herbaria survey 

for all Georgia specimens of Atlantic whitecedar. The map 

in Frost (1987) shows Atlantic white-cedar from the eastern 

Georgia fall-line sandhills in Richmond County, based upon 

a historical record in Little (1971) and from Burke County 

with Michaux (1857) as the source. In 1991 Michael Moore 

and others collected specimens from three stations along 

the Sandy Run Creek drainage on Fort Gordon Military 

Reservation, Richmond County, in the eastern Georgia fallline sandhills (Tom Patrick, Georgia Department of Natural 

Resources, personal communication 1997; letter from 

Michael Moore, University of Georgia-Athens Herbarium, 

1991). Atlantic white-cedar is currently documented from five 

counties (Marion, Peach, Talbot, Taylor and Schley counties) 

in the western Georgia fail-line sandkills and from Richmond 

County in the eastern Georgia fall-line sandhills. 

METHODS 

We became interested in Georgia Atlantic whitecedar 

habitats after easily discovering state rare and disjunct 

plants during reconnaissance surveys of a few Atlantic 

white-cedar streamsides in Taylor County. Since 1987 we 

have conducted several reconnaissance floristic surveys of 

Atlantic white-cedar stations in western Georgia from Taylor, 

Peach, and Marion counties. Our study was confined to the 

CretaceouslEocene age fall-line sandhills of western 

Georgia (fig. 1). Field study sites with potential for Atlantic 

white-cedar were chosen through literature and limited 

herbarium surveys and by locating perennial streams 

draining the sandhill region on U.S. Geologic Survey 7.5- 

minute series topographic maps. Sites were sunreyed by 

wading into streams lined with Atlantic white-cedar at either 

road or powerline crossings. Vascular plants found at each 

site were recorded on species checklists, however, none of 

these plant lists should be considered comprehensive. At 

various sites vascular plant collections were prepared to 

"Director, Meadowiew Biological Research Station, 8390 Fredericksbu rg Turn pike, Woodford, VA 22580; &ttanistlEcoiogist, OLA DET 1 , 347 

OGICEVN, 29 South Boulevard, Avon Park Air Force Range, FL 33825-5700; Botanical and Ecological Consultant, 7752 Holly Tree Place, NW, 

Bremerton, WA 9831 2-5700, respectively. 

Citation for proceedings: Shear, Theodore H.; Summerviile, K.O., eds. 1999. Atlantic white-cedar: emlogy and management symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research 

Station. 82 p. 

serve as heharium voucher specimens. Voucher 

specimens are deposited at the Fairchild Tropical Garden 

(FTG) and the University of Georgia-Athens (GA). Other 

standard herbaria acronyms cited in the text are as follows: 

New York Botanical Garden (MY), Missouri Botankal Garden 

(MO), Smithsonian Institute (US), and the Gray Hefbariurn 

(GH). 

Each site surveyed was assigned an alpha-numeric site 

code that consists of six leners and three numbers. The first 

tvwo letters are the state abbreviation, followed by the next 

four letters indicating the county, and lastly, three numbers 

that serve as a unique site identification number. For 

example, GATAYL003 is in Taylor County, Georgia. Detailed 

site location information and a topographic map indicating 

the site location is available from the authors. 

Plant taxonomy and nomenclature follows either t<artesz 

(1994) or Wunderlin and others (1996). Plant 

determinations were made by the authors. Noteworthy plant 

collections are defined as those that represent new county 

records based upon Jones and Coile (1988), or are included 

on the state list of rare plants (Georgia Natural Heritage 

Program 1991, 1993). Many of the collections reported here 

were used in compiling the revised Georgia rare plant list 

(Patrick and others 1995). Global and state ranking of rare 

plants follows The Nature Conservancy and the respective 

state natural heritage ran king scheme (table 1). 

Plant collections are listed in alphabetical order in the 

Appendix. 

NOTEWORTHY COLLECTIONS 

The Camx collinsii (CYPERACEAE) collections reported 

here from Taylor County represent the first tim this species 

has been seen in the state in over 100 years. Mackenzie 

(1 935) states that C. collinsii grows in the dense shade of 

very wet Atlantic white-cedar and black spruce swamps 

mostly in the coastai plain, and examined specimns from 

ten states, including Georgia. Mackenzie (1 940) states that 

6. collinsii occurs in shaded swamps from Rhode Island to 

Pennsyhtania, southward to South Carolina and Georgia. 

Russell and Duncan (1972), in their annotated list of Carex 

in Georgia, list Carex collinsii for Georgia based upon 

literature references to its occurrence in the state (Mohr 

1901, Small 1933, Mackenzie 1940, Fernald 1950, Gleason 

and Cronquist 1963, Eyles and Robertson 1963, Radford 

and others 1968), but indicate that they had not seen any 

specimens from Georgia. Bruce Sorrie (Tom Patrick, 

Georgia Department of Natural Resources, personal 

communication, 1997) has examined a Georgia specimen at 

GH with the label data, "pine woods swamps, 2 sites-10 

Table I-Listed rare plants collected in Georgia Atlantic 

white-cedar habitats 

RESULTS 

Ten Georgia state rare plants, including one state 

threatened, one state endangered, and two state historical 

species were found in Georgia Atlantic white-cedar habitats 

(table 1). No federally endangered or threatened species 

were found. A total of 48 taxa representing new Georgia 

county records were discovered in these reconnaissance 

surveys. There is high potential for discoveries of additional 

rare plant species and other noteworthy plants (i.e., new 

state and county records) from western Georgia Atlantic 

white-cedar habitats, since our field surveys were limited by 

access, funding and time. Despite our field surveys and 

those of others (Lane 1976) the floristics of the western 

Georgia fall-line sandhills region are relatively poorly known. 

AddEtional rare plants were observed by the authors, but 

voucher specimens were not made due to the depauperate 

condition of the plant material or small population sizes. 

These are not reported in this paper. 

There is a discrepancy between the identification of certain 

creeks on road signs and that labeled on the U.S. Geologic 

Survey 7.5-minute topographic maps. There is a 

transposition between road signs and the topographic maps 

for Whitewater Creek and Little Whitewater Creek. To avoid 

confusion we use the topographic map designated names in 

this paper. Whitewater Creek (Butler West Quad.) is 

mislabeled on the road signs as Little Whitewater Creek, 

and is our site GATAYL001, located on Georgia route 137, 

5.2 krn northeast of Charing and 11.3 km southwest of 

Butler. On specimen label data we have erroneously 

referred to Whitewater Creek as Big Whitewater Creek. Little 

Whitewater Creek (Butler West Quad.) includes sites 

GATAYL 003,005,010,012 and appears on road signs as 

Big Whitewater Creek. 

Scientific name 

State Global State 

status rank rank 

Camx collinsii 

Carex venusta 

var. venusta 

Chamaecyparis thyoides 

Fothergilla gardenii 

Helenium brevifolium 

Helianthis longifolius 

Kalmia carolina 

Pinguicula primuliflora 

Sarracenia rubra 

Schoenoplectus etuberculatus 

State status: M = none, E = state endangered in Georgia, T = state 

threatened in Geotgia. 

Global rank: G2 = globally imperiled, 6-20 populations; G3 = very 

rare and local throughout its range or found locally in a restricted 

range, or because of other factors vulnerable to extinction, 21-100 

populations; G4 = apparently secure globally although it may be 

rare in parts of its range, 100-1,000 populations; G5 = demonstrably 

secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, 

1,000+ populations. 

T# = the rank assigned to a subspecies or variety 

? = rank is uncertain 

State rank: S1 = critically imperiled in the state, 1-5 populations; 

S2 = imperiled in the state, 6-20 populations; SH = state historical, 

indicates that the species has not been observed for 20 or more 

years in Georgia. 
miles apart." The name of the collector was illegible and the 

listed date is either 1875 or 1878. There is also a Georgia 

specimen at US collected by OIney s.n., no date, from pine 

barrens of Georgia, that was annotated as Cafex collinsii by 

Hugh T. OWeil on 20 July 1940. The close association of 

Carex coilinsii with Atlantic whitecedar has been noted by 

many authors (Laderman 1989, Mackenzie 1935, Enser and 

Caljouw 1989, Naczi 1984). In Georgia, C. collinsii grows in 

the shade of Atlantic whitecedar stands, on elevated 

sphagnous hummocks above seepage saturated muck in 

the recesses of the Atlantic white-cedar swamps which 

adjoin the streams. This very habitat-specific disjunct record 

is indicative of the significance of Atlantic white-cedar 

habitats in Georgia as refugia for rare plants. 

Carex venusta var. venusta (CYPERACEAE) nepresents a 

southern extension in Georgia from the only previous 

Georgia collection, from Hall County in the Piedmont (Jones 

and Coile 1988). Mackenzie (1 935) gives the range of Carex 

venusta as from North Carolina to Florida and indicates that 

he examined specimens from North Carolina, South 

Carolina, Georgia and Florida, where it occurs in pine-barren 

swamps. The illustration of C. venusta in Mackenzie (1940) 

is partially based upon a small collection from the Ocmulgee 

River swamp in Georgia. Russell and Duncan (1 972) list C. 

venusta from Georgia based upon specimens at MO, NY 

and GA. In Florida, Wunderlin and others (1996) report this 

sedge from Walton and Wakulla counties in the Florida 

panhandle. The Wakulla County record is based on a 

collection by the junior authors, from an acid-seep forest 

along Black Creek. Carex venusta is reported from bogs 

scattered throughout the Carolinas, and is listed as 

occurring in Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and 

Tennessee in Radford and others (1968). Godfrey and 

Wooten (1 979) report this species from sphagnous bogs, 

boggy places in woodlands, sphagnous pinelands, 

evergreen shrub-tree bogs and bays, from eastern New York 

to the Florida panhandle and Louisiana. This species may 

be more common in Georgia in seepage-fed forested 

habitats. 

Chamaecyparis thyoides (CU PRESS ACEAE) . The Peach 

County collection represents an eastern extension into a 

region of Eocene-age fall-line sandhills. Despite the fact 

that local foresters were aware of the Peach County 

location, botanists were unaware of this station. The state 

champion Atlantic whitecedar, measuring 50.96 cm 

diameter at breast height, occurs at the Peach County 

station on Juniper Creek (Byron Quad.), north of the town of 

Byron on the edge of the Fort Valley Plateau (Georgia 

Forestry Commission 1996). Adjacent to Juniper Creek in 

Cravvford County is a tributary known as Whitewater Creek, 

which drains eastward into Echeconnee Creek. Although the 

Cravvford County drainage of Whitewater Creek was 

investigated for Atlantic white~edar at two locations in 1992 

by the senior author, none was found. However, additional 

aeriaWield surveys for Atlantic white-cedar are warranted 

along Whitewater Creek in Crawford County. 

We have also observed Atlantic whitecedar on Cedar Creek 

(Rupert Quad.) within a few meters of the Schley County 

fine, and Tom Patrick (Georgia Department of Natural 

Resources, personal communication, 1997) reports Atlantic 

vvhite-cedar from Rogers Mill on Cedar Creek in Schley 

County. tnterestingty, both Juniper and Cedar are used to 

refer to creeks containing Atlantic whitecedar in western 

Georgia. Frost (1 987) pointed out that "juniper" is a 

regionally specific term for Atlantic white-cedar in the 

Carolinas, The term ""whitewater" for creeks in the fall-line 

sandhills of western Georgia probably refers to the general@ 

clear, flowing water characteristic of these seepagelspringfed streams or represents some local reference to Atlantic 

white-cedar. 

Galax urceolata (=Gala aphylla)(DIAPEMSlACEAE). This 

acaulescent rhizomatous evergreen herb represents a 

monotypic genus (Wood and Channell 1959). G. u~eolata 

ranges from the mountains of northern West Virginia and 

northwestern Maryland to the coastal plain of eastern 

Virginia and eastern North Carolina, southward and 

weshnrard to central Georgia, central Alabama and central 

Tennessee. This species occurs in acid soils, generally in 

mesophvic associations with Kalmia, Rhododendron and 

other Ericaceae (Wood and Channell 1959). Radford and 

others (1 968) report G, urceolata from rocky woodlands, and 

as common in the mountains, but local in the Piedmont and 

coastal plain of North Carolina. They also report this 

species from northern South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, 

Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia. 

Disjunctions of G. urceolata from the Appalachian 

mountains to isolated locations throughout the Piedmont of 

North Carolina are well known (Hardin and Cooper 1967), in 

comparison to the infrequent and lesser-know coastal-plain 

disjunctions of G. urceolata. The Little Whitewater Creek 

station for G. urceoiata in Taylor County, Georgia is a 

southern range extension, and represents one of only a few 

coastal plain records for G. urceolata, a species with definite 

mountainlpiedmont floristic affinities. 

Helenium brevifolium (ASTERACEAE) was collected in 1987 

during a field survey in Taylor County. This species is 

noteworthy because it was considered state historical record 

in Georgia until our collection (Sheridan and others 1997)). 

Neknium brevifolium had not been reported for Georgia 

since the 1940's (Tom Patrick, Georgia Department of 

Natural Resources, personal communication, 1997). Rock 

(1957) cites two specimens, one collected from Douglas 

County and another collected from Meriwether County. Both 

Rock (1 957) and Godfrey and Wooten (1 981) indicate that 

H. brevifolium occurs in bogs, shrub-bogs, boggy clearings, 

boggy stream banks, seepage slopes, wet meadows and 

wet pine barrens, generally where the soil is saturated or 

even with standing surface water. Godfrey and Wooten 

(1981) give the distribution as local in southeast Virginia, the 

coastal plain, piedmont and mountains of North Carolina, to 

the western Florida panhandle, Alabama, southern 

Mississippi, and extreme southeastern Louisiana. Rock 

(1957) noted that where H. brevifolium occurs outside the 

Gulf Coastal Plain, it inhabits either bogs in the Atlantic 

coastal plain or coastal-plain-like bogs of the Piedmont. The 

distribution of H. brevifolium is principally in the central Gulf 

coastal plain region, with inland and northern disjunct 

stations mostly from boggy habitats. At the Taylor County 

site, H. brevifolium was growing in seepage-saturated, 

boggy openings in a Atlantic whitecedar bayhead swamp 

with other seepage-adapted plants. 
Pinguicula pn%nu/iflora (LENTIBULARI ACEAE) is locally 

abundant along the banks of Whitewater Creek in Taylor 

County, Georgia. We have also observed this species in 

Georgia along sandy, spring-fed creeks in Marion County 

(Sheridan and others, 1997) and predict that it will be found 

along other seepagelspring strearns within the western falfline sandhills region of Georgia. Both the Marion and Taylor 

County records represent the first records for F! primul2llora, 

from the fall-line sandhill region of the Coastal Plain. The 

Taylor County station apparently is the northernmost record. 

The Marion and Taylor County stations illustrate the floristic 

affinity of the fall-line Atlantic white-cedar habitats for PI 

primuliflora to habitats found on the outer Gulf coastal plain. 

Prior to our collections from the fall-line sandhills region in 

western Georgia, F? primuli'flora was a central Gutf coastalplain endemic (fig. 2) and was previously known to occur in 

the western Florida panhandle, Early County in 

southwestern Georgia, southern Alabama, and southern 

Mississippi (Godfrey and Stripling 1961), where it is typically 

an inhabitant of shallow, flowing spring-fed branches, along 

boggy creek banks (Godfrey and Wooten 1981), and in 

mucky seepage-saturated bogs (Onell and Bridges, field 

data). Label data from the Early County, Georgia specimen 

indicates that it was collected from an acid bog, 2 miles 

south of Hilton (Robert Thorne 291 9 and Muenscher, 10 

April 1947), and the specimen is deposited at GH (Wood 

and Godfrey 1957). The Georgia fall-line sandhill habitats 

for F! primuliflora are very similar to sites for F! primuliflora in 

the western Florida panhandle where it also sometimes 

occurs in association with Atlantic whiteqedar. At both 

locations F? pdmulHlora is locally abundant along Atlantic 

white-cedar lined streamsides. Commonly associated 

species from Atlantic white-cedar habitats in the western 

Florida panhandle and the sandhills region of western 

Georgia include Sphagnum sp., Sarracenia rubra, and Xyris 

difformis var. difformis. 

Sarracenia rubra (SARRACENIACEAE). A 1994 census of 

plants growing in riparian seepage springs flowing into Little 

Whitewater Creek by the senior author counted 361 clumps 

of S. rubra over a 1.2-km stretch. S. rubra is locally 

abundant along the Whitewater Creek drainage to Jackson 

Branch, north of the town of Ideal. Additional discoveries of 

S. rubra in other Atlantic white-cedar habitats and seepage 

slopes in western Georgia should add considerably to the 

number of Georgia stations for this state threatened species. 

The taxonomic status of the Sarramnia mbra complex has 

been a matter of dispute (Godt and Hamrick 1996, McDaniel 

1971, Case and Case 1976, Schnell 1977). Segregates of 

the S. rubra complex have been variously classified as 

regional variants, forms, subspecies, and distinct species 

(Godt and Hamrick 1996, McDaniel 1971, Case and Case 

1976, Schnell 1977). The most recent treatment (McDaniel 

1986) grants species status to some of the taxa, but does 

not address the taxonomy of subsp. gulfensis and that of 

related su bsp. mbra. Supporting McDaniells (1 986) 

treatment of members of the complex (other than subsp. 

gulfensis and subsp. rubra) is the disjunct distribution of 

species in the rubra complex, the maintenance of 

morphological integrity in a standardized culture, and the 

unique fragrance and color of the species, which suggest 

adaptation to a different insect fauna (Godt and Hamrick 

1996). Collections of S. rubra from the fall-line sandhills 

region of Georgia and the Carolinas, and the outer coastal 

plain of the Carolinas (McDaniel 1971, Case and Case 

1976, Schnell 1977) are referable to subsp. rubra. 

Sarracenia nrbra subsp. gugensis vvas described by Schnell 

(1979) from the western Florida panhandle (Escambia, 

Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Watton counties), and probabk 

also includes a Thorne collection of S. rubra from Early 

County in southwest Georgia (Thorne 1954). Sarramnia 

mbra subsp. rubra is locally abundant in Atlantic whitecedar 

streamsib habitats and seepage slopes in western Georgia, 

as is S. mbra subsp, gufiensis in the same habitats in the 

western Florida panhandle (fig. 3). However, the local 

abundance of S. rubra subsp. rubra from Atlantic whitecedar habitats and seepage slopes (Sheridan and others 

1997, Streich and Kemp 1993) in the fall-line sandhill region 

of western Georgia was not previously known prior to our 

1987 field surveys. Therefore, reevaluation of the 

inf raspecies status of subsp. mbra and subsp. gulfensis and 

their taxonomic relationship is warranted, considering the 

tendency towards subspecies recognition of geographic 

variants in the S. rubra complex. 

Schoenop fectus etuberculatus (= Scirpus etuberculatus) 

(CYPERACEAE) was first collected in Georgia by Roland 

Harper on July 19, 1901 from Alligator Pond, a permanent 

pond within pine barrens in an outlying Cretaceous-age 

region, located south of Omaha, in Stewart County (Harper 

1903a, 1903b, 1905). Harper also notes having collected 

several other interesting plants from this psi-id, including the 

firsf collection of Xyris smal/iana, at that tirne only reported 

from the type localtty in Florida (Harper 1903b). 

Schoenoplectus etuberculatus is known to occur in ponds, 

fresh to brackish marshes, and sometimes submerged in 

streams (Godfrey and Wooten 1981). This species is found 

primarily along the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plain (Godfrey 

and Wooten 1981, Smith 1996). Smith (1996) maps this 

species from Delaware, along the coast of Virginia and 

Maryland, from the fall-line sandhills of North and South 

Carolina to the Georgia border, and from north Florida west 

to extreme southeastern Louisiana. He also maps disjunct 

stations for S. etuberculatus in westcentral Georgia (Harper 

1 903a, 1903b, 1905), in Hardin County, southeastern Texas 

(Correll 1972), in Washington County, Rhode Island (Enser 

and Caljouw 1989), and in Oregon County, southern 

Missouri (Steyemark 1 963). Schoenoplectus etuberculatus 

grows partially submerged in the clear-flowing, seepage 

stream channel of Little Whitewater Creek, in Taylor County. 

The fidelity of S. etuberculatus to Atlantic whitecedar 

seepage streams in western Georgia and also in the 

western Florida panhandle further illustrates a floristic affinity 

of the fall-line Atlantic white-cedar habitats with the outer 

East Gulf coastal-plain flora. 

DISCUSSION 

Atlantic white-cedar is recorded for six Georgia counties, five 

in the CretaceoudEocene age western fall-line sandhills 

region (fig. 1). The most extensive stands of Atlantic whitecedar located thus far in our field surveys in western 

Georgia occur in the sandhills region south of Butler on the 

Whitewater Creek drainage in Taylor County. Western 

Georgia Atlantic whitecedar occurs along clear-flowing, 

sand-bottom, perennial seepage-stream valleys that dissect 

the fall-line sandhills. 


The Georgia fall-line sandhill habitat for Atlantic whilecedar 

is similar to that noted by Clewell and Ward (1 987, 1989) in 

Florida. Atlantic whitecedar occurs in the Western 

Highlands and Gulf coastal lowlands in the western Florida 

panhandle and also at disjund sites in north-central 

peninsular Florida (Clewell and Ward 1987, 1989). Atlantic 

white-cedar streams from the Western Highlands region of 

the western Florida panhandle (especialb in Escambia, 

Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Wanon counties) and those 

found in the northcentral peninsular Florida (Marion and 

Putnam counties) are similar in their overall geomorphic/ 

landscape setting to the fall-line region in western Georgia. 

However, stations for Atlantic white-cedar in Apalachicola 

lowlands of the Gulf coastal lowlands (Bay, Franklin, Gulf 

and Liberty counties) differ from Atlantic white-cedar stations 

in Georgia. 

The western highlands of the Florida panhandle consist of 

hills of Plio-Pleistocene Citronelle Formation consisting of 

non-marine quartz sands that contain discontinuous layers 

of clay or gravel that have been modified by stream 

dissection and dissolution of underlying limestones (Schmidt 

1984). Erosional relief in the highlands reaches 100 feet in 

the highly permeable sands that cap the Citronelle 

formation. These highly permeable sands, with a high 

infiltration capacity, hold abundant ground water in 

unconsolidated, surficial sand-and-gravel aquifers. Springs 

and seepages emerge from these permeable sandhills 

along the dissected stream valleys forming many small 

perennial streams. 

Florida streamside stations for Atlantic white-cedar (i.e., 

western highlands and northcentral Florida) and the 

Georgia stations are in regions with extensive, highly 

permeable, deep sandy soils. These highly permeable 

sands act as unconsolidated aquifers and when dissected 

by perennial seepage stream valleys form the environmental 

conditions ideal for Atlantic whitecedar. Some of the best 

developed portions of the sandhills of western Georgia are 

roughly delimited by the Whitewater Creek watershed. 

Outside of this watershed the sand deposits are much more 

dissected and narrower in extent. 

Atlantic white-cedar in the sand hills of western Georgia 

grows from 98 to 128 m above sea level. The streams are 

characterized by swmly flowing cool tannic water with a 

sandy bottom. Clear sandy springs emerge along stream 

banks and are often lined with Drosera intermedia, 

Pinguicula primulMora, and Sanacenia rubra. Where 

seepages saturate the adjoining floodplain, there are muckypeat filled embayments with quaking, sphagnous flats and 

peaty hummocks. The stream channel itself may be filled 

with numerous snags of Pinus serotina and Atlantic whitecedar. Sandy and peaty banks up to a meter high direct the 

stream, and on moist portions of this habitat, individuals or 

large clumps of Sana~enia nrbra can be found growing 

among tree roots or snag edges. Sarracenia nrbra 

frequently occurs along bends in the creek lodged in snag 

roots or peaty deposits. 

Floristically, the Atlantic white-cedar habitats of western 

Georgia are now known to ha&or elements of outer Central 

Gulf coastal plain species (e.g., Pinguicula primulzlora), 

disjuncts from the Appalachian Mountain/piedmont region 

(e.g., Gala urceolata), and other local or regionally 

uncommon plants requiring the specialized seepage 

conditions (e. g., Carex collinsir) afforded by these habRats. 

The similarity of western Georgia Atlantic white-cedar 

streams to those found elsewhere along the Gulf coastal 

plain in southern Alabama, southern Mississippi, and Florida 

(the Coldwater drainages) has been superficially noted by 

others (Kral 1995). In particular, searches by Kral (1 995) 

along Wh'Rewater Creek and its associated drainages have 

failed to locate Rhynchospora crinipes, whereas searches in 

Atlantic whitecedar habitats along Upatoi Creek have 

produced specimns of R. csinipes (Kral 1995). R. crinipes 

is typically found in rather close association with Atlantic 

white-cedar streams, where it grows alongside sunlit, or 

partially shaded, clear, active streams or in streamside 

seeps (Kral 1995, 1996). The presence of Piedmont 

species from the Georgia coastal plain has also been 

previously noted, in particular from the Eomne Red Hills 

Belt of southwestern Georgia (Thorne 1949). The Eocene 

Red Hills Belt lies between the fall-line sandhills of western 

Georgia and the pinelands of the Dougherty Plain to the 

southeast (Thorne 1949). The primary difference is that the 

Piedmont elements noted by Thorne (1949) occupy rich 

deciduous woods of ravine slopes in the Red Hills Belt, in 

contrast to the acidic sandy sails of the fall-line sandhills. 

Some of the highest quality Atlantic white-cedar streamside 

habitats in western Georgia are in the sandhills south of 

Butter in the Whitewater Creek watershed of Taylor County. 

Here, Atlantic white-cedar occurs along clear-flowing, sandbottom, seepagelspring streams in stream valleys that 

dissect CretaceouslEocene-age fall-line sandhills. The 

occurrence of a significant number of rare andlor disjunct 

plant species from this watershed supports protection of 

these streams as natural areas. Logging practices in the 

sandhills region of western Georgia and elsewhere in the 

vicinrty of Atlantic white-cedar habitats in the southeastern 

United States has generally lead to hydrologic alterations, 

siltation and accelerated erosion that can either wash out or 

bury Atlantic whitecedar streamside plants (Kral 1996). The 

protection of such stream systems and the future of Atlantic 

white-cedar habitats and their associated rare plant 

assemblages depends upon the proper management of the 

surrounding forest resources. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

Thanks to Bill Scholl for his assistance, cooperation, 

companionship and support on several of our field surveys. 

Randy Troup assisted in the Sarracenia rubra census, and 

Tom Patrick of the Georgia Deparlment of Natural 

Resources was kind enough to provide lodging during part 

of the field work. Mark Strong and Tom Patrick both 

furnished bibliographic assistance. This project was partially 

funded by a personal grant from Steve Onell to the senior 

author. Thanks to Dr. Wilbur Duncan for permission to use 

his physio-geographic maps of the southeast. 
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APPENDIX 

Alphabetical list of noteworthy plant collections from Atlantic 

white-cedar habitats in western Georgia. Asterisb before 

the site code indicate a county record. Following the 

scientific name and authorrty is the common name, site code 

(for example GATAYLm), collection date, collector(s), and 

acronym of the heiban'um where the specimen is deposited. 

Afetris farinssa L. - Colicroot. 

*GATAYLO10: 6 June 1989, Sheridan and Scholl124 (FTG). 

Bartonia paniculata (Michaux) Mu hl. - Screw-stem. 

*GATAYLO10: 9 September 1990, Onell and Bridges 15058 

(FTG). 

Calopogon tuberosus (L.) Britton and others - Grass-pink 

orchid. 

*GATAYLO10: 6 June 1989, Sheridan and Scholl132 (GA). 

Carex collinsii Nuttall - Collin's sedge. 

*GATAYLW3: 4 June 1 989, Sheridan and Scholl106 (FTG). 

*GATAYL003: 28 May 1994, Sheridan and Troup 1581 

(FTG). 

*GATAYL003: 28 May 1994, Sheridan and Troup 1587 

(FTG). 

Carex venusta var. venusta Dewey - Dark green sedge. 

*GAPEAC001: 18 June 1994, Sheridan and Patrick 1722 

(FI'G). 

Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) B.S.P. - Atlantic white-cedar. 

*GAPEAC001: 27 Aug 1992, Sheridan 1330 (FTG). 

G ATAY L001 : 6 May 1 987, Orzell and Bridges 5 17 1 (KG) . GATAYL001: 17 June 1994, Sheridan 1709 (FTG). 

GATAYLOOS: 30 May 1994, Sheridan 1592 (FTG). 

*GATAYL003: 28 May 1 994, Sheridan and Troup 1578 

(FTG). 

Drosera capillaris Poiret - Pink sundew. 

*GATAYL010: 6 June 1989, Sheridan and Scholl119(fTG, 

GA). 

Drosera intermedia Hayne - Water sundew. 

*GAPEAC001: 18 June 1994, Sheridan and Patrick 1718 

(RG)' 

*GATAYLO15: 9 June 1989. Sheridan and Scholl212 (GA). 

Duliehium arundinaceum (L.) Britton - Th ree-way sedge. 

*GAPEAC001: 27 August 1992, Sheridan 1331 (FTG). 

*GATAYL010: 9 September 1990, Orzell and Bridges IS52 

(FTG). 

Eleocharis tuberculosa (Michx) R & S - Tubercled spikerush. 

"GAPEAC001: 18 June 1994, Sheridan and Patrick 1721 

(FTG), 

Eleocharis microcarpa Torrey - Small carpel spike-rush. 

*GATAYLO10: 9 September 1990, Orzell and Bridges 15053 

(F7-GIEpigaea repens L. - Trailing arbutus. 

Fothergilla gardenii Murray - W itch-alder. 

GATAYLO10: 6 June 1989, Sheridan and Scholl125 (FTG). 

Galax umolata (Poir,) Brummitt, - Galax. 

*GATAYL003: 5 June 1989, Sheridan and Scholl 116 (FTG). 

Helrsnilrm ktrevi%olium (Nutt.) Wood - Shortleaf sneezeweed. 

*G ATAY L001: 6 May 1 987, Orzell and Bridges 5 168 (FTG). 

Helianthus longifolius Pursh - Longleaf sunflower. 

GATAYL001: 9 Sept 1990, Orzell and Bridges 15036 (FTG). 

Hypericum canadense L. - St. John's-wort. 

*GATAYLO10: 9 September 1990, Orzell and Bridges 15060 

(f=-f-G). 

Juncus repens Michx. - Bending rush. 

*GAPEAC001: 18 June 1994, Sheridan and Patrick 171 9 

(fTG) - 

Juncus diehotomus Elliott - Split rush. 

*GATAYLO10: 6 June 1989, Sheridan and Scholl137 (FTG). 

Juncus scirpoi&s Lamarck - A rush. 

*GATAYL010: 6 June 1 989, Sheridan and Scholl 122 & 136 

(FTG). 

Kalmia carolina Small - Carolina s heep-laurel. 

G ATAY LOO 1 : 6 May 1 987, Orzell and Bridges 5 167' ( FTG) . GATAYL003: 5 June 1989, Sheridan and SchoN 114 (FTG). 

Kalmia latifolia L. - Mountain laurel. 

*GATAYL010: 6 June 1989, Sheridan and Scholl129 (FTG). 

Lachnocaulon anceps (Waiter) Morong - Bog buttons. 

*GATAYLO10: 6 June 1989, Sheridan and Scholl138 (FTG). 

Lachnocaulon minus (Chapm.) Small - Bog buttons. 

*GATAYLO10: 6 June 1 989, Sheridan and Scholl139A 

(FTG). 

*GATAYLO10: 9 September 1990, Orzell and Bridges 15051 

(FTG). 

*GATAYLOI 2: 4 June 1989, Sheridan and Scholl105 (FTG). 

Lobelia georgiana McVaugh - Elongate lobelia. 

*GATAYL001: 9 September 1990, Orzell and Bridges 15035 

(RG) 

Mayaca aubletii Mic hx. - Bog moss 

*GAPEAC001: 18 June 1994, Sheridan and Patdck 1720 

(R"G). 

Mit~ola sessilifslia (Wait.) G. Don 

*GATAYL001: 9 September 1990, Orzell and Bridges 1 a33 

(mG)' 

Pinguicula primulitlora Wood & Godf rey - Southern 

buttewort. 

*GATAYLOO3: 28 May 1994, Sheridan and Troup 1585 

(R"G). 

Platanthera blephariglottts (Willd.) Lindl. - White-fringed 

orchid. 

*GATNLOOf : 9 September 1990, Orrell and Bridges 15032 

(R"G). 

*GATAYLO10: 6 June 1989, Sheridan and Scholl 134 (KG). 
Platanthera clavellata (Michx) Luer 

*GAPEACOOl: 27 August 1992, Sheridan 1332 (FG). 

Povgala cnrciata L. - Crucifex-leaved polygala. 

*GATAYL010: 9 September 1 990, Orzell and Bridges 15056 

(RG). 

Pokgala lutea L. - Orange-sepaled polygala. 

*GATAYLOlO: 6 June 1989, Sheridan and Scholl133 (GA). 

*GATAYLO10: 9 September 1990, Orzell and ejlrdges 15057 

(KG). 

Popgala nana (Michx) de Candolle - Yellow-sepaled 

polygala. 

*GATAYLW: 5 June 1989, Sheridan and Scholl115 (FTG & 

GA). 

Rhynchospora ciliaris (Michx.) C. Mohr - Ciliate beak rush. 

*GATAYL012: 30 May 1994, Sheridan 1591 (FTG). 

Rhynchospora glomrata (L.) Vahl - Glomerate beak rush. 

*GAPEAC001: 27 August 1992, Sheridan 1340A (FTG). 

Rhynchospora inexpansa (Mic haux) Vahl. - Beak rush. 

*GATAYLO10: 9 September 1990, Orzell and Bridges 15049 

(FTG). 

Rhynchospora rariflora (Mic hx) Elliott - Beak rush . 

*GATAYLOf 2: 30 May 1 994, Sheridan 15L39 (R). 

Sabatia angujaris (L.) Pursh - Rose pink or bitter-bloom. 

*GATAYL001: 9 September 1990, Orzell and Bridges 15034 

(FTG). 

Sarracenia rubra Walt. - Sweet pitcher plant. 

GATAYLOO1: 6 May 1 987, Onell and Bridges 51 69 (FTG). 

GATAYLOIO: 9 September 1990, Orzell and Bridges 15055 

(FTG). 

GATAYL015: 9 June 1 989, Sheridan and Scholl 21 1 (GA). 

*GAPEAC001: 27 Aug 1 992, Sheridan 1329 (FTG). 

Schoenoplectus etuberculatus (Steudel) J. Sojak - Bulrush. 

*GATAYL005: 30 May 1 994, Sheridan 1593 (FTG). 

Scleria pauciftora Muhlenberg ex Wildenow - Nut rush. 

*G ATAYL012: 30 May 1 994, Sheridan 1590 (FTG). 

Smilm laorifolia L. - Puncture vine. 

*GATAYL010: 6 June 1989, Shefidan and Scholl126 (FTG). 

Solidago patula Muhl. ex Willd. - Goldenrod. 

*GATAYLO10: 9 September 1 990, Orzell and Bridges 15050 

(FTG). 

Utricularia cornuta Michaux - Horned bladdewort. 

*GATAYL003: 28 May 1 994, Sheridan and Troup 1588 

(FTG). 

Utricularia subulata L.- Bladdewort 

*GATAYLO10: 6 June 1989, Sheridan and Scholl121 (GA). 

*GATAYL003: 4 June 1989, Sheridan and Scholl107 (GA). 

Vaccinium elliottii Chapman - Elliott's blueberry 

*GATAYL003: 28 May 1994, Sheridan and Troup 1582 

(KG). 

Vaccinium my~inites Lamarck - Blueberry. 

*GAWLO10: 6 June 1989, Sheridan and Scholl130 (FTG). 

Xyris baldwiniana Schultes in R. & S. - Baldwin's yelloweyed grass. 

*GATAYLO10: 6 June 1989, Sheridan and Scholl135 (FTG). 

Xyris dMormis C hapman var. dfiormis - Yellow-eyed grass. 

*GATAYL001: 9 September 1990, Orzell and Bridges 15037 

(FTG). 

*GATAYLO10: 9 September 1990, Orzell and Bridges 15054 

(FTG). 

Zigadenus densus (Desr.) Fernald - Black snakeroot or 

crow-poison. 

*GATAYLO10: 6 June 1 989, Sheridan and Scholl123 (FTG). 
A CENSUS OF ATLANTIC WHITE-CEDAR, CHAMAECYPARlS 

THYOlQES (L.) B.S.P., ON THE WESTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND 

Phil Sheridan, Keith Underuvood, Robert Multer, 

Judy Broersma-Cole, Robert Cole, and J. Richard )<libby" 

"Don't stave tf78 boats needlessly, ye harpooners; good white csc-lar plank is mised fulf thme per cent w't"hin the year." 

t-teman Melville, Mbby Dick 

Abstract-Nine stations are reported for Atlantic white-cedar (Chmaecyparis &yoides (L.) B.S.P.) on the western shore of 

Maryland. Three sites occur on the Magothy River at Cockey and Cypress Creek, while the other six stands are found at 

Arfington Echo, Carrollton Manor, Evergreen Road (Cypress Creek), East Branch of Forked Creek, Lakeland, and Sullivan 

Cove on the Severn River. The westem-shore Atlantic vvhite-cedar populations consist of 1214 trees over 1.2 m tall, 1895 

seedlings and saplings less than 1.2 m, and 827 dead trees. Mean tree diameter ranged From 5.52 cm at Sullivan Gove to 

22.46 cm at Arlington Echo. Seedling recmitment was highest at Sullivan Cove with 1475 seedlings. The nine Atlantic 

vvhiteadar populations are found on the westem shore of Matyland growing in spring freshes along intertidal zones, pond 

margins, and sandy or mucky creeks. Propagated western-shore Atlantic white-cedar should be used as part of 

reforestation programs on the Sevem and Magothy Rivers due to the attractive and commercial value of the tree, as 

mitigation for lost historic sites, and to safeguard against population loss at the few remaining sites. 

INTRODUCTION 

Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) B.S.P.) is 

a rare to uncommon plant in Maryland and has been placed 

on the state watch list (Maryland Natural Heritage Program, 

1994). Steiber (1 967, 1971) reported Atlantic whitecedar 

for a few locations on the western shore of Maryland in Anne 

Arundel County, while Sipple and Klockner (1 984) classified 

Atlantic whiteeedar habitat as uncommon for this region. 

The nearest Atlantic white-cedar stands to the westernshore Maryland populations are found 80 km to the east on 

the Delmarva Peninsula where a total of 58 extant and 

historic sites are known (Laderman 1989). The closest 

Virginia populations occur 274 krn to the south in the Dismal 

Swamp and in pine barrens along the Blackwater River 

(Fernald 1939, 1940, 1947). 

We became interested in the exact status of Atlantic whitecedar populations on the western shore of Maryland 

because of their isolation, local nature, and associated rare 

plant species. This project was undertaken to provide data 

for Atlantic white-cedar recovery and restoration on the 

western shore of Maryland. 

MAERIALS AND METHOOS 

Atlantic white-cedar sites on the western shore of Maryland 

were determined by consulting Severn River Association 

(1 990), Sipple (1 977), Sipple and Klockner (1 980, 1984), 

and field reports (Mik McCarthy, personal communication to 

DNR, Sipple, field notes 15 August, 1978). Sites were 

visited in July 1997 to determine the number of living and 

dead trees as well as seedlings. Additional site visits were 

made in December 1997 and January and February 1998 to 

verii some population counts and to inventow new sites. 

Individuals measuring 1.2 m and over in height were scored 

as trees while specimens under 1.2 m wre recorded as 

seedlings. Dead individuals were also recorded as part of 

the census as a separate category. Circumference of all 

specimens was measured in inches at breast height with a 

tape masure and then cenvefied 40 mtric diameter. 

Physical c haracteristics and ptipn"issociates were recorded 

for each site. Hert3arium specimens sf Atlantic whitecedar 

populations were deposited at Towson State University 

he&arium (herbarium code: BALT). 

RESULTS 

Three sites for Atlantic whitecedar occur on the Magothy 

River, while six are found on the Severn River (fig. 1). Two 

new Severn River Atlantic while-cedar populations were 

found, one on the east branch of Forked Creek and the 

other on the south shore near Sunrise Beach off Evergreen 

Road at a tributary listed as Cypress Creek (Davison and 

Rucker, 1988). 

Tree populations ranged from as few as 9 at one location to 

as many as 383 individuals at another, with a total of 1214 

Atlantic white-cedar trees for the western shore of Maryland 

(sum of ail sites listed in table 1). The largest number of 

seedlings (1475) was found at Sullivan Cove. Mean living 

tree diamtsr was smallest at Suiliban Cove (5.52 cm) and 

greatest at Gypress Creek Swamp (22.46 em). No dead 

trees wre found at two sites, while the largest man dead 

tree diameter was recorded at Lakeland (48.17 em). 

Cypress Greek Savanna had 77 percent of the population in 

Director, Meadowview Biological Research Station, 8390 Fredericksburg Turnpike, Woodford, VA Z580; Prop~etor and Ecological Assistant, 

Keith Undewood & Assoc., 1753 Ebling Trail, Annapolis, MD 21401 ; Environmental Specialist and Division Chief-Environmental Compliance, 

Matyland Dept. of Environment, 200 Duke St., Suite 2700, Prince Frederick, MD NCi78; Landscape Architecl, U.S. Amy Corps of Engineers, 

CENAB-PL-PR, P.O. Box 1715, Baltimore, MD 21 203, respectively. 

Citation for proceedings: Shear, Theodore H.; Summerville, K.O., eds. 1999. Atlantic white-cedar: ecology and manapment symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Soutkem Research 

Station. 82 p. 

Table 1-opulation data for Atlantic whSte-cwlar sites on the Western Shore of Maryfand 

- -- 

Parameter 1 2 3 4a 4b 5 6 7 8 9 Total 

## Seedlings 

# Living trees 

# Dead trees 

Total 

Mean dia. 

living (cm) 

(S.D.) 

Mean dia. 

dead (cm) 

(S.D.) 

a 1 = Arlington Echo; 2 = Carrollton Manor; 3 = Cockey Creek; 4a = Cypress Creek Savanna; 4b = Cypress Creek Swamp; 5 = Forked 

Creek; 6 = Lakeland; 7 = Sullivan Cove; 8 = Cypress Creek; 9 = Dill Road 

dead trees, while Cypress Creek (Severn River) had a 

mortaltty of 58 percent. The champion living Atlantic whitecedar tree on the western shore occurs at Arlington Echo 

and has a diameter of 69 cm. The largest diameter Atlantic 

white-cedar found during the census, which had been hit 

and apparently killed by lightning, is at Lakeland and is 86 

ern in diamter. 

Interestingly, the Lakeiand population seemed to be 

particularly susceptible to lightning strikes. Lightning scars 

were found on 50 percent of dead trees and lightning was 

clearly the cause of death in one tree in 1997. Clewell and 

Ward (1 987, 1989) found that lightning was the cause of 

mortality for mature Atlantic whitecedar and attributed this 

to the trees protruding above the canopy and incurring an 

increased chance of lightning strikes. This seems like a 

reasonable hypothesis but Clewell and Ward (1 987, 1989) 

did not demonstrate that lightning-struck trees were indeed 

taller than surrounding trees. Atlantic whitecedar is not the 

tallest tree at Lakeland and hardwoods intermixed with this 

tree have not been struck by lightning at anywhere near this 

rate. The other Atlantic whitecedar populations on the 

western shore did not have lightning strikes of this 

magnitude and it is not clear what factor(s) are responsible 

for this effect. One possible explanation is that some 

Atlantic whitecedar bogs contain bog iron and are 

preferentially attracting lightning. Trees in this situation face 

an increased risk of mortalrty due to lightning strikes. 

Lightning mortality on Atlantic white-cedar may be worth 

investigating in a future study. 

Soils on uplands of Atlantic whitecedar habitats on the 

western shore were either on Collington, Evesboro, 

Galesboro, or Sassafras fine to loamy sand on slopes 

ranging from 2 to 40 percent (Kirby and Matthews 1973). 

Wetlands are composed of mixed alluvial or Bibb silt loam 

grading to tidal marsh at the outflow from Atlantic whitecedar habitat. 

Herbarium vouchers were obtained from all sites and are 

recorded for Anne Arundel County, Maryland as follows: 16 

December 1995, sandy and mucky areas on Cockey Creek 

feeding Magothy River, Phil Sheridan, Bill Scholl, Keith 

Underwood, Judy Broersma-Cole, Robert Cole, Robert 

Muller, Sheridan 1865; 17 December 1995, pond margins 

and intertidal freshes deeding Severr: River at Lakeiand, Phil 

Sheridan and Keith Undenrvood, Sheridan 1866; 29 July 

1997, pond edges and river banks at Carrollton Manor on 

the Severn River, Phil Sheridan and Robert Muller, Sheridan 

1987; 29 Juty 1997, spring freshes at juncture of deciduous 

sandy uplands and intertidal marsh as well as sphagnous 

hummocks at Sullivan Cove on the Severn River, Phil 

Sheridan and Robert Muller, Sheridan 1989; 29 Juty 1997, 

seepage bank at head of eastern branch of Forked Creek on 

Severn River, Phil Sheridan, Robert Muller, and Keith 

Underwood, Sheridan 1990; 13 August 1997, edge of 

Cladium marsh at head of Cypress Creek on east side of 

MD Route 2, 314 mile west of Severna Park, Sheridan 1991; 

13 August 1997, peaty edge of creek at Arlington Echo 

Education Center off Indian Landing Road, located at head 

of Severn River southwest of Lakeland and 1 mile west of 

Sunrise Beach, Sheridan 1 992; 30 January 1998, Atlantic 

whitecedar bog on branch feeding Cypress Creek at Dill 

Road, Phil Sheridan, William Sipple, and Keith Underwood, 

Sheridan 2004; 19 April 1998, sphagnous peat bog at mouth 

of Cypress Creek on the Severn River east of Evergreen 

Road and north of Sunrise Beach, Keith Underwood, 

Sheridan 2007. 

DlSCUSSlON 

Carrollton Manor and Sullivan Cove contain more than 94 

percent of the Atlantic whitecedar seedlings on the western 

shore of Maryland. Cypress Creek Swamp and Sullivan 

Cove contain 51 percent of the mature trees. The skewed 

nature of the population data on these Atlantic white-cedar 

populations may reflect both their site history and natural 

quality. 
Sullivan Cove has a large number of both seedlings and 

mature trees. The number of seedlings and trees at Sullivan 

Cove may reflect the high natural quai@ and relacweb 

undisturibed nature of the site. Sullivan Cove, is an excellent 

example of an intact inlefiiclal fresh and sphagnum-bog 

Atlantic white-cedar habitat (fig. 2) and is on& disturbed by a 

small gravel road biseding the site. Several sta% rare plant 

species such as Cladr'urn marr'scoi&s (Mu kt.) Tarrey and 

mlanthera ciliaris (L.) tindl. were also found at this site 

during the census. 

The number and mean diamter (22.46 cm) of trees at 

Cypress Creek Swamp indicate a mature Atlantic whitecedar forest, compared to the early successional state of 

Sullivan Cove where there are many seedlings but tree 

diamter averages only 5.52 cm. qpress Greek Savanna 

and Sullivan Cove share many fI~fistic and hydrologic 

affinities. Both siles exhibit a continuum from tidal marsh to 

open sphagnous hummocks (savanna) to Atlantic whitecedar swamp. Cypress Grwk Savanna has an unusual& 

high rate of dead wood (77 percent) with a small mean 

diameter as well as vey few Ibing seedlings, which 

contrasts with the report of many vigorous Atlantic whitecedar seedlings at this site (Sipple and KIockner 1984). 

Sipple (personal communication, 1998) reports that much of 

this mortal@ occurred around 1988 along wilh a change in 

the floristic composilion of the site. The most [likely 

explanation for the mortal~v at Gypress Greek Savanna is 

some kind of hydrologic disturbanw. We found no evidence 

of pathogens being responsible for this mortalhay, sin@ dead 

trees wre restricted within a zone, and adjacent trees in 

Qpress Greek Swamp were unamcted. Atlantic whitecedar is known to be killed by high tidal salinities (Fleming 

1978), and tidal levels are known to be increasing along the 

eastern seaboard. lowring of ground water levels through 

surface wells, interdktion of seepage from Cypress Creek 

Swamp through improvements along an adjacent road, 

general rise in tidal river kvels, and subsequent salt 

intrusion into Qpress Greek Savanna appear to be the most 

likely cause of tree morlali2y. 

Suifivan Cove has probaly escaped the fate of Cypress 

Greek Savanna because of its somewhat higher topographic 

position. VVe have noted some mortal@ as well at Arlington 

Echo where trees formrb grew further out the cove where 

higher salinities might be expected. An understanding of 

effects of development on seepage waters, projected rises 

in tidal levels, and salt intrusion of coastal freshwater 

wetlands will be an important component of Attantic whitecedar restoration on the wstern shore of Maryland. 

The Dill Road sge on Cypress Creek, also known as 

Bonnie" Bog, formerly contained Sarraaenia pupurea L. 

(Sipple, personal communication, 1998), and a few 

Chamaedaphne cafyculala (L.) Moench are still extant. 

Sedimentation and pollution from an adjacent road has 

resutf;ed in the destruction of the upper reaches of the bog, 

and there are many large-diamter Atlantic white-cedar 

snags of 70-100 years in age. Restoration of the Dill Road 

sile is warranted given the significant elements formerly or 

current4 present at this site. 

Carrolhon Manor and Lakeland both contain tidal freshes 

and ponds with Atlantic white-cedar borders. Carrolhon 

Manor has a Iarp number of seedlings in comparison to 

Lakeland, a diflerence which we attribute to the effect of 

beavers browsing woody vegetation and lightly disturbing 

soils on the pond borders. Removal of plant competition by 

beavers may provide increased light for gemination, or 

there may be an ancillary beneficial effect from soil 

Rgure P-View of Sullivan Cwe From Sevsm Rker beach at intedidsal marsh. Note 

Atlantic vvhitecedr at interliela! fresh fracturs at base of hilsids? sfow and dramatic 

change to tidal marsh. 
disturbance. Atlantic white-cedar pond habftats, such as 

Lakeland, which lack beaver disturbance, have a much 

lower number of seedlings. 

Arlinglon Echo, Gockey Greek, and the Severn River 

Cypress Greek contain relatively few trees or seedlings 

despite apparently suitable soils and hydrology. They differ 

from the other sites in that they are positioned on or at the 

outflow of meandering creek systems over 2 krn in length. 

The low numbers of Atlantic white-cedar in these three sks 

may be caused by competition with hardwood species 

preventing seedling establishment, disease, repeated 

logging, sterilrty, or other factors. Part of the population at 

Cypress Creek was destroyed by slumping of a hillside at a 

stormwater discharge point and subsequent inundation of 

the bog. Fomr abundant populations of Atlantic whitecedar on the Eastern Shore have been reduced to scallered 

individuals or loose aggregations (Sipple and Klockner, 

1984). Similarly these three sites may represent fragments 

of former larger populations, and present conditions may 

eventually result in their loss. This would represent a 

significant reduction in current Atlantic wh%e%edar stands 

on the western shore of Maryland. 

The Forked Creek population of Atlantic whge-cedar is 

locally restricted by wetland habitat. The site is 

characterized by peaty soils on a springy hillside along a 28- 

meter bank of the Severn River. Surrounding banks are dry 

and limit this population to one cove. 

Documentation of the fo r extent of the western shore 

populations of Atlantic whitecedar through examination of 

logging and naval records and peat analysis may help guide 

recovery efforts on the Severn and Magothy Rivers. The few 

individuals, low recruitment, and ample habitat or recovery 

potential at many of these sites warrant a restoration 

program to prevent the loss of these important populations 

on the western shore of Maryland. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

Thanks to Leif Jacobson and William Sippk for comments 

on the paper and to Wes Matheu of Keith Unhrwood and 

Associates for assistance in map production. We thank the 

Arlington Echo staff for their cooperation in the census and 

the following landowners for permission to enter their 

property: Mary and John Dierdorf I/!, Mr. Hicks, and Robe& 

and Mary Shephard. This work was funded by contributions 

to Meadowview Biological Research Station and by Keith 

Undewood. W$, thank those individuals for their assistance. 

REFERENCES 

Glwell, A.F.; Wrd, 0.8. 1987. White cedar in Florida and along 

the northern Gulf Coast. In: Lademan, AD., ed. Adantic while 

cedar wet!ands. Bsulder, 68: Wslview Press: 69-82. 

Crewel!, A,F.; Ward, D.B. 5S9. Atlantic mite m&r 

(Chmaeqpads &yoiclef) in the Suthem Slates. Florida Sci. 

52(1): 8-47. 

Davlsson, A.; Rucks, @. 1988. Gems of the Sevem. Sevem River 

Commission. 

Fernaid, M.L. 1939. Last suntivors in the flora of tidewater Virginia. 

Rhodora. 41 (490): 465-5041.. 

hrnald, M.L. 1940. A century of additions to the Nora of Virginia. 

Rhodora, 42(502): 35541 6. 

Fernaid, M.L. 1947. Additions to and subtractions from the flora of 

Virginia. Rhoclora. 49: 145-1 59. 

memlng, L.M. 1978. Delaware" outslanding natural areas and their 

presewation. Wockessin, DIE: Delaware Nature Education 

Society. 422 p. 

Kirby, R.M.; MMhevvs, E.D. 1973. Soil suwey of Anne Amndel 

County, Maryland. Washington, DC: U.S. Deparlment of 

Agriculture, Soil Consewation Sewice. 127 p. 

La*rman, A.D. 1989. The ecology of the Atlantic Mmite cedar 

wtlands: a community profile. U.S. Fish and Wldlifs Sewice 

Biol. Rep. 85(7.21). 114 p. 

Maryland Natural Heritage Program. 1994. Rare, thmatened and 

endangered plants of Maryland. Annapolis, MD: Department of 

Natural Resources. 24 p. 

Sevem River hoclatlon. 1990. Maryland scenic rivers: the 

Sevem. Annapolis, MD: Whitmore Printing Go. 38 p. 

Slpple, W.S. 1977. A brief report on a recently discovered cedar 

swampisavanna area in Anne Amndel County Maryland. 

Annapolis, MD: Department of Natural Resources, Wetlands 

Permit Section, Water Res. Adm. 4 p. 

Slpple, W.S.; Klockner, W.A. 1980. A unique wetland in Maryland. 

Castanea. 45: 60-69. 

Slpple, W.S.; Kloeknm, W.A. 1984. Uncommon wetlands in the 

coastal plain of Maryland. tn: Norden, A.W.; Forester, D.C.; 

Fenwick, G.H. Threatened and endangered plants and animals of 

Maryland. Maryland Natural Heritage Program Special 

Publication 84-1. 

Steiber, M.T. 1 S7. An annotated checklist of the vascular Rora of 

Anne Awndl Gountjr, Maryland. Catholic University of America. 

70 p. M.S. thesis. 

Steiber, M.T. 1971. The vascular flora of Anne Awndsi County, 

Maryland: an annotated checklist. Castanea. 36: 263-312. 
Craig William Stewart and Elisabeth Wheeler 

Ahtract-The correlation betvvraen bark grain pattem and wood grain pattern in ten Atlantic vvhiteadar 

(Chmwcyparis *ides (L.) B.S.P.) trees was studied and found to be statistically significant. The trees came from the 

Jones Lake State Park, BIaden CounM NC, and were knocked down by Hurricane Fran. Each tree had two sections 

removed from it, one at breast height and one at crown height. Each section had a 5- to lOcrn disk removed from it. 

From each disk a tvvo-inch-wide strip was cut It.rrou@ the pith. Grain angle was measured from these strips. The 

imaginary longitudinal axis of the tree was used as a reference for measuring grain angle. A measurement of 4" or 

greater from the longitudinal axis was used to indicate spiral grain. Although this study found a correlation between 

wocrd and bark grain patterns, there is a need for further stu* to wnfirm the correlation because only ten trees were 

sampled from one site. 

IMTRODUCmON 

Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyparis twoides (L.) f3,S.P.) is 

an important species for the U.S. lumber and pole 

industries. The species is decay resistant, which makes it 

effective in the construction of fences and other structures in 

contact with either the ground or water. Spiral grain is a 

serious defect of wood and causes uneven shrinkage and 

an increased amount of warping during the drying process, 

as well as a reduced resistance to impact bending (Chiu 

and Lee 1993). It would be beneficial to the lumber industry 

to be able to predict if a tree contains wood with spiral grain. 

In other species, such as Taiwan incense-cedar 

(Calocedrus formsana Florin), bark grain angle can be 

used to predict wood grain angle. This paper presents the 

results of a pilot study that investigates whether spiral bark 

pattern would reliably predict spiral wood grain in Atlantic 

wh ite-cedar. 

If a relationship between bark pattern and wood grain angle 

exists, the information could be valuable to tree 

improvement programs, and would indicate whether to 

select only seeds from straight-grained trees. The Atlantic 

Whitecedar Alliance is interested in determining if such a 

relationship exists. Increased amounts of straight grain 

should enhance the quality of lumber and poles of Atlantic 

whitecedar, which would create higher profit. Improved 

yield and quality would directly result from less warping 

during drying. 

MATERIALS AND METHODS 

The trees used in this study grew in a moist area with a soil 

mixture of wet peat and sand at Jones Lake State Park, NC, 

and were knocked down by Hurricane Fran in early 

September 1996. In February, 1997, K.O. Summrvilk! 

(Griffith Forestry Center, Clayton, North Carolina) provided 

10 trees from the stand. Five trees had obvious bark 

spirality; five had straight bark patterns. Two bolts were 

removed from each of the ten trees, one bolt from breast 

height and the other from the crown, yielding a total of 20 

samples. The diameters at breast height (d.b.h.) and 

heights of the trees with spiral bark ranged from 9.8 to 15.4 

inches and 69 to 82 feet; d.b.h. and heights of the trees with 

straight bark ranged from 9.7 to 15.8 inches and 70 to 84 

feet. 

Five- to ten-centimeter-thick cross-sectional disks were 

removed from all twenty samples. The disks from the 

breast-height group were removed 1.5 feet d.b.h. The 

disks from the crown-height group were removed from the 

middle section of the region termed the crown. Strips 2.5 to 

3 centimeters thick were cut from each disk, cutting the pith 

in the north to south cardinal direction. The breast-height 

samples were split along the annual rings at 1 and 3 

inches from the outer bark. The crown-height samples 

were split along the annual rings at 1 and 2 inches from the 

outer bark. For each tree, the presence of spiral-grained 

wood was determined for 8 samples, 4 per each height. 

However, when a knot was present at one of the 

predetermined splitting dimensions, another location was 

used so that clear grain could be measured. The grain 

angle (a) (deviation from the longitudinal axis of the tree) 

was measured using a protractor. For this study, fiber 

angles above 4" were scored as spiral grain because 

angles of this size and larger usually cause warping and 

shrinkage during drying of the wood. 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

Results of the study are shown in table 1. Eighty 

percent of the samples in each group (brewt-height 

and crown-height) had corresponding bark and wood 

grain patterns. The correlation between the two 

patterns was found to be 63 percent significant through 

the use of the dichotomous nominal scale data 

method (Zar 1984). A study of a larger sample size 

should increase the percent significance dramatically. 

For this study, three correlating measurements per 

disk were the criterion to conclude that a sample's 

bark grain pattern (spiral of > 4" vs, straight) predicted 

its wood grain pattern. At breast height, trees 6 and 9 

Department of Wood and Paper Science, Box 8005, N.C. State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8005. 

Citation for pmceedings: Shear, Theodore ti.; Summerville, K.O., eds. 1999. Atlantic white-cedar: ecology and management symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southem Research 

Station. 82 p. 
Table 1-Proportion of spitaCgralned (> 4" inclination) 

waod samptes in tws with spiral-grained bark or 

straight-grained bark. Measured at breast height and at 

cmwn height (4 samples per height) 

Tree 

number 

Breast 

height 

Crown 

height 

--------- Percent- --- -- --- 

Proportion of trees with spiral-grained bark having spiralgrained wood 

Proportion of trees with straight-grained bark having spiralgrained wood 

did not meet this requirement; for crown-height 

samples, trees 4 and 5 did not. There are at least three 

reasons for the lack of correlation: (1) there may have 

been a knot above or below the disc, thus altering the 

grain pattern at the measurement point, (2) the grain 

angle could have been observed incorrectly because a 

disc was not cut exactly perpendicular to the axis of the 

tree, so that the reference plane was not truly 

representative of the vertical axis, and (3) measuring 

grain angle at a substantial distance from the pith 

could show no spiral grain, although when measured 

closer to the pith, spiral grain may be prevalent. Spiral 

grain is more common in juvenile wood (Harris 1989), 

which is near the pith. In the future, grain angle in 

juvenile wood should also be measured. 

The relationship behrveen wood grain patterns at 

breast height and crown height for each tree was also 

examined. Within-tree samples from trees 2, 3, 4, and 

9 did not have matching wood and bark grain patterns. 

The lack of within-tree correlation could be due to the 

three reasons given earlier. Also, this nonconformity 

could be due to grain pattern changing in the upper 

portion of the tree as the tree grows toward the nearest 

light source. Seventy percent of the samples taken 

from crown height exhibited sorne mount of straight 

grain. 

CONCLUSION 

This study indicates wood grain patterns and bark 

grain patterns may be correlated in Atlantic whitecedar. However, because of the small sample size a 

strong statistkal relationship has not been shown, 

Further work is needed to verify this study's 

conclusions. Also, it is recommended that there be a 

study following the path of both spiral bark trees and 

straight bark trees through the lumber production 

process to determine the difference in lumber yield 

and quality and the economic gains. Further studies 

on the correlation between bark patterns and wood 

grain patterns should provide information to develop 

higher quality lumber from this species, creating 

higher prices for the material. The rewards for the 

Atlantic white-cedar lumber industry should be a 

driving force in the continuation of this study. 

REFERENCES 

Chlu, M.C.; Lee, C.H. 1993. Wood-bark spirality correlation in 

Calocedms fomosana. IAWA Joumal. 14(1): 29-34. 

Hardln, J.W.; Harlow, W.M.; Harrar, E.S.; White, F.M. 1991. 

Textbook of dendrology. 7th ed. New York: McGraw Hill. 

Harris, J.M. 1989. Spiral grain and wave phenomena in 

wood formation. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. 

Zar, J.H. 1984. Biostatistical analysis. 2d ed. Englewood 

Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc. 
NLANTIC WHITE-CEDAR PLANT PROIBUCTION 

M.O. Summerville, William E. Gardner, L. Eric Hinlesfey, and Robert E. Bardon1 

Ahtract-The MorN-r Carolina Division of Forest Resources started produclion of Atlantic whiteadar, Chmamyparis 

-ides (L.) B.S.P., bare-root seedings in the earfy 1980"s. Problems vvith seedling quantity and quality led to a series of 

studies to determine the charactsristics of accsptable seedlings, and nursery practices for their consistent production. 

This paper describes results from three of those studies established beween 1989 and 1996: seedling mmparison, 

nursery bed seedling prduclion, and seedling size evaluation. 

INmODUCS1ON 

The North Carolina Division of Forest Resources started 

production of Atlantic whitetecedar, Chamaecyparis fhyoides 

(L.) B.S.P., bare-root seedlings in the early 1980's. 

Seedling yields from these early tree nursery efforts 

produced disappointing quantities of acceptable plants. 

Both inconsistent germination of seed over the nursery bed 

surface and inconsistent size of seedlings at the end of the 

first growing season were obvious problems. 

This paper reports results from three studies initiated 

betvveen 1989 and 1996 in an effort to refine the definition 

of an acceptable seedling for out-planting, and to identlfy 

those nursery practices that would most consistently 

produce acceptable seedlings at a reasonable cost. The 

paper is divided into three sections that deal with those 

studies: seedling csmparison, nursery bed seedling 

production, and seedling size evaluation. 

SEEDLING COMPARISON STUDY 

The seedling comparison study was initiated in 1989 to 

detemine what type of planting stock might be necessary 

for forest restoration of Atlantic white-cedar in eastern North 

Carolina. Three types of seedlings-bare-root seedlings 

from the conventional 1-0 nursery bed production, 3.0 cubic 

inch (small) containerized seedlings, and 5.5 cubic inch 

(large) containerized seedlings-were out-planted on three 

sites representing a range of soil and vegetative 

competition conditions. The seedlings were produced in 

1989, and the three sites (Chowan County, mineral soil, 

light herbaceous vegetation; Pasquotank County, organic 

soil, medium herbaceous vegetation; Columbus County, 

mineral soil, heavy herbaceous and shrub vegetation) were 

planted in March of 1990. 

A sample of the three types of seedlings at the time of 

planting reflected differences in height and root-collar 

diameter (RCD): the large containerized plants averaged 

0.11 inch RGD and 0.99 feet in height; small containerized 

plants averaged 0.08 inches RCD and 0.54 feet in height; 

and bare-root 1-0 plants averaged 0.13 inches RCD and 

0.51 feet in height. 

After out-planting, the seedling mortality, heights and 

diameters were measured following the first, second, third, 

and fifth growing seasons. First year results (table 1) and 

fifth year results (table 2) are reported here. 

After the first year's growth (table I), the large containerized 

plants and bare-root plants were similar in both height and 

root-collar diameter. Small containerized plants were 

somewhat smaller in height and significantly smaller in 

diameter. First year mortality across all sites was 

significantly higher for bare-root seedlings (9 percent) than 

for either size containerized seedlings, but still acceptably 

low for reforestation. Mortality varied from site to site: none 

at Chowan County, light mortality which appeared to be 

browse related on the Pasquotank County site, and more 

distinct differences between bare-root and containerizd 

plants associated wjah vigorous vegetative competition on 

the Columbus County site. 

Measurements following the fifth growing season (table 2) 

indicated that overall mortality had continued to rise on all 

sites, reaching 21 percent. Mortality of bare-root seedlings 

was still higher than containerized seedlings (by about 6 

percent), but the difference had declined since the first 

growing season (7.5 percent) and no was longer 

statistically significant. Mortality has continued to be site 

specific: little at Chowan County, and about the same at the 

other two sites. Height differences on individual sites were 

not significant, though the slight advantage of large over 

small containerized seedlings over all sites was 

statistically significant for both height and diameter. 

To date, the bare-root seedtings have performed 

intermediate between the small and large containerized 

stock in size, but sustained higher initial mortality. The 

large containerized stock has continued to outperform the 

small containers with consistent but small differences in 

height and diameter. 

NURSERY BED SEEDLING PRODUCTION STUDY 

The objective of this study was to determine nursery bed 

cultural practices for production of acceptable bare-root 1-0 

Staff Forester, N.G. Division of Forest Resources, Clayton, NC; Extension Forestry Specialist, N.C. State University, Raleigh, NC; Professor, 

Department of Horticultural Science, N.C. State University, Raleigh, NC; Assistant Professor, Department of Forestry, N.C. State University, 

Raleigh, NC, respectively. 

Citation for pmceedings: Shear, Theodore H.; Summerville, K.O., eds. 1999. Atlantic white-cedar: ecology and management symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southem Research 

Station. 82 p. 
Table 1-Field performance of Atlantic white-cedar 

se-edlings after one growing season 

Root 

Site and collar 

soil Treatment diameter Height Mortalrty 

Overall Overall 

Large 

Container 

Small 

Container 

Bare-root 

Chowan Co. Large 

mineral soil Container 

Small 

Container 

Bare-root 

Pasquotank Co. Large 

organic soil Container 

Small 

Container 

Bare-root 

Columbus Co. Large 

mineral soil Container 

Small 

Container 

Bare-root 

lnches 

0.17 

1 8as 

14b 

.19a 

.2 1 a 

.18b 

.22a 

.17a 

.12b 

.16a 

16a 

.1lb 

.19c 

Percent 

4 

1 a 

2a 

9b 

Oa 

Oa 

Oa 

4a 

4a 

8b 

Oa 

2a 

18b 

a Means within a column by site (and overall) with the same letter 

are not statistically different (P c 0.05). 

seedlings for forest restoration. The study was installed in 

the seedling production beds of the North Carolina Division 

of Forest Resources, Goldsboro Forestry Center, Claridge 

Nursery during the 1994 and again during the 1995 

seedling crop years. 

Field design initially included six replications of five soil 

treatments on shaded and non-shaded nursery beds. 

Shade was created by placing 50 percent shade cloth over 

the seed bed immediately after sowing the seeds. The 

shade cloth was left in place for 9 weeks until seed 

gemination was completed. The five soil treatments 

included: 1 = bed without mulch or amendment; 2 = one 

bushel of loose sphagnum peat moss mixed into the top 

six inches of soil along a five-foot length of bed (20 square 

feet); 3 = one-half inch of sphagnum peat moss spread on 

top of bed; 4 = one-half inch of a 50150 mixture of peat and 

vermiculite applied on top of bed; 5 = one-half inch of 

chopped pine straw mulch applied over the bed following 

seeding. 

Each treatment plot consisted of five linear feet of nursery 

bed. Atlantic whitecedar seeds were broadcast sown on 

the top of the beds in experimental soil treatments 1 

through 4; they were covered by one-half inch of pine straw 

in accordance with standard nursery practice in treatment 

5. Seeds were sown at a rate calculated to produce an 

estimated thirty-five seedlings per square foot. A standard 

Table 2-Field performnee of Atlantic whjae-cedar 

seedlings after five growing seasons. Chowian and 

Pasquotank Counties were measured in June 1995; 

Columbus Counw was masured in May 1996 

Root 

Site and collar 

soil Treatment diameter Height Mortatrly 

Overall Overall 

Large 

Container 

Small 

Container 

Bare-root 

Chowan Co. Large 

mineral soil Container 

Small 

Container 

Bare-root 

Pasquotank Go. Large 

organic soil Container 

Small 

Container 

Bare-root 

Columbus Co. Large 

mineral soil Container 

Small 

Container 

Bare-root 

Feet Percent 

8.7 21 

9.la 19a 

8.4b 19a 

8.5ab 25a 

7.9a 4a 

7.4a 2a 

17.7a Oa 

10.0a 24a 

9.la 30a 

8.8a 40a 

9.9a 28a 

9.la 24a 

9.5a 34a 

a Means within a column by site (and overall) with the same letter 

are not statistically different (P c 0.05). 

nursery fertilizer program was followed. High soil moisture 

levels (approximately one inch of water per week) were 

maintained through the first six weeks to enhance seed 

germination. Then approximately one-half inch of water per 

week was applied through the growing season. In early 

fall, irrigation was stopped to facilitate the plant hardeningoff process. 

Four permanent data collection sub-plots (one square foot 

each) were established in each treatment. These subplots were used to collect data relating to seed germination 

and germinant survival (tables 3 and 4), and the number of 

seedlings per square foot (within each heightclass) at the 

time of lifting (tables 5 and 6). Height classes were defined 

as: 1 =Oto5cm;2=5.1 to 10cm;3= 10.1 to 15cm;4= 

15.1 to 20 cm; 5 = 20.1 to 25 cm; and 6 = > 25 cm. 

This study was installed in 1994. Seeds were sown the 

second week of May. The numbers that germinated after 

three, four, and five weeks, as well as the number that 

survived, are reported in table 3. Seedling growth during 

the 1994 season progressed without unusual 

disturbances, and in January 1995 the crop was lifted, 

counted, and sorted into the six height classes (table 5). 
Table 3-Germination and survival of Atlantic uvhSte-cdar by soil tmtrrsertt and shade 

treatment in 1994 

Germi- Germi- GermiShade Soil nation 1 nation 2 nation 3 Total Alive 

treatment treatmenta May30 June 10 June 16 germination June 16 

Overall Overall 

Shade Overall 

Noshade Overall 

Overall 1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

Shade 1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

No shade 1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

--------- - Number of seedlii7gs per square foot - - - - - - - - - - 

BSoil treatments: 1 = bed without mulch or amendment; 2 = peat mixed into bed; 3 = peat applied on top of 

bed; 4 = pea~ermiculite applied on top of bed; 5 = pine straw mulch applied on top of bed. 

Means within a column by shade treatment and by soil treatment with the same letter are not statistically 

different (P c 0.05). 

Shade-by-soil interaction is significant (P c 0.01) with respect to germination 1, germination 3, total 

gemination, and survival. 
Table &Germination and survival of Atlantic white-cedar by soil tmatment and 

shade tmatment in 1995 

Germi- Germi- GermiShade Soil nation 1 nation 2 nation 3 Total Alive 

treatment treatmenta May 4 May 11 May 18 germination July 19 

Overall Overall 

Shade Overall 

Noshade Overall 

Overall 1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

Shade 

No shade 1 

3 

4 

5 

- Nurnber of seedlings per square foot - - - - - - - - - - 

a Soil treatments: 1 = bed without mulch or amendment; 2 = peat mixed into bed; 3 = peat applied on top of 

bed; 4 = peatherrniculite applied on top of bed; 5 = pine straw mulch applied on top of bed. 

Means within a column by shade treatment and by soil treatment with the same letter are not 

statistically different (P < 0.05). 

Shade-by-soil interaction is significant (P < 0.01) with respect to gemination 1, gemination 3, total 

gemination, and survival. 
Table &Number of Atlantic white-cedar lings in the nursery bed by soil 

treatment and shade treatment, with the percent in each sire class at the end of 

the 1994 growing season 

Height classa 

Shade Soil 

treatment treatment 1 2 3 4 5 6 Number 

Overall Overall 

Shade Overall 

Noshade Overall 

Overall 1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

Shade 

No shade 

Per nS! 

Heightclasses: 1 =O -5cm;2=5.1 - 10cm; 3= 10.1 - 15cm; 4= 15.1 -20cm; 

5=20.1 -25cm; 6= >25cm. 

bSoil treatments: 1 = bed without mulch or amendment; 2 = peat mixed into bed; 3 = peat applied 

on top of bed; 4 = peat/verrniculite applied on top of bed; 5 = pine straw mulch applied on top of 

bed. 

Overall values for height classes and numbers of seedlings per square foot by shade and soil 

treatment with the same letter are not statistically different (P < 0.05). 
Table $-Number of Atlantic white-cedar lings in the nursery bed by soil 

treatment and shade tratmnt, with the percent in each size class at the end of 

the 1995 growing season 

Height classa 

Shade Soil 

treatment treatment 1 2 3 4 5 6 Number 

Overall Overall 

Shade Overall 

No shade Overall 

Overall 1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

Shade 

No shade 

Per fF 

a Soil treatment: 1 = bed without mulch or amendment; 2 = peat mixed into bed; 3 = peat applied 

on top of bed; 4 = peathrerrniculite applied on top of bed; 5 = pine straw mulch applied on top 

of bed. 

Height classes: 1 = 0 - 5 cm; 2 = 5.1 - 10 cm; 3 = 10.1 - 15 cm; 4 = 15.1 - 20 cm; 

5=20.1 -25cm;6=>25cm. 

" Overall values for height dasses and numbes of seedlings per square foot by shade and soil 

treatment with the same letter are not statistically different (P c 0.05). 
A second installation of similar design was sown in late 

April 1995. Germination is reported in table 4. The 1995 

growing season was subsequentry affected by several 

destructive thunder stoms with unusually high winds and 

heavy rain in three successive weeks of June. Only four 

replications sunrived the 1995 growing season and were 

used in this anabsis. The 1995 crop was lifted in March 

1996. Results are reported in tab& 6. 

in the 1994 planting, shade treatment significantly 

improved total germination (table 3). Across the combined 

shade treatments, soil treatmnts #2-5 (including the 

standard production practice #5) all yielded similar 

gemination, while treatment 1 was significantly poorer. 

However, this overall result masks the fact that, under 

shade, all experimental soil treatments (#14) geminated 

better than the standard practice, while without shade the 

standard practice germinated best. The standard practice 

was the only soil treatment that geminated poorer and had 

fewer germinants remaining alive with shade than without 

shade. All other soil treatments geminated better and had 

higher survival with shade than without shade. Threefourths of all germination occurred by May 30 (about three 

weeks from sowing). Three-fourths of the remaining 

gemination had occurred by June 10 (four weeks from 

sowing). Over the entire study, 71 percent of all germinants 

(44 of 61.7 per square foot) were still alive after five weeks 

(June 16); a higher proportion with shade than without 

shade, and a higher proportion on all experimental 

treatments (#I-4) than under the standard practice (#5). 

In the 1995 planting, the shade treatment again 

significantly improved total germination (table 4). Across 

the combined shade treatments, soil treatment #2 again 

performed about as well as treatment #5 (the routine 

production practice), in terms of total germination; however, 

treatments 3 and 4, in addition to treatment 1, were 

significantly poorer. Germination results with shade and 

without shade were more variable than the previous year. 

Without shade, the standard production practice (#5) again 

outperformed all other soil treatments in gemination and 

survival. Under shade, only soil treatments #1 and 2 

outperformed the standard production practice in 

gemination, and only soil treatment #2 had more 

seedlings suwiving by July 19. Slightly more than half of all 

gemination (27.2 of 48.8 per square foot) occurred by May 

4 (about two weeks from sowing). Two-thirds of the 

remaining germination had occurred by May 11 (three 

weeks from sowing). Over the entire study, only 27 percent 

of all geminants (14 of 48.8 per square foot) were still alive 

by July 19; the number varied by soil treatment and was 

heavity influenced by severe weather. 

At the end of the 1994 growing season, when seedlings 

were lifted, counted, and separated into six height classes, 

the number of seedlings per square foot was signilicantly 

higher on plots that had been under shade (table 5). Two 

soil treatments (#2 and 4) had significantly more seedlings 

per square foot than the standard nursery practice (#5) or 

the other treatments. Under shade, all experimental soil 

treatmnts produced more seedlings per square foot than 

the standard production practice, whereas the standard 

practice produced the most seedlings per square foot 

where there was no shade. Overall, one-fourth of the lifted 

seedlings were categorized as in class 2, one-third as 

class 3, and one fourth as class 4. The high bed densities 

observed in this stu* (approximate& 45 to 70 per square 

foot) did not adversely affect the distribution of seedlings 

among size classes: shaded plots had the same 

distribution across classes 2, 3 and 4 as the overall 

average, and soil treatmnts #2 and 4 had higher than 

average numbers of seedlings in classes 4 and 5, 

especially under shade. 

At the end of the 1995 growing season, when seedlings 

were lifted, counted, and separated into the six height 

classes, the number of seedlings per square foot was 

again significantly higher on plots that had been under 

shade than on plots without shade (table 6); however, bed 

densities (averaging 12 per square foot) were much lower 

than in 1994. Also differing from the earlier year, two soil 

treatmnts (#1 and 4) had significantly fewer seedlings per 

square foot than the standard nursery practice or the other 

treatments. Soil treatment #2 was still the best among the 

experimental treatments (#I through 4). Though it did not 

produce more seedlings per square foot than the standard 

production practice overall, it clearly out-produced all other 

soil treatments under shade, while the standard practice 

was again best without shade. Overall, one-fifth of the lifted 

seedlings were categorized as class 2, one-third as class 

3, and one fourth as class 4, fairly consistent with the 

previous year's results. Once again, soil treatment #2 

produced a higher than average proportion of class 4 and 5 

seedlings. 

SEEDLING SIZE EVALUATION STUDY 

The seedling size evaluation study was a direct 

continuation of the nursery bed study reported above. Its 

objective was to determine the minimum size bare-root 

seedling acceptable for transplanting to a reforested site. 

The seedlings from the nursery bed studies of 1994 and 

1995, sorted by the six height classes, were planted in 

February 1995 and April 1996. The four sites (in two years) 

included two plantings on organic soils in 1995: Bladen 

Lakes State Forest and Washington County (Pocosin 

Lakes National Wildlife Refuge), and in 1996 a wet, 

mineral-soil site on Bladen Lakes State Forest, and an 

organic-soil site in Pamlico County. The planting design 

utilized the six height classes as treatments, with five-tree 

row plots of each treatment randomized within each of eight 

replications on each site. Seedling height, animal browse 

damage, and mortalrty were recorded after one growing 

season (table 7). 

The 1995 Bladen Lakes site was prepared by bedding, but 

fairly strong shrub competition emerged during the growing 

season. The Washington County site was flat-planted and 

developed a moderate herbaceous competition. Both 1996 

sites were flat-planted; Bladen Lakes developed 

moderate, and Pamlico County had heavy, herbaceous 

competition. Plant spacing on all sites was five feet within 

rows and eight feet between rows. The Washington County 

site received unusually high rainfall, remaining flooded for 

much of the 1995 growing season, so heights were not 

recorded. 
Table ?-Height, mortality and browse damage following one growing season on Atlantic wh&eccedar seedlings 

planted on four sites in 1995 and 1996 

Seedling height classa from nursery 

Site Mean 1 2 3 4 5 6 

Overall 

Height (8) 

Mortality (%) 

Browse (%) 

1. Bladen Lakes 1995 

Height (8) 

Mortalrty (%) 

Browse (%) 

2. Washington Co. 1995 

Mortalrty (YO) 

3. Bladen Lakes 1996 

Height (ft) 

Mortality (%) 

Browse (%) 

4. Pamlico Co. 1996 

Height (ft) 

Mortalrty (%) 

Browse (%) 

0.64b 

16bc 

5abc 

.70b 

Oa 

3a 

25abc 

1.13b 

1 Ocd 

3a 

.61 b 

30b 

18ab 

0.87~ 

9c 

5ab 

.86c 

3a 

3a 

13bc 

1.67~ 

3d 

1 Oab 

.87c 

18bc 

6ab 

1.04d 

14bc 

8bc 

1.056 

Oa 

1 5bc 

10c 

1.96d 

40a 

4ab 

1.46e 

8c 

llab 

a Height classes: 1 = 0 - 5 cm; 2 = 5.1 - 10 cm; 3 = 10.1 - 15 cm; 4 = 15.1 - 20 cm; 5 = 20.1 - 25 cm; 6 = > 25 cm. 

Overall values within rows with the same letter are not statistically different (P < 0.05). 

Following the first growing season, the mean height across 

all four plantings was 0.84 feet (table 7). Seedlings of the 

largest height-class consistently produced larger average 

height values at the end of the first growing season. Mean 

mortalrty was 17 percent across all plantings. The smallest 

height class (#I) developed significantly higher mortality 

than the other height classes. On the unusually wet 

Washington County site, class 3 and 6 seedlings had 

significantly lower mortality than class 1; however, the other 

categories had intermediate results. Under the heavy 

herbaceous competition on the Pamlico County site, 

mortality was unacceptably high in class 1 seedlings, and 

was consistently lower within the larger height classes. 

Height class #1 also had less browse damage than the 

others, but browse damage has remained relatively low on 

all sites during the first year (averaging 7 percent). 

Additional years' observations on these and other plantings 

may help refine the minimum acceptable seedling size for 

specific conditions of soil type, site preparation, and weed 

competition. These early obseivations have only shown 

the class 1 seedlings to be inferior in terms of mortality, 

though height correlates positively and fairly consistently 

across the range of size classes. 
PRODUCTION AND QUALITY OF ATLANTIC WHITE-CEDAR 

SEED IN COASTAL NORTH CAROLINA 

Franklin T, Banner and K.O. Summervillel 

Abstract-A 3-year study of Atlantic white-cedar (Chma~yyparis &yoides (L.) B.S.P.) seed productjon and quality in 

North Carolina revealed that: (1) drying cones at 35 or 4.0 "C combined with 1 or 2 wetlre-dry cycles extrwted 90 percent 

or more of the viable seeds without damage; (2) on the average there were about 10 seeds per cone, with only 1 or 2 of 

those filled; (3) seed lots may be cleaned to a high degree of purity and fullness with air-screen cleaners and small seed 

blowers, although some filled seeds must be sacrificed to achieve the latter; (4) stratification for 4 weeks produced nearmaximum gemination at the fastest rates for most seed lots, although geographic and seed-year variations still occurred; 

(5) yields and gemination of seeds from trees less than 10 years of age were equal to that of seeds from older trees 

(454- years); (6) natural seedfall in two well-stocked stands placed some 800 to 1,500 viable seeds per m2 in the top 5 cm 

of the litter, and buried seed tests showed that as many as half of these could survive for 1 year in the litter, and some 

for 2 years. 

INTRODUCTION 

Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) B.S.P.) is 

a valuable tree of coastal wetlands that occurs in a narrow 

belt from southern Maine to southern Mississippi (Little 

1979). Its wood is highly prized for boats, posts, and utilfty 

poles (Kuser and Zimmerman 1995). An intermediate 

tolerance to shade and rather exacting seedbed moisture 

requirements (Little and Garrett 1990) combine to make 

natural regeneration of Atlantic whitecedar problematic on 

many sites. The recent widespread interest in preserving 

and restoring forested wetland ecosystems has brought 

increased attention to artificial regeneration of this species 

and to a number of the problems associated with seedling 

production. 

Seed production by Atlantic white-cedar is prolific, but as for 

many such species, there seems to be a large proportion 

of the seeds that are empty. Because seed production 

begins at the early ages of 3 to 5 years (Little and Garrett 

1990), and cone collection from young trees is very easy, 

questions are frequently raised about the quality of seeds 

from very young trees. Varying degrees of dormancy also 

contribute to the difficulties of seedling production (Boyle 

and Kuser 1994). A desire for better stand establishment 

of Atlantic white-cedar on the Alligator River National 

Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina, (ARNWR) by the 

U.S.Depiartment of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Sewice, 

and the U.S. Department of Defense prompted the studies 

on seed production and quallty described in this paper. 

MATERIAL AND METNODS 

General 

The majorrty of seeds used in these studies were collected 

by personnel of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Air 

Force, and North Carolina Division of Forest Resources on 

or near the ARNWR from 1992 to 1994. Cones were 

partially dried, bagged, and shipped to the U.S. Forest 

Service Seed Research Laboratory in Starkville, 

Mississippi, for seed extraction and testing. Upon receipt, 

the bags were opened for additional drying. No evidence of 

damage to cones or seeds during shipment was observed. 

Some samples were extracted in North Carolina, and the 

seeds were shipped to Starkville. Cone collections in 

Jackson County, Mississippi, were made by the senior 

author. 

For evaluation of the soil seed bank potential, blocks of 

litterlsoil were collected on the ARNWR and sent 

immdiately to Starkville. For tests of seed longevrty in the 

soil, samples of cleaned seeds were placed in mesh bags 

in Starkville and flown to the Refuge for burial on forest 

sites. Bags were retrieved each year and shipped to 

Starkville for analysis of the qualtty of the remaining seeds. 

Extraction and Yield 

Cones collected in 1992 from mature trees (45+ years) at 

two Dare County, NC, stands: Milltail Creek (within the 

ARNWR) and Sycamore Road (within the U.S. Air Force 

Dare County Range). Cones were dried in petri dishes for 

24 hours at temperatures of 30, 35, or 40 OC (*lo) 

maintained in forced-draft laboratory ovens. The cones 

were then unifomly shaken by hand in a box for 1 minute to 

extract the seeds. In one treatment group, the cones were 

then dissected by hand to recover all seeds. Other cone 

samples were subjected to wetlre-dry cycles. They were 

sprayed with a water mist and enclosed in plastic bags for 

10 to 12 hours to ensure cone closure, re-dried at the 

same temperatures, and re-shaken. There were four 

treatments: 0, 1, 2, and 4 wetlre-dry cycles. After the last 

shaking, each cone was dissected by hand to recover all 

seeds. There were 4 replications of 25 cones each for 

I Supenrisory Plant Physiologist (retired), U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Mississippi State, MS; Staff Forester, North 

Carolina Division of Forest Resources, Griffiths Fomstry Center, Clayton, NC, respectively. 

Citation for proceedings: Shear, Theodore H.; Summenrille, KO., eds. 1999. Atlantic whitecedar: ecology and management symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southem Research 

Station. 82 p. 
each temperature and wetfre-dry cycle combination. 

Extradion efficiency was calculated by dividing number of 

seeds shaken from the cones by total number of seeds in 

the cones (shaken + handextracted). 

Another test was carried out with 1993 cones from mature 

trees from both stands. All drying was on a table in the 

laboratory (23 "C, 50 percent RH), and all cones went 

through 3 wetlre-dry cycles. It took about 5 days for cones 

to open completely under these conditions. Each seed 

fraction was weighed and x-rayed to determine the number 

of filled seeds. Samples of these seeds were cleaned and 

upgraded (empty seeds removed) with a seed blower, then 

geminated without any pretreatment in cabinet 

germinators under official test conditions (ISTA 1993). The 

seeds were placed on moist gemination blotters under an 

alternating temperature regime of 8 hours (light) at 30 "6, 

then 16 hours (dark) at 20 OC. 

Individual tree collections were also made in 1992 from 60 

trees in young plantations and natural stands, ages 8 to 10 

years, from 15 counties in North Carolina. Four bags of 

100 cones each were collected from each tree. These 

cones were dried indoors, shaken to remove seeds, then 

crushed to ensure that all seeds were removed. After 

cleaning, the seeds were x-rayed to determine how many 

seeds were filled, then germinated as described above. 

Average yields per cone were calculated from the bulked 

lots, and not from individual cone data. 

Seed Cleaning 

Different methods for cleaning and upgrading (removing 

empty seeds) were tested on the bulk collections of several 

years and various stands. No planned experiments were 

carried out; methods were worked out by trial and error. 

Table 1-Extraction efficiencies for various coneopening treatments on 1992 cones from mature trees 

at Milltail Creek, Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, 

North Carolina. Results from the nearby Sycamore 

Road stand (not shown) were similar 

Wet I redry Extraction 

Temp. cycles efficiency 

Number 

0 

1 

2 

4 

0 

1 

2 

4 

0 

1 

2 

4 

Percent 

53 

75 

93 

96 

69 

81 

97 

1 00 

76 

93 

100 

100 

Stratification Trials 

Several stratification trials were carried out to assess the 

degree of dormancy encountered in different seed lots. 

Samples of 50 or 100 seeds were imbibed overnight in 

polyethylene bags of tap water at room temperature. The 

excess water was poured off, and the bags were placed in 

a refrigerator at 2-3 OC for periods ranging from 2 to 12 

weeks. Seeds were then geminated as described 

previously, except that test periods were sometimes 

extended to make sure that all viable seeds geminated. 

Light requirement for germination was tested with a paired 

test of light and dark gemination with foil-covered petri 

dishes in the same germinators. 

Soil Seed Bank 

Soil and litter blocks 10 x 10 x 5 cm (4 x 4 x 2 in.) were 

removed from the surface in two stands in the ARNWR. 

These blocks were carefully cut into 3 layers approximately 

2.5 cm (1 in.) thick and placed in germinators set at the 

conditions described previously. When germination was 

apparently complete, the blocks were removed, dried, 

crushed, and sifted through a screen mesh to recover the 

remaining seeds. These seeds were examined and 

classified as "good" or "bad." "Good" seeds were full-sized 

and apparently fulty developed; "bad" seeds were 

undersized or broken. 

Longevity was tested by burying plastic mesh pouches with 

100 seeds each at 12 plots in each of two stands: 

Sycamore Road in 1993 and Milltail Creek in 1994. The 

pouches were covered with about 1 in. of litter. One pouch 

was retrieved from each plot annually, and the surviving 

seeds were counted and germinated in the Starkville 

laboratory as described previously. 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

Extraction and Yield 

Extraction efficiency exceeded 90 percent at all 

temperatures when used in combination with wetire-dry 

cycles (table 1). Drying at 30 "C required 3 cycles to 

achieve this level; 35 OC required 2 cycles; and 40 OC 

required only 1 cycle. Results were similar for both 

collections. This technique is used on other conifer 

species and is sometimes referred to as "teasing" the 

seeds from the cones. in extraction of the 1993 bulk 

collection from Milltail Creek, each cycle yielded fewer 

seeds and slightly lower proportions of filled seeds (table 

2). When samples from the fractions were tested, however, 

fraction #I germinated 55.0 percent, and a bulked sample 

from fractions #2 and 3 geminated 62.8 percent. Fewer 

filled seeds were recovered in repeated weVre-dry cycles, 

but their quality equaled that of seeds recovered in the first 

drying. 

Average total seed yields per cone from mature trees in 

1992 were 9.4 + 0.4 for the Sycamore Road lot and 7.6 + 

0.3 for the Milltail Creek lot. Average number of filled 

seeds, however, was only 1.0 for the Sycamore Road lot 

and 0.6 for the Milltail Creek lot. Yields from the young 

trees in 1992 were similar. They averaged from 2.1 to 10.2 

total seeds per cone and c0.1 to 1.4 filed seeds per cone. 
Table 2-Sesd yield from bulk collections in 1993 from 

mature trees at Milnail Creek, Alligator River National 

Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina 

Wetlredly Percent Filled 

cycles Weight of total seeds 

Total 177.4 100 

Yields from mature trees in 1993 from Milltail Creek and 

Sycamore Road averaged 4.9 and 2.5 seeds per cone and 

2.0 and 0.3 filled seeds per cone. Collections from young 

trees in 1993 from many of the same areas used in 1992 

produced comparable counts: 5.2 to 8.6 total seeds per 

cone and 0.2 to 1.7 filled seeds per cone. These results 

confirm the widely-held belief that there are typically very 

few filled seeds in Atlantic white-cedar cones. Bianchetti 

and others (1993) report approximately 20 percent filled 

seeds in a bulked sample of North Carolina sources. Yield 

differences among locations and stands are likely due to 

variation in pollen supply or weather during pollination. The 

results also clearly show that there were no differences 

between mature and very young trees in yield and quality of 

seeds. 

Seed Cleaning 

Preliminary cleaning of seed lots was successfully carried 

out with small air-screen cleaners or hand screens of the 

same type. Cones and large debris were removed with a 

#I0 1/2 (4.2 mm) round-hole screen, and smaller debris, 

primarily needle fragments, was removed with a #7 (2.8 

mm) round-hole screen. Two or three passes over the #7 

screen were required to remove most of the small debris. 

Other screen sizes may be required for ather collections, 

as seed size can vary among sources and years. 

Very fine debris and a significant amount of empty seeds 

were removed from the small lots with the Stults and 

General EM laboratoly blowers. For larger lots, the same 

thing could probably be accomplished with a fractionating 

aspirator, but we were unable to test such a machine in this 

study because of the small lot sizes. With the 1992 

collections, cleaning and upgrading as described above 

produced final purities of 81 and 94 percent for the 

Sycamore Road and MilHtaii Creek lots respectively. 

Average seed weights were 1,136 i 18 and 1,1421 i 19 

seeds per gram for these lots. To reach purities of this 

level, however, seed managers must be prepared to lose 

some filled seeds in the process. We upgraded one lot 

from Croatan National Forest in North Carolina to 60 

percent filled seeds, and higher levels are possible. The 

amount of losses will vary by seed lot, but the cost seems 

small to pay for lots of high purity and fullness. 

Stratification Trials 

The first stratification test compared periods of 0, 4, 8, and 

12 weeks with an older seed lot stored by the North 

Carolina Division of Forest Resources. These seeds were 

apparentb quite weak, as it took 140 days to get complete 

gemination (table 3). The results suggest that 

stratification certainly stimulated germination, but that even 

12 weeks might not be enough for maximum gemination. 

The second test, with seeds from the bulk collections in 

1992 from Milltail Creek and Sycamore Road stands 

compared only 0, 2, and 4 weeks. It confirmed the benefits 

of stratification, but 4 weeks did not appear to be long 

enough, even though the test was allowed to run for 48 

days (table 3). Light slightly increased germination of 

unstratified seeds of these lots: 9 percent for Milltail Creek 

and 3 percent for Sycamore Road. A third test with 1992 

bulk collections from Brunswick and Jones Counties, North 

Carolina, suggested that 4 weeks was optimum in terms of 

germination rate and also for total gemination for one of 

the lots (table 4). In the fourth stratification test, there were 

Table 3-Results of stratification tests on old stored 

seeds from the NC Division of Forest Resources and 

the 1992 bulk collections from Milltail Creek and 

Sycamore Road stands in Dare County, N.C. 

Percentages are based on total seeds. Test periods 

were NC Division of Forest Resources = 240 days, 

and 1992 Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge bulk 

lots = 48 days 

Source 

Stratification NC Div. Milltail Sycamore 

period of For. Creek Road 

Weeks ---..---- Gemination (pct.) - - - - - - - - 

Table 4-Results of stratification tests on 1992 bulk lots 

from Brunswick and Jones Counties, N. C. The seed lots 

were extensively cleaned, and percentages are based 

on filled seeds only. Test period was 28 days 

stratification Brunswic k CO. Jones CO. 

period Germ. Peak value Germ. Peak Value 

Weeks Pct. Pct./day Pct. Pct./day 
Table 54ermination rate expressed as mean 

gemination time (MGT) and peak value for four different 

stratifiation periods. Data represent mean values from 

12 different seed sources collected in 1992,1993, and 

1994 

Stratification 

period NIGT Peak value 

Weeks 

0 

2 

4 

8 

Days 

14.24 

13.22 

12.36 

13.29 

Table &Germination of seeds buried in litter at two 

sites in Dare County, N.C. Values are means of 12 plots. 

(ARNWR = Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge) 

Site 

Original Germination after 

germination 1 year 2 years 

--------- Percent-------- 

Sycamore Road 17.0 7.1 6.6 

(Air Force Range) 

Milltail Creek 59.0 30.8 - (ARNWR) 

12 seed lots, 11 from eastern North Carolina, and 1 from 

Jackson County, Mississippi. The combined results (table 

5) show gemination rate onty, expressed both as mean 

gemination time (MGT) and peak value (PV) after 

Czabator's (1962) method. Gemination rate was definitely 

greater with 4 weeks of stratification. Some of these lots 

were from very young trees (C 10 years) in natural stands, 

and their performance was equal to that of seeds from 

mature trees. 

Bianchetti and others (1 993) reported that 14 days of 

stratification was enough to produce maximum 

germination in 28 days in the laboratory, but they did not 

report any germination rate data. In nursery production, 

however, rate of emergence is often the key to success, 

and the treatment that gives the greatest rate of 

gemination should be favored in seedling produdion 

systems. Atlantic white-cedar is notorious for variable 

dormancy, so 4 weeks may not be the optimum period for 

all seed lots. In our last test with 12 different lots, 4 weeks 

was not the optimum for all of them, but it was for most. 

Boyle and Kuser (1994) found that 30 days of stratlfkation 

was enough for seeds from eight swamp sites in New 

Jersey. Four weeks appears to be a good general 

recommendation for the species unless preliminary tests 

show a different optimum for particular geographic sources 

or years. 

Soil Seed Bank 

It was difficult to separate the layers without some mixing 

occurring, but there were viable seeds in each layer. Total 

viable seeds (all depths) were 585 per rr? for the Sycamore 

Road stand and 325 per m2 for the Milltail Creek stand. 

The ungerminated seeds were too numerous to cut, but if 

onty 10 percent of them were viable (based on the eadier 

tests), there were another 1,000 viable seeds per m" at the 

Sycamore Road stand and 500 per m2 at the Milltail Creek 

stand. Fowetls (1965) reports that from 64 to 2,718 viable 

seeds per m" were found in the surface inch of litter in New 

Jersey stands of Atlantic whitecedar. These data suggest 

that there were plenty of viable seeds present in the litter in 

these stands for natural regeneration to occur when the 

overstory is removed. About half of the seeds buried in 

pouches survived the first year, and some survived the 

second year (table 6). Although the loss of 50 percent of the 

viable seeds after one year seems serious, the large 

numbers found present would seem to be enough to 

produce some natural regeneration as long as two years 

after seedfall. In fact, field observations in New Jersey have 

suggested that seeds can remain viable in sphagnum 

moss on the forest floor for as long as 14 years (Kuser and 

Zimmerman 1995). 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

This research was partially funded by the U.S. Department 

of Defense, Legacy Resource Management Program. The 

authors thank the staffs at the Alligator River National 

Wildlife Refuge and the U.S. Air Force Dare County Range 

for assistance. 

REFERENCES 

Bianchetti, A,; Keliison, R.C.; Summervllle, K.O. 1993. Seed 

dormancy and germination of Atlantic white-cedar 

(Chamaecyparis thyoides). Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State 

University, Department of Forestry. [Unpublished report.] 

Blanchetti, A,; Kellison, R.C.; Summervllle, K.O. 1994. 

Substrate and temperature tests for germination of Atlantic 

white-cedar seeds. Tree Planters' Notes. 45(4): 125-1 27. 

Boyce, E.D.; Kuser, J.E. 1994. Atlantic whitecedar propagation 

by seed and cuttings in New Jersey. Tree Planters' Notes. 45(3): 

1u4-111. 

Czabator, F.J. 1962. Germination value: an index combining speed 

and completeness of pine seed germination. Forest Science. 8: 

386-396. 

Fowells, H.A. 1965. Silvics of forest trees of the United States. 

Agric, Handb. 271. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Forest Service. 762 p. 

ISTA (International Seed Testing Association). 1993. 

lntemational rules for seed testing: rules 1993. Seed Science 

and Technology. 21 (Suppl.): 1-259. 

Kuser, J.E.; Zlmmerman, G.L. 1995. Restoring Atlantic whitecedar swamps: techniques for propagation and establishment. 

Tree Planters' Notes. 46(3): 78-85. 

Little, E.L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees (native and 

natumiized). Agric. Handb. 541. Washington, DC: U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 375 p. 

Little, S., Jr.; Garrett, P.W. 1990. Chamascyparis &yoides (L.) 

B.S.P., Atlantic white-cedar. In: Burns, R.M.; Honkala, B.H., tech. 

coords. Silvics of North America. Conifers. Agric. Handb. 654. 

Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 

Vol. 1. 
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THE ANALYSIS OF WHITE-CEDAR REGENERATION AT THE 

BELLEPLAIN FOOD PATCH SITE IN CAPE MAY COUNTY, NEW JERSEY 

George Zimmermann, Claude Epstein, Christopher Barber, Shannon Behr, 

Christopher Pelts, Gary Noa, and Tammy Bender1 

Abstract-The Belleplain Food Patch site was one of seven study areas begun in 1989 throughout central and southern 

New Jersey to study factors affecting Atlantic whitecedar (Chamaecypan's thyoides (L.) B.S.P.) regeneration. 

The site had been converted from hardwoods and was one of a pair of such sites in Bslleplain State Forest, In the fall of 

1992, the Atlantic whitecedar regeneration was inventoried by height class, and measurements were taken in each 

experimental plot of litter depth, elevation, number and diameter of stumps, and distance to the edge of the remaining 

cedarlswamp hardwood stand. Twenty-four wells were spread across the site to measure and monitor hydrologic and 

soil features. Various silvicultural treatments were applied to the study area. 

Analysis of Atlantic whitecedar regeneration showed advanced regeneration before the hardwood stand was cut and 

chipped in 1989. These trees belonged to the two larger height classes (0.9 to 1.3 m, > 1.3 m). The other three height 

classes (c 0.3 m, 0.3 to 0.6 m, 0.6 to 0.9 m) represent individuals that became established after the site was cut. 

Regeneration occurred more oMen in the southern control treatment where no Atlantic whitecedar seed was applied. 

Preliminary regression analysis of each heightclass density versus all of the variables showed some statistically 

significant (though low) relationships. 

The smaller height-class Atlantic whitecedar were correlated to distance from the residual forest edge, clay presence 

and depth, and water table depth. The two largest height classes did not significantly correlate to any variable measured. 

Although only parts of the site achieved adequate stocking levels, much was learned about the regeneration 

requirements of hardwood sites that are on the xeric end of Atlantic white-cedar's niche. 

Further analyses on the Belleplain Food Patch site will use more complex multiple regression and geostatistical techniques 

in an attempt to uncover the limiting factor in Atiantic white-cedar regeneration at this site. 

' Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Environmental Studies Program, Department of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Jim Leeds Road, 

Pomona, NJ, 08240. 

Citation for proceedings: Shear, Theodore H.; Summerville, K.O., eds. 1999. Atlantic whitecedar: ecology and management symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research 

Station. 82 p. 
PRELIMINARY STUDY OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC RATES OF ATLANTIC 

WHITE-CEDAR SOURCES FROM NEW JERSEY 

George Zimmermann and Kristin My lecrainel 

AbrPtract-This is a preliminary study that measures the photosynthetic rate and its variation for Atlantic white-cxrdar 

(Chmaec~aris &yoides (L.) B.S.P.) rooted atttings from three sites in New Jersey. The cuttings are being grown 

under four different light treatments: full sunlight, 40 percent shade, 55 percent shade, and 70 percent shade. This 

study attempts to quantijr the photosynthetic rate of Atlantic white-cedar, to create response curves for each source, 

and to idsntify variability components to help design a larger outdwr experiment. 

This experiment was conducted in a greenhouse between October 1996 and July 1997. The rooted cuttings used were 

taken from eight individual trees from three Atlantic whitecedar swamps in New Jersey. Three cuttings from each 

soum were placed in each of the light treatments, for a total of 24 cuttings per treatment. All photosynthetic 

measurements were made using the Ciras-1 Portable Photosynthesis System with a Parkinson Conifer Leaf Cuvette. For 

each measurement, several factors were recorded, including net photosynthetic rate, temperature, photosynthetically 

active radiation, date, time of day, and weather condition. 

Photosynthetic rates for all sources combined ranged from -0.2 to 13.7 pmol CO, m4 s-l, and averaged 4.20 pmol GO2 

md2 st. These rates compare with rates previously reported for other conifer species. Initial analysis of variance models 

show that there is significant photosynthetic variation between individual cuttings from the same source, as well as 

between sources. Other factors found to significantly influence photosynthetic rate are light treatment, source-by-lighttreatment interaction, date, and date-by-light interaction. Further statistical analysis will include fitting photosynthetic 

response curves to light for each source. 

This study will also measure the growth of Atlantic whitecedar cuttings under each shade treatment. Heights were 

measured at the beginning of the experiment and will be measured again after approximately one year. The biomass and 

shoot/root ratios of the cuttings will also be measured at the end of the experiment to analyze Atlantic white-cedar 

growth and success under each treatment. 

This study has identified several variability components that affect the photosynthetic rate of Atlantic white-cedar. To 

determine differences between sources, an experimental design should eliminate or partition these components. In the 

future, we will include sources from throughout the natural range of Atlantic whitecedar to identify any geographical 

variation over a larger area. We will also be comparing Atlantic whitecedar photosynthetic rates with rates of some of 

its vegetative competitors in New Jersey. 

Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Environmental Studies Program, Department of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Jim beds Road, 

Pomona, NJ 08240. 

Citation for proceedngs: Shear, Theodore H.; Summerville, K.O., eds. 1999. Atlantic white-cedar: ecology and management symposium; 1997 

August 6-7; Newport News, VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southem Research 

Station. 82 p. 
Shear, Theodore ti.; Summenrille, K.O., eds. 1999. Proceedings: Atlantic whitecedar: ecology and management symposium; 1997 August 6-7; Newport News, 

VA. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-27. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 82 p. 

As the past decade has seen a resurgence of interest in Atlantic white-cedar 

( Chamaecyparis thyoi&s (L.) B.S.P.), a conference was convened in August 1 997 to 

present the latest information in the research and management of the species. New 

information included, among other things: natural and artificial regeneration and 

growth after harvesting; genetics and seedling production; management on public 

lands; development of new taper equations for predicting wood volume; and 

distribution and composition of plant communities dominated by Atlantic whitecedar. 

These were reported in 16 oral presentations and 3 abstracts. 

Keywords: Atlantic white-cedar, Chamaecyparis thyoides, coastally restricted 

forests, ecosystem restoration. 
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