Dogwoods are an understory tree. They don't do well in full sunlight, and they also don't do well under maples, which form a complete canopy, allowing little sunlight to penetrate. Dogwoods are more suited to forests where the canopy is not as dense. The dogwoods' decline has wide-reaching implications for forest dynamics, Pierce says. Losing these trees could seriously impact songbird populations.
Dogwoods produce nutritious fruits in the fall, which serve as a food source for forest songbirds.
Birds need high-energy resources they can easily find, especially when they are migrating. Rabenold says there are no plans to change the management of the Ross Reserve to encourage more dogwoods to grow. Rabenold also says that managing the reserve for one species, such as dogwoods, may impact other organisms. Basically, we don't know how to turn the clock back, and we don't know how effective we'd be. Homeowners with woodlots are less likely to see a decline in their dogwood populations.