The Problem

After logging operations ceased, very little natural regeneration occurred. What regrowth did occur, did so on the slightly higher elevations of the spoil bank levees along the larger logging canals. You can see some of these regenerated trees in the far background: the foreground contains only rotted husks of baldcypress trees too diseased to harvest, and herbaceous vegetation such as bulltongue.

The baldcypress trees that are present are producing cones and viable seeds, but extremely young seedlings have no way of competing with the herbaceous cover that has come to dominate this ecosystem.

Our research has isolated numerous factors directly responsible for this lack of natural regeneration.