Growing Atlantic White Cedars for Wetland Restoration Sites

Olivia Kurz, a doctoral student in Ecology at SUNY ESF, will be studying the mycorrhizal fungi (fungi that partner with the roots of plants) communities of Atlantic white cedars at natural cedar swamp sites as well as sites where cedars have recently been restored. Olivia is thrilled that Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary will be one of the sites representing restored Atlantic white cedars. Through this research, Olivia hopes to contribute basic research about the mycorrhizal dynamics of cedar swamps in hopes of contributing knowledge to improve cedar cultivation and cedar swamp ecosystem restoration efforts.

Above, a young cedar tree flourishes at Tidmarsh. Below, Olivia scopes out an older, natural cedar swamp in Mashpee (photo by Miles Bernadett-Peters).