Ecology and Restoration of Red Spruce Ecosystems in the Central and Southern Appalachians

This open access book provides a “state of the science” for biological and ecological knowledge of red spruce (Picea rubens) ecosystems and highlights three decades of successful partnerships to restore them in the central and southern Appalachians. Efforts to restore red spruce have dramatically increased in recent decades and restoration practitioners need a single resource that synthesizes our understanding of these ecosystems and current restoration goals and practices. Over 40 authors from the Central Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative (CASRI) and Southern Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative (SASRI) contributed to provide in-depth syntheses of topics relevant to red spruce restoration in the Appalachians. The resulting book serves as a one-stop shop for new restoration practitioners and as a valuable resource for seasoned practitioners and research scientists.