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

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