What We Did

Ditching

Ditching swamps alters the hydrology of the ecosystem by lowering the water table and exposing the peat to oxygen. Unsaturated peat decomposes, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Swamps valued as carbon sinks are converted to carbon sources. Obligate wetland species (like AWC) cannot tolerate dry soil, so they are outcompeted by facultative species.

Sea Level Rise

The global sea level rise, caused by thermal expansion and melting ice, has caused saltwater to inundate the soil upon which Atlantic white cedar grows. Salt stress inhibits tree growth, development, and survival. Trees in coastal forests are outcompeted and replaced by salt marsh vegetation as soil salinity increases.

Deforestation

Atlantic white cedar was almost harvested to extinction in the United States, where its lumber was used for roof shingles, boats, and more. This extreme harvesting has drastically reduced the population of the Cedar and eliminated habitats.

Fire

In ditched and drained wetlands, fires burn quickly and spread rapidly due to the large amount of dry organic matter. Fire releases carbon dioxide and burns through meters of peat that took hundreds of years to form.

In 2011, lightning struck in the Great Dismal Swamp, igniting a fire that cleared 5,500 acres of land in one week. Previously, a 2008 fire burned 5,000 acres in a month. Drought conditions, downed trees, and extreme heat contributed to the rapid spread of the 2011 fire.