Managing Wet Shrublands

About
Wet shrublands are found in areas with rich, wet soils. They tend to be dominated by a dense growth of native shrub species. The wet soils and seasonal flooding can help to maintain these shrublands naturally, but they often require some management for long-term maintenance.
Where are wet shrublands found?
Beaver ponds Wetland/pond edges Wet swales Forested wetlands Shrub-scrub wetlands
Typical Plants
AlderSilky dogwood Red-osier dogwood Willow Buttonbush Winterberry holly Sweet pepperbush High bush blueberry
Typical Wildlife
Woodcock New England cottontail Alder flycatcher Gray catbird
Knowing when to manage wet shrublands
Shrubs are no longer dense, and vertical structure is lost In particular Alder is beginning to grow horizontally, possibly even tip over Red maples beginning to get large and over-top shrub species
Maintaining wet shrublands
1. Identify/delineate extent of wet shrublands on your property.
2. Divide the area into management blocks.
3. Use a bronotosaurus to cut your management blocks on a rotation, never eliminating all the habitat at once. Be sure to manage in winter on frozen ground, or at very driest part of year (late summer) using equipment that is appropriate for wet soils (brontosaurus, chainsaw)
Creating wet shrublands
It may occasionally be appropriate to create wet shrublands in an area that has previously been disturbed (wet fields, wet gravel pits, etc). In these cases you will likely be able to establish a wet shrubland simply by allowing the area to revert. It is may also be possible to enhance the creation of shrublands through planting and/or seeding of native shrubs.