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On-line Proceedings of the
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In 1989/90 a series of long-term experiments were started in central and southern New Jersey to study the effects of various treatments to restore Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) and quantify impacts of deer browsing , control of competing vegetation, logging slash loads, and use of various types of propagules of white-cedar. Four of the original seven sites have continued to be studied after the first five years, with the first full remeasurements of permanent plots since 2000 done this past summer of 2008.
The effect of deer is complex. For instance, there are now more plant species usually found in the treatments with less protection from deer than the most effective deer-excluding treatments (woven and electric fences). The greater horizontal spatial heterogeneity on a number of treatments from deer browsing is producing a wider variety of habitats for more plant species than where cedars are the densest. Also the 'most successful' treatments (electric or woven fence) are in a stand exclusion phase and understory diversity is lower there now due to shading and probably underground competition. These fenced treatment sites had however, the highest cedar height growth reaching into the over 7 meter height class (i.e. Penn Swamp site: 8833 to 10500 stems per hectare over 7m in height depending on the slash treatment). Wildfire partially burned the Bass River site in 2000, and the Stafford Forge site in 2007 giving additional insights into allogenic forces not planned in the original study.