Riparian Buffer Tree Planting Survival Rates

[moodyblues]

Troutbert, I have not run any projects, but have been a long term observer of some individual projects. The worst survival that I saw had to do with the location of the plantings…directly in a spot where strong current occurs when the creek is high. Most got bent to the ground and variously covered with debris. Some survived, however.

The second problem I’ve noticed has been common. The groups plant the trees in too great of a density. Survival is good but eventually a few trees will win the battle for sunlight at the expense of others. Half the density would cover twice the distance.

As for species that I have noticed performing well…tulip poplar and hybrids, river birch, sycamore, willow, redbud. I might have seen pin oak too, but that memory is a bit vague so someone else may want to comment on that species. Additionally, the first four grow quite rapidly.

I am not a big fan of the tubes; they are reported to be bird traps and where strong stream currents occur during flows across the flood plain the currents bend the trees down, pull a lot of the tubes off, and deposit them downstream as plastic litter.

I have not seen any survival problems in agricultural flood plains, some of which were most likely legacy sediment based on the abundance of dams that occurred in these areas.

 

[moodyblues]

I agree about those tubes. In many cases I've seen where the trees were planted entirely to close and were never maintained, in any way, after the initial planting. I was always under the impression that the tubes should be removed after the trees reach a certain level of maturity.

 

[riverwhy]

I was with a group at the Englewood for dinner (right by the Cocoa Beanery) a couple years ago. They didn't know what all those tubes were for. Of course, I filled them in. Someone commented on how ugly they looked. I guess I have to agree. It also seems like it creates a lot of plastic waste unless they can be recycled. Hopefully, they figure out a way to get better survival rates.

 

[Mike]

Mike, what stream was that in Berks if I may ask? If you'd rather not name it, a general area, i.e. eastern, western, etc., would be ok.

Mike, what stream was that in Berks if I may ask? If you'd rather not name it, a general area, i.e. eastern, western, etc., would be ok.

PM sent.

 

[troutbert]

I have not seen any survival problems in agricultural flood plains, some of which were most likely legacy sediment based on the abundance of dams that occurred in these areas.

From what I've seen, in farm country survival of planted trees is poorest in the low, wet areas. Areas more elevated, either natural terraces or legacy sediment are less wet and have much better survival. The soils in farm country tend to be fine grained (silt/clay).

In forested settings in north and central PA, I have seen many places where tree regeneration has been very limited on legacy sediment deposited behind old splash dams and sawmill dams from the early logging boom days. I think the reason is because these deposits are sandy, so do not hold water well, and are just too dry.

One of the ways to spot old dam sites in forested country is to look for openings in the forest along the streams. These are not always caused by old dam sites. They are sometimes caused by beaver activity. But go to the downstream end of the open area. You may see remnants of an old dam. And you may see an abrupt change in elevation of the floodplain, caused by the legacy sediment deposited behind the old dam.

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

For those who have been involved in tree planting in riparian buffers, has survival of the trees been good? medium? poor?

What is a rough estimate of the percentage of planted trees that survived?

What species have had good survival and which poor survival?

What factors increased or decreased survival?

Back in the day, PVTU had about a 95+% survival rate. I attribute this to solid depth. It was in SE PA with a low gradient, so little in the way of impediment by way of shallow soil above rock layers. Most planted in fenced-off pastures. Virtually all the trees took, regardless of species.

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

From what I've seen both silver and red maples are commonly planted in buffers and survive well.

The best survivors of all are sycamores and they grow fast. Others that do well are pin oaks, black locust, and river birch.

In the fertile farming valleys there is often a lot of natural regeneration of black walnuts, if there are a few big old walnut trees around to provide seed.

Silver maple, sycamores, river birch, and red maples yield the best detritus in terms of feeding aquatic insects, if I remember correctly

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

I was with a group at the Englewood for dinner (right by the Cocoa Beanery) a couple years ago. They didn't know what all those tubes were for. Of course, I filled them in. Someone commented on how ugly they looked. I guess I have to agree. It also seems like it creates a lot of plastic waste unless they can be recycled. Hopefully, they figure out a way to get better survival rates.

I thought those tubes eventually self-composted, that they were not pure plastic, but some kind of natural substance that composted over time.

 

[troutbert]

I was with a group at the Englewood for dinner (right by the Cocoa Beanery) a couple years ago. They didn't know what all those tubes were for. Of course, I filled them in. Someone commented on how ugly they looked. I guess I have to agree. It also seems like it creates a lot of plastic waste unless they can be recycled. Hopefully, they figure out a way to get better survival rates.

The tubes are mainly to protect against deer browsing. But a disadvantage of the tubes is that voles use them for winter shelter, and they girdle the trees. You should try to keep the tubes down into the soil a bit to prevent the voles from getting in there.

 

[troutbert]

Back in the day, PVTU had about a 95+% survival rate. I attribute this to solid depth. It was in SE PA with a low gradient, so little in the way of impediment by way of shallow soil above rock layers. Most planted in fenced-off pastures. Virtually all the trees took, regardless of species.

That's a very high survival rate. Did you use larger, older tree stock? And how did you protect the trees (tubes, wire enclosures, etc.)?

In my area, Centre & Clinton, the survival rate is much lower. I don't have statistics, but a rough guess is 50%. Some places it's only about 30%, and some places even lower.

All these places are floodplains with deep soils, so that's not an issue. The wettest sites have the lowest survival. That is probably due to voles, which are common in damp, grassy areas. And to planting species that people like, but that are not really suited to wet sites.

These plantings are with small stock, either bare root seedlings or small containerized seedlings.

On Spring Creek, upstream from the McCoy Access parking lot, it was planted with larger stock, which is more expensive, but the survival was very good. That site is legacy sediment deposited behind the former McCoy Dam.

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

That's a very high survival rate. Did you use larger, older tree stock? And how did you protect the trees (tubes, wire enclosures, etc.)?

In my area, Centre & Clinton, the survival rate is much lower. I don't have statistics, but a rough guess is 50%. Some places it's only about 30%, and some places even lower.

All these places are floodplains with deep soils, so that's not an issue. The wettest sites have the lowest survival. That is probably due to voles, which are common in damp, grassy areas. And to planting species that people like, but that are not really suited to wet sites.

These plantings are with small stock, either bare root seedlings or small containerized seedlings.

On Spring Creek, upstream from the McCoy Access parking lot, it was planted with larger stock, which is more expensive, but the survival was very good. That site is legacy sediment deposited behind the former McCoy Dam.

Most of the trees were planted within a fenced riparian border, with cow pastures outside the riparian zone, so very little deer damage occurred. There was one place where we protested the trees with medium gauge wire fencing until the tree survived. The trees we planted were 5-7 feet in height, maybe 3-4 years old. In a few cases, we planted younger saplings.

 

[JeffK]

Where I used to work sycamores did best and they naturally seeded pretty well. The biggest problem in western NJ was deer. They savaged maples. Wire cages were used which did OK with deer, but needed to be maintained since they could fill with leaf litter or other stuff from high water events. The filled cages could knock down a tree in a flood. Mature maples larger than a deer could reach would survive, but hard to get to some spots and expensive. Saplings were deer chow. Tried driving in sticks of willow or dogwood species and had mixed results. Some places great results, others nothing happened. Tried to plant them in beachy sections where geese were a problem to keep geese away and they never seemed to do well in those spots. In other exposed banks red twig dogwood filled in nicely.

 

[bigjohn358]

Sycamores are by far the best...not sure how fas they grow but the best waters all have sycamores along them.

 

[Mike]

Sycamores are by far the best...not sure how fas they grow but the best waters all have sycamores along them.

Was thinking about your comment yesterday when I saw a non-riparian (roadside) planting of sycamores from perhaps 25 yrs ago. I also saw a riparian planting from about 4 yrs ago. My impression is that they grow and fill out fairly fast.

 

[troutbert]

Was thinking about your comment yesterday when I saw a non-riparian (roadside) planting of sycamores from perhaps 25 yrs ago. I also saw a riparian planting from about 4 yrs ago. My impression is that they grow and fill out fairly fast.

Sycamores grow very fast and their survival rate is high. That doesn't mean planting solid stands of just sycamores is a good idea. A wide variety of native riparian vegetation is a good thing.

 

[JeffP]

Sycamores help our local streams greatly. There are many on Middle, Hammer, and Lititz Run. They form some great pools and really shade the streams where there isn't always a ton of trees. Our friends on the Hammer have a couple. Every spring there is a ton of nice dried kindling branches for next years fires.

 

[Mike]

Add American Linden and/or Eastern Cottonwood to the aforementioned trees that do well in riparian zones. Lindens occur naturally along the Delaware Estuary and last evening I checked some riparian zone plantings along the Jordan Ck. I did not get a perfect I.D. They are either Lindens or Eastern Cottonwood, are doing well, and are growing at about 40% of the poplar pace. Poplars are the fastest growers. Going to have to further investigate. Have read that the Cottonwoods do well in wet conditions of riparian zones. They certainly do so out west. Crowns are more dense with leaves than on the poplars, however.

 

[jifigz]

Sycamores are awesome trees that grow very, very quickly and they are very prevalent in riparian zones in Mifflin County. If we are talking about the Juniata River, I would say that 99% of tree life along the river is sycamores and silver maples. 2 trees that I adore.

I wish we had basswoods here in abundance.

 

[riverwhy]

Has anyone noticed the sycamore's struggling this year. I noticed tons of leaf drop shortly after leaf out here in Hershey. Also, noticed browning trees on our way back from Penns. They were down in the valleys and I am pretty sure they were Sycamores.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

I think the late frost in the 3rd week of May did a number on them. Sycamore get their leaves later than other trees