NEBC Meeting News

The New England Botanical Club convened its 1153rd meeting virtually on Saturday, October 2, 2021. Treasurer Robert Wernerehl introduced the speaker, Dr. Christopher Neill, Senior Scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Falmouth, Massachusetts, whose presentation was titled “Plant Responses and Ecosystem Resilience Following Restoration of Former Cranberry Bogs.” Dr. Neill is interested in the use of ecosystem restoration to combat climate change. The restoration of cranberry bogs is a shining example of what we can accomplish by managing natural spaces for carbon sequestration and other ecosystem services, and for biodiversity. Cranberries are a global commodity. Massachusetts was the leading producer of cranberries until the 1990s when Wisconsin expanded its production using modern, high-yield varieties grown in massive commercial facilities. In Massachusetts traditional cranberry production uses natural bogs that are flooded from rivers and streams (flow-through bogs) and other natural wetlands planted with older varieties of cranberries. These traditional bogs are less productive and harder to manage than the modern facilities, thus less competitive. The Massachusetts cranberry industry is transitioning to production in more efficient man-made upland bogs to increase efficiency and productivity, providing opportunities for restoration of some traditional bogs as they are retired. Dr. Neill and collaborators mapped out the types and status of Massachusetts cranberry bogs in eastern Massachusetts and found that 20% are traditional flow-through bogs, 35% are traditional wetland bogs, and 45% are upland or newly renovated for modern production methods. The flow-through bogs and some of the traditional wetland bogs will not be renovated and will go to restoration. Based on their analysis, several thousand acres of cranberry bogs could be retired within a decade, so have a high potential for future restoration. Dr. Neill and his collaborators are documenting differences between passive and active restoration of cranberry bogs at six bog restoration sites. Passive restoration— cessation of farming activities and reliance on natural restoration processes—was compared with active restoration projects where actions were taken to restore soil and hydrologic conditions to meet ecosystem and biodiversity goals. They established 3 × 3 m quadrats, identifying all plants and noting life form, native vs. non-native and wetland indicator status. Retired bogs that were left to restore passively were dominated by native species, initially forbs and graminoids (e.g., switchgrass, woolgrass), then vines, shrubs, and trees (pitch pine, red maple) increased over time and canopy closure occurred after about 20 years. Cranberries gradually die out as taller cover increases. The vegetative community becomes dominated by facultative species, generalists that grow equally well in wetland or upland. Ecosystem services provided in these bogs over time include increased carbon storage in both soils and vegetation.