Georgia’s Cypress Forests

Cypress forests are icons of the southern wetland landscape and perform essential ecological functions, from capturing and storing floodwaters to providing habitat for endangered species. SELC has found that they are also suffering a decline, brought on in large part by an explosion in demand for cypress mulch. In an EPA-supported study of cypress forests in Georgia, we determined that harvested cypress stands often fail to regrow; once they are cut, the trees and the habitat they provide are lost forever.

SELC will soon release a report on the status of Georgia’s cypress forests and how they can be protected. High on our priority list is to educate consumers, retailers, and government officials on the need to ensure that cypress products are harvested in responsible and sustainable ways. Otherwise, we may lose one of the South’s most valuable ecological gems.