Research
Large wood creates unique and critical fish spawning, rearing, and foraging habitats that have been widely lost due to human alteration of aquatic systems. In freshwater and coastal environments, submerged wood provides essential refuge, feeding grounds, and substrate for a variety of organisms—from invertebrates to fish to benthic communities.
However, centuries of river modification, deforestation, and shoreline development have significantly reduced or eliminated the natural recruitment of large driftwood to these systems. Restoring the ecological functions of wood in aquatic environments is crucial for habitat resilience and the recovery of degraded ecosystems
Georgia, USA
Selected Research
Who Lives in a Pear Tree Under the Sea?
Early field observations show that submerged trees quickly attract marine life, with fish, invertebrates, and algae colonising the structure. The branching architecture of trees creates shelter, feeding areas, and attachment surfaces for many species.
This research demonstrates that natural woody structures can function as effective artificial reefs while avoiding the environmental impacts of traditional materials such as concrete or steel.
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Sonar, so good: Tree-reefs drive net gain in fish size, abundance, and diversity
​This study used sonar monitoring and field sampling to evaluate how tree-based reef structures affect marine ecosystems. Reef sites showed substantially higher fish abundance, diversity, and size compared to control areas. The findings demonstrate the potential of tree reefs as a scalable, nature-based solution for restoring marine biodiversity.
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A review of the historic and present ecological
role of aquatic and shoreline wood, from forest
to deep sea
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Wood transported from forests to rivers and oceans acts as an ecosystem engineer, shaping habitats and supporting diverse biological communities. In marine environments, sunken wood creates hard substrate on otherwise soft seabeds, providing attachment surfaces, shelter, and nutrient sources for many organisms.
Human activities such as deforestation, river damming, and coastal management have dramatically reduced the amount of wood reaching the sea, removing an important natural habitat structure from marine ecosystems
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