Cedar Swamp at the Tracker School Primitive Camp

The clearcut areas are visible to the right. 

This picture was taken at the Caretaker class in 2001. 

Yes, shrubs and trees will grow in this area again, but it will take Nature hundreds of years, perhaps thousands, to grow a cedar swamp full of huge ancient trees once again.

A cedar forest is not merely a bunch of trees growing, like a field of corn. It is an entire ecosystem, with many different types of plants, animals, insects, fungi, microclimates, mosses, birds, etc etc.  It takes a lot of years to build all this up into a true cedar swamp like it once was.

What is growing up first are the small shrubs, such as blueberry, dogwood, and bayberry. Left to themselves, they will overshadow and crowd out any young cedars that manage to start growing.

Note also that the sun will have a significant drying effect on the soil. This in turn will help to "pull" moisture out from the still-existent mature cedar swamp forest, drying it out.

So it's not enough to just leave the remainder of the cedar swamp alone....it is being heavily impacted by the mere existence of the clearcut areas.