Non-Commercial Spruce Release: Practitioners’ Guide
This guide was created to help restoration practitioners and forestry professionals carry out non-commercial red spruce release in the central and southern Appalachians. “Spruce release” refers to a set of specialized forest management practices that accelerate the growth of red spruce into the forest canopy — a key step in restoring red spruce ecosystems across the region.
Developed by Will Evans and Noah Reed of The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia, the guide distills over a decade of field experience on the Monongahela National Forest. It offers practical methodologies, best practices, and lessons learned for applying spruce release across a range of ecological settings. The authors draw from work on more than 2,000 acres of treatment units and collaboration with partners throughout West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.
Because each site presents unique ecological and management considerations, the guide emphasizes flexibility, local knowledge, and ecological sensitivity. It is a living resource, designed to evolve as restoration science and practices continue to advance.
By sharing this resource, CASRI and its partners aim to expand the spruce restoration workforce and strengthen ongoing efforts to bring back healthy, resilient red spruce forests across the Appalachians.