Land‐use legacies in forests at Jefferson's Monticello plantation

Past land use at Jefferson's Monticello plantation has been the dominant driver of forest composition, overshadowing natural gradients like soil moisture. A chronosequence analysis combining dendroecology, historical documents, and repeated vegetation surveys revealed that forest age explains more variation in species composition than elevation or slope. The study also identified synchronized canopy release events during key periods (early 1800s, 1850s–1860s, and 1960s), indicating intense historical land use. Notably, Pinus recruitment began in the late 18th century on west slopes under Jefferson's tenure, with later cohorts emerging in former agricultural fields. The findings suggest that future forest dynamics at Monticello may diverge from past patterns due to shifts in land use and species availability.

Druckenbrod, D. L., Neiman, F. D., Richardson, D. L., & Wheeler, D. (2018). Land‐use legacies in forests at Jefferson’s Monticello plantation. Journal of Vegetation Science, 29(2), 307–316. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12599