For softwoods, tamarack or cedar do well in wet areas, for wildlife, nannyberry and red osier dogwood do well with "wet feet" (they just don't grow to be huge). As I remember it, one of the ash family also does well ( I think white). Disking or shallow ploughing along where forest edges the wet area in a year like this (abundant mast crop) will also encourage natural expansion into the wet area. I know this only because I worked with a Forester to prepare a plan for my beaver flood and wetlands and then did a bunch of research on the net
One of the other tree climbers here in the area had told me that a good sized cottonwood can suck up thousands of gallons of water a day. I can believe it. I have cut enough of them and water oozing out 50-60' up in the tree. They like water no mater what the source. (Septic lines, water mains, ponds, rivers, etc). I am not sure if they are native to your area. I would send you seedlings gladly to get them out of my hair
) The other thing you can do is transplant some of the species I have talked about from drier areas into the wet area (tamarack for example grows on my trails and I move it before I brush hog them).One of the other guys said use black ash -- he's probably right but I do not know if ash borer is prevalent in your area -- it is not yet in mine. The nanny berry and red osage dogwood help to soak up the water, grow fast, are attractive and are less encouraging to beaver than some of the willows -- and wildlife eat the berries produced, spreading the seed. You should check with your state's forestry department -- they usually have lots of good info and may even provide access to saplings
Look for a "cottonless" cottonwood from a nursery, I believe somehow they *** the tree so as to not get the fruit. We had planted a few but got them too close to the black walnuts
.....I have never had the pleasure of actually living near one, better ask someone who has
