I have also discovered a small number of trillium, as well as something similar to a mayapple. I have high hopes for discovering some solomon's seal, and I have lots of jack in the pulpits and bloodroot that I can move from my previous home that's close by.

My question is: what I can do to encourage the particular plants that I treasure? Is it acceptable to cut off the skunk cabbage at the soil level so that the other treasures can be seen? Will that help or hurt the smaller plants?

I'm still struggling to identify and deal with some invasive understory growth (barberry and several nasty shrubs that sucker), but I'd like to encourage the precious woodland perennials even as I struggle with the understory.

Another way to get more of the things you want is to transplant some of them to other parts of the woodland. As you remove barberry or other invasive shrubs, you'll be creating small openings where you could tranplant. I wouldn't try moving a plant that you have only a couple of, since tranplanting can be risky, but if you have many small plants, try moving a few to a new spot. I would move each plant with a nice quart (litre, for you overseas readers) or two of soil, and dig deep because many woodland plants have they roots six inches (15cm) or more underground.

It sounds as if the section of woods with the skunk cabbage has mostly native plants and a fair variety of them. I would be careful not to disturb or alter that area too much. Instead, transplant into the areas where you are removing barberry. Those areas are already disturbed, and you can't really mess them up much more, so feel free to experiment. Skunk cabbage may not be as loveable as a trillium, but it is an interesting native plant, and supports some interesting insects. Plus, it is probably the first thing to bloom in the spring.

I've been finding a lot more jacks than I'd expected in this woodland. The skunk cabbage is so abundant, and the leaves so enormous, that I didn't spot any all last year. Only after cutting off their stalks did I see the jacks at all! The trillium, alas, were figments of my imagination, but I'm eager to see what else is hiding in this marvelous strip of woods.

You inspired me to snap a picture of my "pond" for you. . . it's that little puddle next to the rock. I felt guilty killing the cabbage where I dug the little puddle and laid the stepping-stones to it, up until it all came up and I realized what an abundance of it there is!

In another section of my yard, the elevation is a few inches higher, which seems to be unfavorable to the cabbage but perfect for jack-in-the-pulpit. It's popping up in droves! I also discovered soloman's seal, and I've got three kinds of ferns and something that might be rue, and over the winter I spotted indian pipe seed-pods. And poison sumac, deer ticks, and, of course, poison ivy galore! In spite of that, I hope you are having as much fun with your shady wetland as I am with mine. :)