Once it's gone it's near impossible to put back. I would determine what was growing there on that lot and try to plant that somehwat random so it resembles a natural wooded area.
OF course that's if you have room to do that. How much space is there for this planting?

In Savannah, you'll probably want something evergreen.

Think LL or slash pine, wax myrtles, (sweetbay?) Magnolia virginiana.

pine trees, crpytomerias (japanese cypress - they get to 40 tall 25 ft wide.)

Thanks for the replies-pine trees, no thanks-spruce or fir if they would survive here fine, but no pines. I already have the native wax myrtles and frankly not keen on them at all.

The area is about 40 feet long that I would like to "fill in", the lot is longer than that, but I don't want to block off the marsh view such as it is.

HMM, I was in Hilton Head and Savannah last summer and saw lots of pines.

Yeah, and I've done my best to get the ones I have off my lot....LOL

How about some nice Magnolias? Several species will do well down there.

Gardening / landscaping is often easier when we work with nature, not against it.

Agreed on working with Nature. I just don't happen to like the tall pines with the scraggly tops here. I have removed some that were diseased. There are still a few left that are closer to the house then I would like but at the present that can't be helped. I live on a heavily treed 3/4 of an acre with somewhat of a buffer zone of trees etc on three sides of the lot. I just want to fill in the blanks on my side where the next door wooded lot was cleared. I would prefer to have something that both looks natural and won't take 10-20 years to mature.

The only thing you're probably going to find in your nurseries down there is redbud, hollies, magnolia, cherry etc.

Actually you'd probably find a lot of live and laurel oak and crepe myrtle too.
I think what I would add is red maple. I really like the look of red maple and they are moderate growers and easy.

It seems you can use plants down there that we consider house plants. I think Fatsia is one of them, I'm sure there are others. They seem to be evergreen.

I've done some more research and looked around my favorite nursery and have come up with an idea- Dawn redwood. It is a fast growing neat looking tree that will blend in with the rest of the trees and not look out of place. they are reported to be "messy" trees but that's not a problem considering where it will be planted. Also looking at a pine spruce which looks less "piney" than the Loblolly or slash pine and possibly a bit fuller.

Viburnum tinus is another consideration. Fits into woodlands nicely.