Forest recovery through applied nucleation: Effects of tree islet size and disperser mobility on tree recruitment in a temperate landscape

•We studied the effectiveness of applied nucleation (tree islets) to foster tree colonization in a deforested matrix.•We used a mechanistic model to simulate animal-dispersed tree recruitment under different restoration schemes.•Applied nucleation triggers tree colonization at higher rates than natural forest regeneration.•Large tree islets can hamper colonization into the matrix by entrapping frugivores and hindering inter-islet movement.