The Hemlock Restoration Initiative brings hope to hemlock’s future
For years, the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid has slowly but surely eaten away at the native hemlocks gracing our state’s beautiful mountain landscapes. Many of these once stunning and elegant trees are now gray ghosts, killed by an insect not much larger than the period at the end of this sentence. Efforts to protect select hemlocks on state properties are ongoing and have saved many, but when it comes to protecting a keystone species that defines ecosystems in Western N.C., there is always more that can be done.
That is why a statewide program came into existence with the charge of protecting our hemlocks for years to come. The Hemlock Restoration Initiative was created in 2014 by Commissioner Steve Troxler in order to ensure that eastern and Carolina hemlocks can withstand attacks by the hemlock woolly adelgid and survive to maturity on public and private lands in the state. The HRI receives funding and support from the NCDA&CS Commissioner’s Office, USDA Forest Service and the N.C. Forest Service.
The main goal of the HRI is to implement a strategic plan for hemlock restoration in North Carolina. This involves:
In its initial months, the HRI has helped treat more than 600 trees on conserved and state-owned lands, assisted with the release of over 6,000 predatory beetles, co-hosted a forum on biological control agents, and informed dozens of individuals on how to treat their own trees.
But the HRI cannot do it without invested North Carolinians.
How can you help?
Volunteers assess hemlock health in a stand (top left; image by M. Wallston). Predatory beetle releases (bottom left; image by M. Wallston) and chemical treatments (right; image by I. Holt) are both options for hemlock stand protection.
Recently, the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies released a report naming invasive pests as the number one threat to our forests. The HRI aims to reduce the threat of one of the deadliest ever known in this state. With your help, that mission can become more and more realistic!
Article written by Margot Wallston, HRI Coordinator