Who would volunteer to save the hemlocks?

[Shannon]

So, I was wondering how many of my fellow climbers would be willing to help save the hemlocks on the PMRP and MFRP?

I was belaying last weekend on the PMRP under a 100 foot-plus tall hemlock when a small sprig from the upper boughs, dislodged by the gusting wind, landed on the ground at my feet. When I glanced down I noticed the short hemlock needles were speckled with white mildew-like clumps. I recognized the white specks as an infestation of woolly adelgid. The Lexington Herald-Leader recently ran an article about woolly adelgid and how the Division of Forestry is asking private landowners to help save the trees by treating them.

"If private landowners don't step up, there's gonna be a massive loss of hemlock in Kentucky," said Alice Mandt, coordinator of the hemlock woolly adelgid program for the state Division of Forestry. "If you don't treat them, they're going to die. There's no getting around it."

http://www.kentucky.com/2014/04/27/3215 ... -urge.html

I love hemlocks. So, I recently have offered to volunteer time and donate money to the RRGCC to a-save-the-hemlock project, or whatever the Coalition came up with.

I have been told that Rick Bost has the treatment protocol and has helped the Webers on Muir Valley with the same issue, which is great news to hear since that means we already have the knowledge and practical experience among us.

I am not speaking for the RRGCC or committing the Coalition to anything, just helping to start a conversation, raise awareness and gin up some prospective support if, and when, the time comes

[dustonian]

Great idea Shannon! I'd be happy to help. If a few folks step up to treat the trees in holler at the crag they're climbing at that day, we should be able to get a lot of done pretty quickly.

[Ellis_Bill]

Have been involved on a number of hemlock treatments through the division of forestry at UK and working with KDF for landowners and on robinson forest, UKs forestry research forest. I would be willing to help out.

[Shannon]

Thanks, Dustin! I knew YOU would be down for helping

That's is AWESOME, Bill! Couldn't have any better volunteer than that!

[dustonian]

What I lack in the resume I make up for with raw enthusiasm haha. There are some INCREDIBLE stands of 100-150' old-growth hemlock in the MFRP I would hate to see get wiped out!!

[climbhigh]

I can't be there but I'll throw in money as needed. Thanks guys

[Cromper]

I'm game.

[Meadows]

GREAT! What's involved?

[chandler]

There were a couple dozen of us at Torrent last year when Bost and his E. Tennessee crew helped with Hemlocks there. Process is not complicated. Mainly would need lots of helpers and lots of 5 gallon buckets. I'm in.

[Corona]

Thank you so much for your leadership on this, Shannon. I work as a tree climber for the USDA's plant protection and quarantine division on invasive species survey in Ohio. If you need any help with treatment or delimiting the infestation, I'm happy to help. If you would like any educational or promotional materials for the kiosks at the trailheads or campgrounds, I can bring them down from the USDA office in Cincinnati.

It's really good to hear that there's already a protocol established by Muir Valley. I'd love to hear more about it. It's going to be a time consuming, expensive, ongoing project. There's no way around that. Even with three successive years of treatment, most trees will retain high enough levels of imidicloprid for resistance for less than a year at standard dosage. I'm guessing that Rick Bost is going with soil drenches rather than foliar sprays, trunk injections, or soil injections given the terrain? Probably the best strategy.

Thanks again, Shannon,

A. Ryan Haeseley
anthony.r.haeseley@aphis.usda.gov