RRC Archives

Just received this letter Saturday from the Forest Service concerning the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA)- http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/boone/documents ... -26-09.pdf
The Forest Service is not currently planning on implementing any HWA controls within the Clifty Wilderness. I'm interested in hearing anyone's thoughts on the Forest Service strategy.
Also, I suppose the HWA will ultimately affect the PMRP. One of the proposed USFS Hemlock Conservation Areas is located on their land adjacent to the PMRP.

It is very sad but it seems that ultimately we may lose hemlock trees all along the eastern part of the country. my understanding is that treatment is both tedious and expensive since every tree requires individual care. I have heard of some privately funded groups that are currently treating trees here in NC.

All though i hate to see the tree go I also fear that there is no practical way to save them, and any treatment is probably just an expensive means of delaying the inevitable.

sorry to all you tree-huggers out there....

cutting them down is the only way to save them.

we need to bill China for this... in my estimation that should make us about even on the money we "had" owed them

If you read the USFS info they are planning to introduce predatory beetles as one of the control methods.

So... what will those beetles F up in 20 years.

Here is detailed info on the HWA and control methods - http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/boone/documents ... ch1-HO.pdf

Crankmas wrote:we need to bill China for this... in my estimation that should make us about even on the money we "had" owed them

better yet, let's build a time machine and head back to the mid 1900's so we can financially penalize England, France, Germany, and America for their emissions during the industrial revolution(s).

with added inflation, we would have enough money to build hemlocks out of artificially intelligent gold!!!

gold, i say!

HWA infestation is already pretty strong in some areas in southern KY, and I expect that it will be here by 3 or 4 years. We can expect tree mortality within the decade.

What's really sad is that the hemlock, a keystone species, has a massive influence on not only the composition of the forest, but on everything else as well. Without the hemlock component, the stream tributaries will dry up (you will not have to 'ford the river' to get to left flank anymore). the mean temperature in the understory will go up (making the red hotter in all seasons). the composition of fish communities in the stream changes, bird communities change, pretty much everything. my prediction is that the rhododendrons will be replaced, too.

if anyone's familiar with the american chestnut--this is the same story. only, this time, we can enjoy the hemlocks while they're still here.

captain static wrote:I'm interested in hearing anyone's thoughts on the Forest Service strategy.

I spoke with several of the Daniel Boone biologists. trust me--they're just as upset about it as anyone. they just can't protect them all. state parks, state nature preserves, and private landowners all have a different strategy for 'protecting' the hemlocks. some are treating trees (via root injection) along paths only, some are treating just the 'big' trees, and most aren't doing anything.

most likely the forest service will treat a handful of trees to ensure we have a genetic seedbank for the future. in the event that they do begin treatments on DBNF land, you could help them out by volunteering your time in the field.

anticlmber wrote:cutting them down is the only way to save them.

hemlocks don't really have any $$ value...which is why there are so many large ones that have survived

captain static wrote:If you read the USFS info they are planning to introduce predatory beetles as one of the control methods.

the beetles, like the injection method, don't seem to work that well, either. they're difficult to implement on a large scale. neat idea, though. we're waiting on more data to see the clear picture, though.