To educate landowners and land managers about the various options available to protect their hemlocks, the Hemlock Restoration Initiative will be giving a hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) management workshop at Gill State Forest in Crossnore, NC on April 26, 2023. Hemlock treatment is easier and cheaper than ever before!
Workshop Description
The workshop will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mountain Training Facility at Gill State Forest (click for map of location). We will use the trees present at the workshop site to learn and practice a variety of methods to treat hemlocks available to all landowners in North Carolina. Participants will receive in-person instruction and hands-on practice. We will cover the details of chemical treatment, including:
- How to identify hemlock trees
- How to assess hemlock health to determine appropriate treatment
- How to select, mix, and safely apply products
- Ways to reduce off-target risks to the environment
- When to seek help from a tree care professional
A series of short videos will be provided to watch before the field session. The videos cover background information relevant to the hands-on training. Topics covered include the ecological importance and value of hemlocks in urban and community forests, the biology of HWA and other hemlock pests, integrated pest management strategies, and the role of the Hemlock Restoration Initiative in North Carolina’s various hemlock management efforts. A link to the videos will be shared by email upon registration. If you have concerns about being able to watch the videos before the presentation, please reach out to us.
Important Details
Participants will be walking off-trail on uneven terrain and handling pesticides. Participants will need to wear long sleeves, long pants, and closed-toed shoes with socks. Chemical resistant gloves and other equipment will be provided. Participants should bring a bag lunch and water for the day.
Participants will take home a small treatment starter kit. NC pesticide applicators can earn 5.5 credits for attending (categories G, L, N, D, and X), and ISA members can earn CEUs (currently pending pre-approval).
Registration
To register, visit SaveHemlocksNC.org/registration. A non-refundable registration fee of $10 per participant can be paid by check or electronically through PayPal. We still have a few spaces open. Please register ASAP. Once registration is full, we will keep a waiting list to fill any cancellations.
For questions, email info@savehemlocksnc.org or call the HRI office at (828) 252-4783.
Despite the lifting of restrictions, we acknowledge the risk that COVID-19 continues to pose to members of our community. To maintain the safety of our event participants and staff, we requiring that all participants follow HRI’s COVID-19 safety guidelines. Anyone not following the guidelines on the day of the event will be asked to leave. Despite taking precautions, we cannot eliminate all risk of exposure and participants will be accepting some level of risk by choosing to attend. Please review the COVID-19 safety guidelines on our website to ensure that you are comfortable following these guidelines. Note: these guidelines may adjust depending on changing guidance from health authorities.