Join us on the Green River on Wednesday, October 14, and Thursday, October 15, 2026.
Trees along the Green River have had to survive flooding, landslides, heavy winds, fire, and invasive pests. We can’t control the impacts of natural disasters, but we can protect hemlock trees from infestation and death by the hemlock woolly adelgid (a non-native, invasive insect) using carefully applied systemic insecticides, while ensuring the safety and protection of water quality and other organisms that live in and along the Green River. Many of the hemlocks along the Green have already been treated and now are flourishing. This has stabilized native ecosystems supported by hemlocks and enhanced the beauty of the river corridor. However, the hemlocks along the Green River Cove Trail are now due for re-treatment, as initial treatments were performed in 2017 and are starting to wear off.
We anticipate treating 1,000-2,000 hemlocks along the length of the trail and we could use some help!
We need to get ourselves and our treatment equipment across the river in order to maximize our time spent working along the trail. We think the most efficient way to get there (and the more fun way) is to ferry across from the Fishtop Access Parking lot. Therefore, we’re looking for some boaters who can help shuttle us and our stuff across and back. Anyone who has a canoe or raft with room for one or more people and gear would be most welcome. Boat “captains” could hang out by the water, hike the trail, or pair up with our trained technicians to treat the hemlocks until it’s time to cross back over at the end of the day.
For both days, we will plan on meeting at the Fishtop Access Parking Lot (2302 Green River Cove Rd, Saluda, NC 28773) at 9:30 AM. We will go over site safety and run through introductions before loading up the boats. We aim to be on the other side of the river, by 10:30 AM. We will aim to be back at the parking lot around 5 PM; however, if you can only come for part of the day, we may still be able to use your help! Just let us know your time requirements when you RSVP.
To know beforehand:
- Bring your own river gear and boat! No river gear will be provided. Dress for the weather and assumption of having to take a dip in chilly water.
- Paddlers will be getting out of their boats and spending most of the day performing hemlock treatments. Terrain varies from flat to moderately steep.
- Bring plenty of hydration materials and snacks, more than you would for a normal paddling trip. We will be taking extra breaks during the day.
- Get plenty of rest the day before as these are strenuous days.
- We will provide all the adelgid-destroying equipment in special drybags to load into our boats. Long sleeves, long pants, shoes and socks, and chemical resistant gloves are required when handling the insecticide. We will provide the gloves. Please wear clothes you are comfortable getting dirty, including getting tree marking paint on.
Pre-registration is required. Please RSVP as soon as possible (but no later than the Wednesday before) by filling out this form. Each paddler needs to fill out the form separately. You can email Alicia Walsh with HRI at crewleader@savehemlocksnc.org with questions. She will also send out updates if plans change.
Note: Treatments are based on the rigorous science of using imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid, to control hemlock woolly adelgid. We use a pellet formulation of imidacloprid called CoreTect and a liquid flowable formulation of imidacloprid we call “2F”. Every tree is given a prescribed dose based on tree size using a dosage rate that has been shown to only affect adelgids on that tree. The prescribed dose is inserted into or poured onto the soil surrounding the tree. Surrounding trees and flowering plants are not affected. Utmost care is exercised to protect the applicators (you).
