To introduce landowners and land managers to the various options available to protect their hemlocks, the Hemlock Restoration Initiative will be giving a hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) management workshop at McDowell Technical Community College in Marion, NC.

**There is currently a waiting list for this workshop. Please fill out the registration form to be placed on the waiting list. Do not pay your registration fee until you receive a confirmed spot.**

Workshop Schedule:

Wednesday, April 28, 6:30–7:30 pm: Orientation and discussion of background on hemlocks, HWA, and IPM (online)

Thursday April 29, 1–4 pm: Optional biological control field session (in-person)

Friday April 30, 9 am–4 pm: Hands-on chemical treatment training (in-person)

Workshop Description:

A pre-recorded video presentation will be provided in the week leading up to the field sessions covering the 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. On Wednesday, April 28 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm, we will hold a live Zoom meeting where we will cover logistics for the field sessions and answer questions about the material covered in the presentation. The videos and orientation are required to participate in the field portion of the workshop.

On Thursday April 29 from 1 to 4 pm, we will offer an optional session that will cover biological control of HWA, past and current efforts to integrate biocontrol in western North Carolina, and how to monitor for the presence of HWA predators on your own property. Please indicate on the registration form if you would like to attend this session.

From 9 am to 4 pm on Friday April 30, we will use the trees present in the forested area near the campus greenway to learn and practice a variety of methods to chemically 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; assess individual tree health and infestation severity; select, mix, and safely apply products; as well as when to seek help from a tree care professional.

Important Details:

We ask that participants plan to attend the entirety of the online and Frida portions to ensure that everyone receives complete information.

To participate in the online orientation, you will need a desktop, laptop, iPad, tablet or smartphone running the Zoom Video Conferencing software. Click here for installation instructions for the software.

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. Chemical resistant gloves and other equipment will be provided. In order to protect staff and participants, face masks and spatial distancing between participants are required. Participants should bring a bag lunch and water for the day.

Participants will take home a small treatment starter kit. For attending, NC Pesticide Applicators can earn 5.5 credits in categories D, G, N, and X, and ISA members can earn Certified Arborist and BCMA CEUs .

Registration for the workshop is requested by April 16. A registration fee (non-refundable) of $10 per participant can be paid by check or electronically through PayPal. **Please register early. Space is limited to 10 participants.** Once registration is full, we will keep a waiting list to fill any cancellations. To register, visit SaveHemlocksNC.org/registration.

For questions, email info@savehemlocksnc.org or call the HRI office at (828) 252-4783.

We would like to thank the North Carolina SFI State Implementation Committee (NC SFI SIC), along with the NCDA&CS, for sponsoring this workshop. The NC SFI SIC is committed to promoting the sustainable management of forests in North Carolina. The NC SFI SIC supports programs and initiatives that help forward sound forestry practices within the forest products industry and other forestry related entities.

 

The Hemlock Restoration Initiative is restarting our educational programs and volunteer events. 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, HRI is limiting the number of participants at all events and requiring that all individuals follow HRI’s COVID-19 safety guidelines. This means that sign-ups will be held on a first-come-first-served basis. Anyone not following the guidelines on the day of the event will be asked to leave. Please review the COVID-19 safety guidelines to ensure that you are comfortable following these guidelines. Please also let us know as soon as possible if you are unable to attend an event for which you are registered so that we may allow someone else to fill your spot. Despite taking precautions, we cannot eliminate all risk of exposure, and participants will be accepting some level of risk by choosing to attend.