Wednesday September 28th: Volunteer Work Day with the Forest Restoration Alliance
This workday was different! Instead of treating hemlock trees volunteers were combating hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) by planting hemlock trees! Working with the Forest Restoration Alliance (FRA) at their Mountain Research Station in Waynesville, participants helped to transplant seedlings and rooted cuttings in the greenhouse and plant a study area in the forest.
The FRA is a group of researchers from government organizations and academic institutions–led by NC State University’s Dr. Fred Hain, who conduct a selective breeding program, modeled on the success of the American Chestnut Foundation, and aimed at breeding and establishing a future of resistant trees in North American forests.
More information about FRA can be found on their website: http://threatenedforests.com/