Join HRI in DuPont State Recreational Forest for a “hike-and-treat” combination educational hike and volunteer treatment day. As we hike, we will observe and discuss our two native species of hemlock trees, the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), its impacts and control strategies. Along the way we’ll use a few trailside hemlocks to teach you how to apply CoreTect tablets, a simple HWA treatment method that requires minimal equipment and exposure to chemicals.
Trailside Carolina hemlock seedling
This will be a great opportunity for folks who love DuPont and want to learn and help a hemlock or two, but don’t want to stray too far off the trail or work too hard. We will mostly encounter young Carolina hemlocks, which are plentiful along the trail in this part of the forest, and a few larger hemlocks, as well. Some of these Carolina hemlocks have been treated in the past, so we will be appreciating the hard work of the past while ensuring these trees can continue to be admired in the future. We’ll also make sure to appreciate all the other beautiful wildlife and scenery the forest has to offer.
This moderately strenuous, loop-hike down Flat Rock Trail will be approximately two miles long. We will meet near the Flat Rock Trailhead off of Sky Valley Rd. at 10:00am and anticipate being done by 3:00pm.
RSVP is required by June 1 by emailing volunteer@savehemlocksnc.org or calling (828) 252-4783. Please include a contact phone number and email address and the names of the people in your party.
COVID information for in-person activities:
The Hemlock Restoration Initiative is