Celebrate St. Paddy’s Day with HRI in the Green River Game Land!
HRI is celebrating another day of the green by hosting a hike in the Green River Game Land (or GRGL) on St. Patrick’s Day, Thursday, March 17. We like to call it the Green River, Green Love, and Good Luck hike!
Our route will make a roughly 5.5 mile loop starting at Bishop Branch Trailhead. We will hike down Bishop Branch and Bear Branch Trails almost to the river before heading back up the Pulliam Creek Trail and cutting over on the Rock Hop Trail to complete the loop. The hike difficulty will be moderate to strenuous with up and downhill sections and one substantial creek crossing with rocks.
Since 2017, HRI has helped keep the Green River green by treating over 9,000 hemlock trees in the 14,331 acre game land managed by the NC Wildlife Resource Commission. On this hike, we will pass through areas that were treated by HRI and the NCFS BRIDGE program five years ago to check on their progress. Along the way we will discuss the importance of hemlocks and HWA management in the Green River Game Land, including the PHHAT paddler treatment program.
RSVP is required. Please register by March 14 by emailing education@savehemlocksnc.org or calling 828-252-4783. Be sure to bring water, a lunch, and any snacks you may want. A sturdy pair of hiking shoes or boots is recommended. More details will be provided upon registration.
The Hemlock Restoration Initiative is grateful to be able to offer public events in this difficult time. 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 are 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.