Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Treatment Field Experience
Instructors: Thom Green and Margot Wallston
ONSITE Wednesday, November 18; 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Free Arboretum Members | $20 Non-members
Prerequisite: Hemlock Woolly Adelgid: Options for Landowners (link to recorded informational session will be sent with confirmation)
BRN | BREG Elective (3 hours)
Limit: 6
Join the Hemlock Restoration Initiative to learn the fundamentals of treating hemlock trees to protect them from the invasive insect, hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). Today hemlock management is simpler and less expensive than ever before! We will use the trees on the Arboretum grounds to learn and practice a variety of methods to treat hemlocks available to all landowners in North Carolina. We will cover the details of chemical treatment, including how to identify hemlock trees; assess tree health and infestation severity; and select, mix, and safely apply products. Participants will not only be learning but will also be helping protect some of the Arboretum’s hemlocks from HWA for years to come.
Participants will need to walk off-trail on uneven terrain and will be handling pesticides. 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 not attend if they feel sick or are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 or have had direct contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Participants can bring a bag lunch.
NOTE: You will need to view the informational video prior to participating in the field experience.
Margot Wallston has developed and directed the HRI program since 2015. Margot’s involvement in hemlock conservation stems from a background in land conservation, plant ecology and environmental education. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, she obtained her BA from Wesleyan University in Connecticut, and later went on to study environmental science and botany at UNCA and the Highlands Biological Station. She aims to engage, empower and inspire the public to participate in fostering hemlock and ecosystem health.
Thom Green is the Outreach Associate for the Hemlock Restoration Initiative. Thom developed a love for forests and helping others learn about and connect to the natural world in his native state of Oregon. After working for several years as an environmental educator, Thom moved to western North Carolina in 2014 to earn an MS in Biology with a focus in forest ecology from Western Carolina University. His newly found love of the Blue Ridge Mountains and passion for ecosystem-based forest management fuels his work to protect and restore hemlock forests.
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