A conservation plan for eastern hemlock

Posted 8/21/12

Find a high-quality cold water stream that supports a brook trout habitat, and chances are that the stream is shaded by many eastern hemlock trees. In shading the stream, the hemlock trees are …

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A conservation plan for eastern hemlock

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Find a high-quality cold water stream that supports a brook trout habitat, and chances are that the stream is shaded by many eastern hemlock trees. In shading the stream, the hemlock trees are helping to keep the water temperature cool enough in summer so that the trout survive. In many areas though, these riparian ecosystems are in peril due to a die-off of eastern hemlock trees. There are several pests that are a threat to hemlock forests, but the main cause of the die-off is the hemlock wooly adelgid, a non-native insect that was first reported in Virginia in the 1950s.

With the future looking grim for the eastern hemlock, the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) issued a draft version of a conservation plan for this species. This document, published October 2014, outlines significant growth areas of hemlock, various threats to hemlock forests, and outlines treatment options for wooly adelgid and other pests. The document also identifies areas where significant hemlock growth coincides with High Quality (HQ) or Exceptional Value (EV) streams; Pike, Wayne, and Monroe Counties have significant areas of hemlock growth in these high value watersheds.

Since wooly adelgid was first identified as a major threat to the eastern hemlock several years ago, several controls have been proven effective to some degree for inhibiting the infestation of hemlock trees by wooly adelgid and other pests. Most of the chemical controls are labor intensive, requiring each tree to be treated, and some of the treatments can be expensive. Recently, several biological controls have been identified, and the best-case scenario, according to the plan, is to have a suite of biological control species available.

In addition to field work and research by the DCNR and partner agencies, the hemlock conservation plan calls for help from private landowners. Landowners can help by assessing general health of hemlock stands, monitoring trees for pests, and identifying trees that appear to be resistant to wooly adelgid in infested areas, as well as other measures outlined in the plan. The draft version of the plan can be found at www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_20030071.pdf.

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