Private landowners near Stinging Forks Falls State Natural Area in Rhea County are joining forces with the Tennessee Hemlock Conservation Partnership to show area landowners how to save their majestic, but threatened hemlock trees. A free workshop to be held Nov. 14 will help private landowners learn about the threat of hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) and gain skills needed to safely treat and preserve their own hemlocks.
“The hemlock woolly adelgid has the potential to kill our hemlocks, changing the natural landscape my family and I have known for the last 20 years,” said Chris Anderson, who manages 232 acres on his family's certified forestry tree farm, CRC Stewardship Ridge, between Stinging Fork Falls and Piney Falls state natural areas and bordering the Cumberland Trail. “Since we have the methods and the means to combat the hemlock woolly adelgid, we should do everything we can to restore, protect and replace the eastern hemlocks. Otherwise we face the same loss as the majestic American chestnut trees.”
The free workshop is open to the public and will be held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST on private land near Stinging Fork Falls State Natural Area. To register, contact the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry at 615-837-5421 or Kelly.Lang@tn.gov by Nov. 10. Lunch will be provided.
During the workshop, participants will learn about hemlock trees and HWA, gain skills for chemically treating hemlocks and practice with hands-on training and instruction. Other topics and activities include treatment options for do-it-yourself or contracting, chemical resources, and meeting state and federal officials directly involved in the fight against HWA on public lands. The workshop also qualifies participants for pesticide points and Continuing Forestry Education (CFE) points.
“Tennessee citizens are very worried about the fate of their hemlock trees on their property. Our partnership provides assistance to private landowners to save their hemlocks using an integrated pest management approach,” said Heather Slayton, state Forest Health Unit leader.
Participants are encouraged to bring water, wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts and closed-toe shoes and socks. All other equipment and supplies will be provided, however no indoor or outdoor restroom facilities are available onsite.
The workshop will be led by representatives from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry with assistance from other partnership members including the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, The Nature Conservancy, and the National Park Service. The partnership also receives technical assistance from the University of Tennessee and the U.S. Forest Service.
Native to Asia, but now in the eastern U.S., HWA is a small aphid-like insect that feeds at the base of hemlock needles and can kill hemlocks in as few as three years. Hemlocks are slow-growing, long-lived evergreens that provide dense shade that keeps forests and streams cool throughout much of eastern Tennessee and contribute to the state’s scenic beauty. Hemlock loss can decrease property value by an estimated 20 percent, not including the cost of removal. HWA has been found in most of its native range in Tennessee, including Sequatchie County, although there is still time to take preventative measures in many areas.
Private land conservation of hemlocks is important to ensuring preservation of Tennessee’s hemlock forests. In the Cumberland Plateau, the Tennessee Hemlock Conservation Partnership estimates more than 67,620 acres of forest with a substantial hemlock component on private lands. On public lands, the partnership estimates 78,849 acres of forest with a substantial hemlock component.