Status of hemlocks

[genetic claybuilding]

How badly have the hemlocks been affected by the woolly adeligid? I was reading a book published in 2008, that said there are only a few healthy hemlocks left in the GSMNP. What are your observations from the trail?

[hikerboy57]

new york has been hit pretty hard, although there are stands completely needleness and healthy trees among them, a bit strange, but maybe they are beginning to adapt?

[Pedaling Fool]

They're looking at various biological controls, such as various species of beetles to control the populations. But also doing some trials on hybridization http://nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/inv...brid_hemlocks/

[Nutbrown]

There are only small sections along the east coast that are being treated. It is a devastating problem. Enjoy them while you still can.

[Suckerfish]

I was just in the Joyce Kilmer National Forest in NC and they are all dying, in fact the park services just finished cutting down several of them along the trail in fear of one falling on someone.

Very sad indeed, eventually there will be no hemlocks left standing on the entire east coast.

[Tipi Walter]

I was just in the Joyce Kilmer National Forest in NC and they are all dying, in fact the park services just finished cutting down several of them along the trail in fear of one falling on someone.

Very sad indeed, eventually there will be no hemlocks left standing on the entire east coast.

The forest honchos used dynamite in the Kilmer Memorial Forest to bring down several dead hemlocks---their reasoning being that a dynamited tree looks more natural than a sawed tree. Crazy and over-thought and unneeded. Instead they should have just let the trees fall naturally. So what if it screws up their fancy loop trail in the Memorial?

Anyway, most of the hemlocks in the Citico/Slickrock are dead---a free market economy is responsible as the woolly adelgid came from Japan in 1924 and hit Pennsylvania by 1967. As the Native Americans have always said, immigrants have ruined this country---in this case it's a bug.

[Hikes in Rain]

First the chestnut, now the hemlock....

[JansportD2]

I walked from Harper's Ferry to Pearisburg this July. Almost all of the hemlocks are dead. The few living ones are on their last legs.

[Wise Old Owl]

How badly have the hemlocks been affected by the woolly adeligid? I was reading a book published in 2008, that said there are only a few healthy hemlocks left in the GSMNP. What are your observations from the trail?

Pa old growth has been DECIMATED, there are so few acres left and will be dead in your lifetime...

[Montana AT05]

I am pretty sure Socrates is behind this.

[Wise Old Owl]

I am sure global goods/raw material transportation without pest control is behind it.

Washington DC Cherry Trees that imported Japanese Beetle...As the name suggests, the Japanese beetle is native to Japan. The insect was first found in the United States in 1916 in a nursery near Riverton, New Jersey. It is thought the beetle larvae entered the United States in a shipment of iris bulbs prior to 1912, when inspections of commodities entering the country began. "The first Japanese beetle found in Canada was in a tourist's car at Yarmouth, arriving in Nova Scotia by ferry from Maine in 1939. During the same year, three additional adults were captured at Yarmouth and three at Lacolle in southern Quebec."^[2] In 1912, the people of Japan sent 3,020 cherry trees to the United States as a gift of friendship. First Lady Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese Ambassador, planted the first two cherry trees on the northern bank of the Tidal Basin. These two original trees are still standing today near the John Paul Jones statue at the south end of 17th Street. Workmen planted the remainder of the trees around the Tidal Basin and East Potomac Park. Learn more about the history of the cherry blossoms here.

Ships that were from the orient brought in goods to the great lakes - carried Zebra Mussels

Ships brought in lumber from the orient - killed the chestnut tree - blight. 1810

I will say this I have some knowledge that folks can appreciate... Stink Bugs were the direct result of Walmart goods delivered to Allentown some 20 years ago.


The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) is a wood-boring beetle accidentally introduced to North America from eastern Asia via solid wood packing material in the late 1980s to early 1990s. It has killed tens of millions of trees in 15 states in the United States and adjacent Ontario. It threatens some 7 billion ash trees in North America. Research is being conducted ( IN NEW CASTLE DE ) to determine if three native Asian wasps, who are natural predators of EAB could be used as a biological control for the management of EAB populations in the United States. The public is being cautioned not to transport unfinished wood products, such as firewood, to slow the spread of this insect pest.^[6]

[Theosus]

I am pretty sure Socrates is behind this.

"I just drank WHAT?" -Socrates.

[Pedaling Fool]

Well, I guess we can all blame Columbus

Some interesting books by Charles C. Mann

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1491:_N...efore_Columbus


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1493:_U...lumbus_Created

[Suckerfish]

The forest honchos used dynamite in the Kilmer Memorial Forest to bring down several dead hemlocks---their reasoning being that a dynamited tree looks more natural than a sawed tree. Crazy and over-thought and unneeded. Instead they should have just let the trees fall naturally. So what if it screws up their fancy loop trail in the Memorial?

Anyway, most of the hemlocks in the Citico/Slickrock are dead---a free market economy is responsible as the woolly adelgid came from Japan in 1924 and hit Pennsylvania by 1967. As the Native Americans have always said, immigrants have ruined this country---in this case it's a bug.

Yep, we heard that is why the trees looked that way, or the stumps anyway, to be more natural. Honestly it upset my girlfriend, she said it ruined the entire experience walking around there only to see one tree after another blown up along the trail.

I said the exact same thing you stated, just let them fall naturally. The park service guy, who just happened to be there at the time said oh no, they couldnt risk a tree falling on someone walking, LOL. Hey not sure about you but if a tree started to fall I think I could get out of the way.

[Suckerfish]

Yep, we heard that is why the trees looked that way, or the stumps anyway, to be more natural. Honestly it upset my girlfriend, she said it ruined the entire experience walking around there only to see one tree after another blown up along the trail.

I said the exact same thing you stated, just let them fall naturally. The park service guy, who just happened to be there at the time said oh no, they couldnt risk a tree falling on someone walking, LOL. Hey not sure about you but if a tree started to fall I think I could get out of the way.

BTW here are some pics we took at the Joyce Kilmer National Forest...

[HikerMom58]

Wow, it's sad...we have to deal with bugs killing our trees and bugs annoying the heck out of us... stink bugs.

[Pedaling Fool]

Yep, we heard that is why the trees looked that way, or the stumps anyway, to be more natural. Honestly it upset my girlfriend, she said it ruined the entire experience walking around there only to see one tree after another blown up along the trail.

I said the exact same thing you stated, just let them fall naturally. The park service guy, who just happened to be there at the time said oh no, they couldnt risk a tree falling on someone walking, LOL. Hey not sure about you but if a tree started to fall I think I could get out of the way.

Actually, falling trees and limbs (which usually falls before the entire tree falls) is a hazard not to take lightly

http://www.wbir.com/news/article/225...ees-in-Smokies

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?se...cal&id=8720172

http://www.wmctv.com/story/14899727/...-elderly-woman

http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2012/...rly-2-million/

http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/06/01/47025.htm

[Papa D]

Tulip Poplar is and will continue to be Joyce Kilmer Giant - fwiw - I know where several huge Buckeyes and Virgin Black Cherry Trees are (of trail indeed) are in Joyce Kilmer / Slickrock - - it's possible that even Tipi Walter hasn't been to some of the spots - - off trail between Stiffknee Trail and Big Stack Gap Branch Trail for the Buckeyes and off trail between Nutbuster and Hangover Lead for the Black Cherries that are in remarkably good shape - - indeed the hemlocks are dying - - very very sad to me.

[Another Kevin]

Yeah, I'm glad that I was born early enough to see some magnificent stands of hemlock.


Majestic hemlocks by ke9tv, on Flickr

[Tipi Walter]

Tulip Poplar is and will continue to be Joyce Kilmer Giant - fwiw - I know where several huge Buckeyes and Virgin Black Cherry Trees are (of trail indeed) are in Joyce Kilmer / Slickrock - - it's possible that even Tipi Walter hasn't been to some of the spots - - off trail between Stiffknee Trail and Big Stack Gap Branch Trail for the Buckeyes and off trail between Nutbuster and Hangover Lead for the Black Cherries that are in remarkably good shape - - indeed the hemlocks are dying - - very very sad to me.

On a trip back in 2009 I tried to bushwack between the Kilmer Memorial loops and connect to the Stratton Ridge/Horse Cove trail and stumbled on these giants in an uphill valley of rocks---



A typical hemlock.



Another big hemlock off trail below Horse Cove Ridge in Slickrock wilderness. The below shot in out of the bushwack and inside the Kilmer loops at the biggest poplar.