Can you help us protect hemlock trees that sustain important fish habitat this fall?
The towering eastern hemlock tree has been a defining feature of the forest in Mi’kma’ki for millennia. With individual trees living more than 400 years, hemlocks form the lush and shady old growth stands that characterize some of Nova Scotia’s most iconic woodlands. Beyond the beauty and magical feel of the forest, old hemlocks provide critical shelter for wildlife, shade and cool fish-bearing waterways, and soak up atmospheric carbon to combat climate change. Today, Nova Scotia’s hemlock forests are under attack. A prolific and invasive pest called the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) is killing hemlock trees across the southwest of the province, and moving rapidly northward. HWA sucks tree sap and starves the tree of food and water, leading to near certain death. Actions like reducing firewood transport and enhanced forest monitoring are important to prevent the spread of HWA. But unfortunately, the fast-moving HWA has left these efforts falling far short. Keeping our hemlocks alive now requires a small, specialized pesticide injection directly into the tree’s lower trunk. A single injection allows a hemlock to survive for 4-7 years before requiring retreatment.
To date, there has been little support for private landowners facing the rapid stand decline the HWA can bring on. This new program will treat hemlocks that line rivers and streams on private lands, protecting valuable riparian habitats while giving landowners hoping to save their trees a fighting chance. We expect to hold more events this fall and in years to come, thanks to the ongoing support of donors to our ‘Hemlock Conservation Legacy Fund’.
The first two scheduled events are happening Saturday Oct 19th and 26th.
Join organizers Donna Crossland (VP Nature Nova Scotia) and Simon Ryder-Burbidge to conserve both hemlock and fish habitat!
Learn more and sign up at nshemlock.ca, or go to the links below to register directly:
Sat Oct 19 : Gehue’s Brook.: First dirt road east of 7466 Highway 201 (across from Mount Hanley Road intersection)
Sat Oct 26 : Fales River Trail Park, 898 Fales River Drive, Greenwood, NS- This is a joint event with CARP (Clean Annapolis River Project) and we will explore digger logs and other structures put in place there to help the salmon.
Questions? Reach out to info@naturens.ca
