Pisgah Forest, NC – On the afternoon of Wednesday, January 22, thirty community volunteers joined representatives from The Pisgah Conservancy, Adventure Scientists, and the Hemlock Restoration Initiative to conduct a citizen science project in the Shining Rock Wilderness Area of Pisgah National Forest.
“It’s always exciting to support unique projects in Pisgah and engage with volunteers who are eager to contribute,” said Simon Farr, Trails and Recreation Technician for The Pisgah Conservancy. “Leading a group up the infamously steep Old Butt Trail took us out of typical hemlock habitat but looking across the valley into the Shining Rock Wilderness Area - that’s an image that inspires. I’m grateful to assist and advise whenever a partner wants to conduct important work like this on the Pisgah Ranger District.”
This volunteer field day was part of a large-scale ‘Tracking Eastern Hemlock’ project Adventure Scientists is leading this spring to track eastern hemlock populations in select national forests in North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and New York.
Alison Ormsby, Forest Specialist with Adventure Scientists, emphasized the important role volunteers can play by collecting data about eastern hemlocks. "Eastern hemlocks provide vital forest benefits, including wildlife habitat, keeping water cool in streams to support river life, and helping to stabilize soil and prevent erosion."
The southern Appalachian Mountains are home to two species of hemlock: the eastern or Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) and the Carolina hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana).
The eastern hemlock occurs up and down the east coast from Canada to Alabama, spreading as far west as Minnesota. Affectionately nicknamed the ‘redwood of the east’, it can live for over 500 years and reach heights of more than 170 feet. It is typically found in riparian areas, growing along headwater streams, in moist, shady groves, and on north facing slopes. – Via the Hemlock Restoration Initiative
Unfortunately, an insect called the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) – which is native to Japan and China – was first observed on a hemlock tree in the eastern United States in the early 1950s and it has been causing alarming mortality rates of hemlock trees ever since.
Through the ‘Tracking Eastern Hemlock’ project, Adventure Scientists aims to identify and document “lingering” eastern hemlock trees that appear to have survived HWA infestations and may possess genetic resistance to it.
By locating these resilient trees, they aim to support conservation efforts to breed and propagate resistant hemlocks, aiding in the restoration of these vital forest ecosystems.
Volunteers split into small groups led by staff members from each organization and hiked nearby trails to search for “lingering” eastern hemlock trees.
When they encountered an eastern hemlock tree, volunteers used the TreeSnap mobile phone application and assessment training information provided by Adventure Scientists to document tree health and habitat characteristics, assess signs of HWA infestation, and record observations that will help Adventure Scientists and their research partners determine which trees are candidates for breeding and reforestation programs.
"We’re so glad to see everyone coming together for this important effort,” said Oliva Hall, Lingering Hemlock Outreach Project Coordinator for the Hemlock Restoration Initiative. “We play a complementary role by engaging primarily natural resource and conservation professionals in the search for lingering hemlocks, so it’s exciting to also witness the involvement of citizen scientists. This collaborative effort among agencies, organizations, and stakeholders is essential to the success of the project."
Adventure Scientists will be conducting the ‘Tracking Eastern Hemlock’ project through March 2025. To learn more about the project and ways to get involved, please visit https://www.adventurescientists.org/tracking-eastern-hemlocks.html.
The Pisgah Conservancy is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) whose mission is to work in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to provide key resources for the benefit of Pisgah and its visitors for generations to come. For more information, visit www.pisgahconservancy.org.