Hemlock trees are a critical component of the southern Appalachian ecosystem. The shady, cove environment created by forested hemlock stands is important for forest diversity in a general sense, and specifically, in terms of plant and animal biodiversity in both aquatic and terrestrial environments.

Hemlocks are under severe threat from the hemlock wooly adelgid (HWA) – a small aphid-like invasive insect that extracts nutrients, weakens, and eventually kills the tree. Join NCWF Swannanoa Valley WILD! as they welcome Olivia Hall from The Hemlock Restoration Initiative to learn about the Lingering Hemlock Project, which aims to support resistance breeding in hemlock trees for long-term control against hemlock woolly adelgid. This workshop will include time in the classroom and outside hands-on in the field.

This Lingering Hemlock Project is a subset of Tree Species in Peril, a The Nature Conservancy project to further development of pest-resistant native tree species at risk from invasive pests. It focuses specifically on locating and breeding resistant hemlock trees. The Lingering Hemlock Project is a coalition of academic institutions, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Each partner in the coalition plays a different role in the development of HWA-resistant hemlock trees, an ambitious but promising goal.

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