Among the oldest, most majestic trees in our forests are the hemlocks. Isolated stands of them date back 500 years or more.
For decades, hemlocks in eastern states, most notably in the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains, have been under assault by an invasive species, the hemlock wooly adelgid. The tiny insect has devastated some hemlock forests, and it has made its way through much of West Virginia and into eastern Ohio.
U.S. Forest Service officials have identified 40 sites in the Monongahela National Forest for treatment of hemlocks to protect them against the adelgid. The forest, entirely in West Virginia, includes some of the state’s most beautiful, naturally significant places.
Unfortunately, the cost of safeguarding hemlocks against the adelgid is high. Treatment is an expensive, ongoing project, so the entire Monongahela National Forest cannot be protected. A large number of hemlocks will be infested and killed unless a new, more practical method is found to treat the trees.
I am Jeff Clark, founder of Internet Brothers, producer of this blog, and passionate about hiking. My regular hiking companions have designated me the lead hiker, so I suppose that makes me the slowest Meanderthal. I live in Western NC near the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests are just out my door, so the content will focus on these areas, but let me know what you would like to see on the site. 
Recent Comments