Saving Hemlock Trees at High Point Preserve

The hemlock woolly adelgid is a small, non-native insect that is killing hemlock trees in the northeast, and Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, is no exception. The Edward L. Rose Conservancy is helping stop this insect in its tracks at High Point Preserve in Silver Lake Township. The Conservancy raised over $9,000 to address this issue thanks to generous contributions from 28 individual and families at Silver Lake. The money raised paid for 87 trees to be treated! The chemical treatment will last for up to 7 years, and hopefully a biological control will become available in the meantime.

Hemlock trees often grow next to water and the shading they provide helps maintain cool water temperatures for fish and other aquatic organisms. They also provide important and unique habitat and food resources for wildlife. Therefore, the loss of these trees could have far-reaching effects. Sudden and widespread death of hemlock trees at Silver Lake could cause soil erosion on steep slopes. The cooling shade which hemlock trees now provide along the waters’ edge would be lost, and could contribute to warmer water temperatures, and increased algal blooms. Thankfully, by partnering with the Silver Lake Association and the local community, these negative effects will be prevented, and the beautiful view enjoyed by so many will remain.

A video showing some perspectives of the beautiful Hemlock trees being treated  can be seen here:   https://youtu.be/jkmtsbMNJEI

The Edward L. Rose Conservancy is a land trust working to protect land, water, wildlife, and scenic beauty in northeast Pennsylvania and the southern tier of New York. Visit us on the web at elrose.org