HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID…
More than fifty years ago the Hemlock Woolley Adelgid (HWA) native to Asia, was first spotted in the U.S. near Richmond, VA.
Since then, this invasive pest has destroyed the majority of the Eastern Hemlocks in the Shenandoah Mountains and the
Great Smokey Mountains.
Five years ago the HWA was discovered in the largest and oldest stand of Eastern Hemlocks left in the Eastern United States, our own Cook Forest State Park. The Park staff has been working hard to try to save these ancient hemlocks in what has been proclaimed as a National Natural Landmark. The park service has been using pesticides, the introduction of an HWA egg eating beetle, and manpower (including Friends of Cook Forest volunteers), searching through Cook Forest State Park to find where this pest has infested. Through the Friends of Cook Forest newsletter & web site, we will keep you up-to-date on the progress protecting Cook Forest State Park’s treasured Eastern Hemlocks. Prolonged freezing temperatures were a blessing to Cook Forest State Park a few years ago. It was estimated that the sub zero temperatures killed 95% of the HWA in Cook Forest State Park that year. But the HWA that survived soon multiplied. Each egg produces around 250 offspring. The Friends Group is keeping up to date on the latest survival findings of the HWA since the 2018 winter season.
So far the findings show that a lot of good did come from the extended cold this winter. According to the Cook Forest State Park Office a couple sample areas of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid have been tested for the HWA survival rate this winter. The office says that according to the samples collected by Tim Tomon, our region’s forest program specialist, the sample came back better than 90% kills, if not 100% kills. The Cook Forest park office notes that this doesn’t mean all the HWA is gone from Cook Forest. But from those two samples that were collected, it shows the HWA had a very hard time surviving this winter of 2018.
Cook Forest State Park has been fortunate to have Wild Excellence Films donate their time and talents to produce a
documentary on the plight of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid and the fight to save the ancient hemlocks of Cooks Forest. This beautiful and informative documentary, Cathedral: The Fight to Save the Ancient Hemlocks of Cook Forest, was first shown at Cook Forest Sawmill Center for the Arts in July of 2017. It has now been traveling to different locations throughout Pennsylvania. All proceeds and donations collected from these viewings go into the fund to save the ancient hemlocks in Cook Forest State Park. All are welcome to attend upcoming showings. Please check back for the latest viewings.
Since then, this invasive pest has destroyed the majority of the Eastern Hemlocks in the Shenandoah Mountains and the
Great Smokey Mountains.
Five years ago the HWA was discovered in the largest and oldest stand of Eastern Hemlocks left in the Eastern United States, our own Cook Forest State Park. The Park staff has been working hard to try to save these ancient hemlocks in what has been proclaimed as a National Natural Landmark. The park service has been using pesticides, the introduction of an HWA egg eating beetle, and manpower (including Friends of Cook Forest volunteers), searching through Cook Forest State Park to find where this pest has infested. Through the Friends of Cook Forest newsletter & web site, we will keep you up-to-date on the progress protecting Cook Forest State Park’s treasured Eastern Hemlocks. Prolonged freezing temperatures were a blessing to Cook Forest State Park a few years ago. It was estimated that the sub zero temperatures killed 95% of the HWA in Cook Forest State Park that year. But the HWA that survived soon multiplied. Each egg produces around 250 offspring. The Friends Group is keeping up to date on the latest survival findings of the HWA since the 2018 winter season.
So far the findings show that a lot of good did come from the extended cold this winter. According to the Cook Forest State Park Office a couple sample areas of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid have been tested for the HWA survival rate this winter. The office says that according to the samples collected by Tim Tomon, our region’s forest program specialist, the sample came back better than 90% kills, if not 100% kills. The Cook Forest park office notes that this doesn’t mean all the HWA is gone from Cook Forest. But from those two samples that were collected, it shows the HWA had a very hard time surviving this winter of 2018.
Cook Forest State Park has been fortunate to have Wild Excellence Films donate their time and talents to produce a
documentary on the plight of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid and the fight to save the ancient hemlocks of Cooks Forest. This beautiful and informative documentary, Cathedral: The Fight to Save the Ancient Hemlocks of Cook Forest, was first shown at Cook Forest Sawmill Center for the Arts in July of 2017. It has now been traveling to different locations throughout Pennsylvania. All proceeds and donations collected from these viewings go into the fund to save the ancient hemlocks in Cook Forest State Park. All are welcome to attend upcoming showings. Please check back for the latest viewings.
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Please enjoy this trailer of Cathedral: The Fight to Save the Ancient Hemlocks of Cook Forest, courtesy of filmmakers David and Melissa Rohm of Wild Excellence Films. |
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How you can join the fight to save the ancient hemlocks... With your tax deductible donation, you can help the Friends of Cook Forest and Cook Forest State Park continue treating the stands of the glorious hemlocks at Cook Forest. Click here to make a secure online donation. When the Donation page appears you may continue without logging in. Donations can also be made by check made payable to "PA Parks & Forests Foundation" with "Friends of Cook Forest/HWA Donation" on the memo line and mailed to: Friends of Cook Forest
PO Box 31 Cooksburg, PA 16217 Thank you for your help! The Friends of Cook Forest is a chapter of the PA Parks and Forests Foundation (PPFF). PPFF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions to PPFF are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. The official registration of PPFF may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free within Pennsylvania 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
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HWA treatment at Cook Forest State Park.
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Below are some different ways HWA have been treated at Cook Forest State Park...
Pesticides & man (& woman!)-power!
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HWA egg eating beetles
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