Take part in the hemlock woolly adelgid monitoring workshop

Cornell Plantations and the Department of Natural Resources are organizing a workshop aimed at training volunteers to identify and report new hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) infestations.  This newly arrived invasive insect pest threatens eastern hemlock trees and the biodiversity they support, causing a cascade of environmental changes for some amphibians, fish, invertebrates, and plants in response to the increased light and warmer temperatures.  Hemlock woolly adelgids were first reported in the central Finger Lakes region in mid-2008, but now inhabit at least 25 local sites.  Early detection of new sites is a high priority, and local conservation groups are organizing volunteer surveys as a critical first step in managing this devastating invasive species. 

The workshops will feature a presentation by Mark Whitmore on the adelgid’s biology and the threat it poses to local hemlock forests. Participants will visit Beebe Lake to observe hemlock woolly adelgids first-hand and gain experience in detection, monitoring, and reporting protocols. 

Participants will also have the opportunity to volunteer in the “Adopt-a-Hemlock” program to conduct surveys and report new infestations in local hemlock forests. Photo by Mark Whitmore.

The workshop will be held on Saturday, March 19th from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. at Plantations’ new Nevin Welcome Center in the Botanical Garden, located at One Plantations Road on the Cornell campus.

Pre-registration is not required.  Visit here for more information on hemlock woolly adelgid or to report new occurrences.