Hemlocks Need Your Help!
North Georgia’s hemlocks are in danger of almost total extinction due to a rapidly spreading infestation of the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), an invasive insect from Asia with no local natural predator. Hemlock stands are of vital importance to wildlife, water and air quality, local economy, and basic quality of life, and their loss would create problems of enormous scope and dire consequences.
Private property owners have the option to save as many of their own hemlocks as they desire, but organized efforts to raise awareness, promote action, and provide assistance have been extremely limited in most north Georgia counties. SAVE GEORGIA'S HEMLOCKS has implemented the Hemlock Help Program -- a statewide initiative of education and charitable service -- to address this urgent need in all the counties where hemlocks are threatened. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
To learn more, please attend one of our free public Hemlock Help Clinics.
The Stakes in the Hemlocks vs. Woolly Adelgids Battle
Aesthetically, these
beautiful trees contribute greatly to the enjoyment of those who live, work, and
play among them, as well as the many people who come to north Georgia for
tourism and recreation. What would your special place in the mountains
look like without hemlocks?
Environmentally, hemlocks play a key role in providing food and habitat for about 120 species of vertebrates and over 90 species of birds, shade for native plants, cool temperatures for trout streams, and protection for watersheds and water quality. How many environmental "dominoes" might fall if the hemlocks fall?
Economically, healthy mature trees such as hemlocks can add as much as 7-10% to homeowners' property values, provide the net cooling effect of 10 room-sized air conditioners running 20 hours a day, perform as much as $4,000 dollars worth of water purification per mature tree along our waterways, and save billions of dollars a year by filtering CO2 and other pollutants from the air as they produce oxygen for us to breathe. Can we afford to lose these valuable trees?
Some of Georgia's hemlocks have already died due to the woolly adelgid, and the majority of them are infested. Their decline here in the South is progressing more rapidly than many scientists originally predicted, with infested trees dying in as few as 3 - 6 years! 2010 and 2011 may be the "tipping point" years in which aggressive action can still make a difference.
Invitation to Help
Please join us. Your participation and support are much needed and very welcome! Click here for a membership form you can print and mail. Visit the How You Can Help page to learn about becoming a volunteer, contributing financially, and many other ways you can help save our hemlocks.
Also
check out our Facebook page to meet other members and join the cause!
Contact Information
| Telephone |
Hemlock
Help LineSM 706-429-8010 |
| U.S. Mail |
SAVE GEORGIA'S HEMLOCKS 37 Woody Bend, Dahlonega, GA 30533 |
| donna@savegeorgiashemlocks.org |
On the Contacts page, you'll find names and contact information for:
n Places to purchase HWA treatment products
n Places to borrow a Kioritz soil injector for free (just a refundable deposit)
n Places to purchase Kioritz soil injectors
n Qualified, licensed hemlock treatment professionals in north Georgia
n Places to purchase hemlock saplings