Next Board Meeting
April 18
Hemlock Help
for Homeowners
Who's Responsible for Our Trees?
n USDA Forest Service - National forests
n GA Forestry Commission - Georgia's forest resources
n GA Dept of Natural Resources - State parks, campgrounds, and historic sites
n YOU -- Your private property
The Bad News -- and Why You Should Care
Hemlocks all over north Georgia are being attacked and killed by the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), and the beauty and value of your property are being threatened. If aggressive action is not taken soon to address this problem, the results could be devastating and perhaps irreversible.
n
loss of certain shade-loving native
plants
and the rise of invasive plants
n
loss of certain animal species that
depend
on Hemlocks
for food and habitat
n
loss of the cool stream temperatures
that
trout need
n decline in the scenic enjoyment of our mountains
n
closure of trails and recreation areas
due to the
danger
of falling trees
n increase in soil erosion
n degradation of water and air quality
n
decline in revenue from outdoor
enthusiasts and
tourism and the associated jobs
n increased exposure to drought
n decline in the beauty and value of your property
n expense to remove dangerous dead trees
The Good News -- Help is Here
SAVE GEORGIA'S HEMLOCKS has launched Hemlock Help for Homeowners, a program of education and service to help north Georgia property owners save as many of your hemlocks as possible for the lowest cost. It was rolled out first in Rabun County where the HWA infestation began and is also available in Habersham, White, Towns, Fannin, Union, and Gilmer Counties. The program will be deployed across the state on a county-by-county basis wherever the HWA is a serious threat; Murray County will be added this spring.
As the program is implemented in each county, free public Hemlock Help Clinics are held to give homeowners more information about the HWA problem and available solutions, economical steps they can take to save their own trees, and the help that is available through Save Georgia's Hemlocks. In additional, homeowner associations are encouraged to take advantage of our Neighborhood Hemlock Help Planning service to help them develop a customized plan for addressing the HWA problem in their own community efficiently, effectively, and economically.
Hemlock Help Clinic Schedule
Hemlock Help Clinics and other
Save Georgia's Hemlocks activities for spring and early summer are being
scheduled now. Here are the ones that are known at this time. As
others are added, they'll be posted here.
|
Tues., 3/9 2:45 - 4 p.m. |
SGH
presentation and tree planting for the Junior Gardeners of Clarkesville Elementary School and the Katie Bugs in Habersham County, sponsored by the Clarkesville Garden Club. |
|
Thurs.,
3/18 7 - 8:30 p.m. |
SGH
Hemlock Help Clinic, sponsored by the Towns County Extension Service. Location is the Senior Building next to the Courthouse on River Street in Hiawassee. Free and open to the public. |
|
Sat.,
3/27 Noon - 1:30 p.m. |
SGH
Hemlock Help Clinic, sponsored by Copper Ridge Homeowners Association. Location is the United Community Bank on Morrison Moore Pkwy in Dahlonega. Free and open to the public. |
|
Thurs, 4/1 6 - 7:30 p.m. |
SGH Hemlock
Help Clinic, sponsored by the Rabun County Extension Service. Location is the County Extension Service, 41 Jo Dotson Circle, next to the Public Library in Clayton. Free and open to the public. |
|
Sat., 4/10 1 - 6 p.m. |
Hemlock Help
Clinic and Facilitator Training, facilitated by Save Georgia's Hemlocks and cosponsored by the Benton MacKaye Trail Association, the Chattanooga Nature Center, Reflection Riding, and the Lookout Mountain Conservancy. Location is the Chattanooga Nature Center auditorium, 400 Garden Rd. in Chattanooga. Free and open to the public. Click here for more information. |
|
Sat., 4/24 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. |
SGH booth and
presentation at 2010 Earth Day Celebration. Location is Crane Creek Vineyards, 916 Crane Creek Rd. in Young Harris. Free and open to the public. |
|
Sun., 5/16 3 - 3:30 p.m. |
SGH presentation at the
Wildflower Festival of the Arts by invitation of Georgia Mountains Master Gardeners. Location is Hancock Park in Dahlonega. Free and open to the public. |
SGH Hemlock Help Clinics and presentations are free and open to the public unless specifically noted in the schedule. A typical Hemlock Help Clinic lasts one and a half to two hours (but can be adjusted) and includes:
n Slide presentation on the problem with the woolly adelgid, the options for homeowners to save their hemlocks at the lowest possible cost, and the services available through the Hemlock Help for Homeowners program for all of north Georgia
n Hands-on demonstration on using a soil injector to treat hemlocks
n Educational hand-out materials that you are welcome to reproduce and share freely
n Plenty of time for questions and answers
Save Georgia's Hemlocks will be glad to schedule special presentations for homeowner associations, conservation and recreation organizations, schools, churches, and other community groups. Call the Hemlock Help Line 706-429-8010 to set up a time.
Key Program Features
Initial Services -- As Hemlock Help for Homeowners is implemented in each county, these core features will be available immediately:
n Education: Free public clinics, educational materials, and publicity to raise awareness of the HWA problem and solutions.
n Advice: Hemlock Help Line 706-429-8010 to receive your calls, address questions and concerns, provide accurate up-to-date information and advice, and keep necessary records.
n DIY Support: Placement of soil injectors for borrowing (most of which are provided by the Georgia Forestry Commission), information on purchasing treatment products, and treatment instructions for property owners wanting to do the work themselves.
n Professionals: A list of qualified local companies that specialize in saving hemlocks along with their average rates for property owners who prefer to contract with a professional to treat their trees.
n Training: Facilitator training for volunteers who want to be able to help their neighbors. See Facilitator Job Description.
Additional Services -- After the initial rollout, the program will also provide:
n Hemlock Help Project Management: Advice and planning for managing the health of the hemlocks in your community -- available to individuals and groups. Please see Neighborhood Hemlock Help Planning Guide.
n New Trees: Healthy hemlock saplings for planting or reforestation, small ones free to good homes, larger ones (3-5') available in exchange for a donation.
How the Program Works
1. Inspect your hemlocks and see if they're infested with woolly adelgids. The adelgids themselves are almost too tiny to see with the naked eye, but their egg sacs are easily visible, especially in the spring and late fall/winter. They look like the white cottony end of a Q-tip, as shown in this photo.
2.
If you see ANY adelgids on even one of
your trees, plan to treat ALL the hemlocks you want to save and
do so as soon as possible. Call the Hemlock Help Line
706-429-8010 to learn about the treatment options, services available, costs,
and resources.
3. If you want to contract with a professional to treat your trees, the Hemlock Help Line can supply the names of some qualified local companies along with their contact information and average rate structure. You should shop and compare the services and rates offered by each company. (See Contacts page for a list of professionals.)
4. If you want to treat your own trees, click on the treatment instructions or call the Hemlock Help Line for details on assessing the level of HWA infestation, determining the appropriate treatment product and method, measuring your trees, estimating the amount of chemical needed, and where to obtain it in the most economical manner.
a. Measure the trunk diameter at breast height for all the trees you want to treat and add up for a total.
b. Based on the chart in the treatment instructions, you can estimate the amount of product needed and purchase it from one of the sources listed on the Contacts page.
c. When you have the treatment product in hand, make arrangements to borrow an injector from one of the sources listed on the Contacts page.
d. Treat your hemlocks according to the treatment instructions.
e. Clean the injector and return it.
NOTE: When you borrow an injector, you should receive a copy of the instructions on how to do the treatment and may also request some brief hands-on training. You will be asked to leave a deposit which will be returned when you bring the injector back.
The Cost
Hemlock Help for Homeowners is designed to operate as a no-cost or low-cost charitable community service. Here are the general cost guidelines.
| Service | Cost | |
| Education -- Hemlock Help Clinics, Facilitator training, presentations, educational materials, publicity materials. Available through Hemlock Help Line. | Free* | |
| Advice -- Information about the problem and available solutions, on-site consultations, assistance in forest health management. Available through Hemlock Help Line. | Free* | |
| Healthy hemlock saplings -- and instructions for planting and maintaining them. Available through Hemlock Help Line. | Small ones (12-24" tall) free to good homes! Larger ones (3-5' tall) available in exchange for donation.* | |
| Borrowing a soil injector -- In most cases, available from the Forestry Commission Office or County Extension Service in your county. See locations on Contacts page. | Free.* A deposit is requested at the time of borrowing and is refunded upon return. | |
| Purchasing a soil injector -- Some homeowner associations or other groups may choose to do this to ensure ready availability of injectors. See equipment vendors on Contacts page. | As low as $275 plus tax and shipping. | |
|
Treating your own hemlocks -- Homeowner is responsible for purchasing
the required chemical. See list of
treatment product vendors
on Contacts page.
|
Cost
is based on level of infestation, size of trunk diameter, and treatment
product used.
|
|
|
Hiring a professional to treat your
hemlocks -- Homeowner contracts directly with the professional and
negotiates the cost.
See list of
qualified professionals
on Contacts page. n Lightly/moderately infested tree using Imidacloprid n Heavily infested or very large tree using Safari |
Cost is based on level of infestation, size of trunk diameter, and
treatment product used.
"Good neighbor" rates should fall
within the following
average ranges: About $1.00 - $2.00 / inch About $3.00 - $9.00 / inch |
*Donations to Save Georgia's Hemlocks are much needed and greatly appreciated. Contributions will be tax-deductible, and a tax receipt will be provided. If you'd care to donate, please make your check payable to Save Georgia's Hemlocks and mail it to:
Save Georgia's Hemlocks
37 Woody Bend
Dahlonega, GA 30533.
More Information about Hemlock Help for Homeowners
n Call the Hemlock Help Line 706-429-8010.
n Press Release -- Announcement of the program launch in The Clayton Tribune and The Rabun Town Crier.
n Program Description (updated 3/2/10) -- Planning document including problem statement, program goal and objectives, guiding principles, scope, program services, and implementation plan.
n Facilitator Job Description (updated 2/9/10) -- Overview of service opportunities and activities for individuals interested in helping their neighbors better understand the HWA problem and choose the best option for managing the health of their hemlocks.
n SAVE GEORGIA'S HEMLOCKS (updated 3/7/10) -- PowerPoint presentation that defines the problem with the hemlock woolly adelgid, explains options for homeowners to save their hemlocks at the lowest possible cost, and introduces the services available through the Hemlock Help for Homeowners program for all of north Georgia.
Also see the Resources page for printed Save Georgia's Hemlocks materials, related articles and publications, and a list of helpful web sites.