Conservation Eastern Hemlock

I want to travel to National Wildlife Refuges, National Parks, and other natural areas around the United States and the world. Since caches aren't allowed in many of these locations, take a photo of me near a sign or other landmark and include it in your log! I'd also love to attend Cache In Trash Out and other service events. Post photos of those too!

If you can't take me to one of these places or events, that's alright - just drop me in another cache. Please don't keep me!

Also, please don't disturb any of my fellow plants or wildlife while you enjoy yourself outdoors. We know we're beautiful and cute, but we'd prefer if you enjoy us from a distance.

Thanks!

Probably called a "pine tree" by most people, the eastern hemlock (or Canadian hemlock if you're Canadian), Tsuga canadensis, is a species of conifer native to the eastern United States and Canada. Hemlock trees have small cones and short, rounded needles with two white stripes on their underside. These trees often grow along the banks of small streams, providing shade and keeping the water cool which is essential for aquatic life. They also help to prevent erosion.

Sadly, the easten hemlock population is under attack from an invasive insect called the hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae. This pest was accidentally introduced from Japan in the 1950s. It feeds on the sap of small branches, taking energy from infested trees, and infestation can eventually lead to death of the tree. A tree infested with woolly adelgid can be identified by puffy white egg sacks present on the underside of branches.

In Japan, natural predators keep the population of hemlock woolly adelgid under control. However, no natural predators of the adelgid exist in eastern North America. It is estimated that up to 90% of the hemlock's range in the United States has been affected. Several methods are used to treat infested trees, including chemical treatments and relasing other insects that feed on the adelgid.

The hemlock woolly adelgid is not a natural part of the ecosystem of eastern North America. As often happens when species are introduced to areas in which they are not native, the adelgid is negatively impacting our ecosystem.

Responsible transportation of people and products is important to keep insects and other species where they belong and to keep native species like the eastern hemlock around. Making people aware of the plight of species like the hemlock and teaching them about the importance of sharing the world with wildlife is an important step toward conserving these species.

Eastern hemlock infested with hemlock woolly adelgid
Photo credit: Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, Bugwood.org
CC BY 3.0 US

Thanks for taking a moment to learn about the eastern hemlock and invasive species. I hope you'll feel inspired to do your part to help our planet.

- facklere

More information:

Information about controlling the hemlock woolly adelgid from the National Park Service
Information about invasive species from the U.S. Department of Agriculture
More detailed information about the hemlock woolly adelgid (PDF document) from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)

Learn more about Cache In Trash Out, an initiative by geocachers to clean up natural spaces and parks while doing what we love.