| Blanton
Forest - HWA update |
Neil
Pederson |
| Nov
30, 2006 15:01 PST |
Hi
All,
As this thread is an update on hemlock in the southern
Appalachian Mtns, I
hate to tell ENTS that HWA has been detected in southeastern
Kentucky;
Harlan County, specifically.
I recently got word, unfortunately, that it is likely that HWA
has been
found in Blanton Forest in Harlan County. Blanton Forest is one
of the
premier old-growth forests in KY. 'Discovered' just over a
decade ago,
Blanton is a ~ 2000 acre tract of mostly uncut forest. Recent
sampling
across the preserve indicates many 250-300+ yr old white and
chestnut oaks
and a few ~300 yr old hemlocks. It also has a population of bear
and elk
live in the area. A preliminary survey several yrs ago suggested
the
earthworms are native! It is a nice piece of woods. For those of
you who can
make the trip or are in the area, visit it while it is still
whole:
http://www.knlt.org/blanton.htm
http://www.naturepreserves.ky.gov/stewardship/blanton.htm
Neil
|
| RE:
Southern Appalachian hemlock update |
Will
Blozan |
| Nov
30, 2006 16:44 PST |
Neil,
Any idea what the management strategy is for HWA in Blanton
Forest?
Will
|
| Re:
Southern Appalachian hemlock update |
Neil
Pederson |
| Dec
01, 2006 05:00 PST |
Will,
Not yet. The forest steward there, Merril Flanary, has been
preparing for
this over the past 5-6 months in that she has been contacting
people with
knowledge on HWA and studying the issue for Blanton. She got a
group of Boy
Scouts together to search for it a month or so ago. So, she is
trying to be
proactive.
Unfortunately, the Kentucky Natural Lands Trust [KNLT], the
group who is one
of the prime managers of the tract, is not financially strong at
the moment;
I would guess they are not yet strong enough to tackle this
issue on their
own. Having said that, KY does have a Forest Health Task Force
discussing
HWA and emerald ash borer. We have a meeting in a couple weeks.
I would
guess there will be discussion on how this will might be
handled. Luckily
there is a surplus in the KY state budget this yr. Maybe this
will get some
of the dribblings from that pot?
Will, with all of your expertise on this subject, perhaps you
could share
some advice with John Obrycki [head to task force], Joyce Bender
[on task
force and KY State Nature Preserves manager] or Hugh Archer or
Merril of
KNLT? I know all are very concerned about this.
Like I said earlier, it is likely that HWA is in Blanton. I've
not heard the
final, official results yet. In either case, it is within 30 or
so miles.
Neil
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