Forestry
Gypsy Moth | Hemlock Wooly Adelgid | Timber Harvesting
GYPSY MOTH
BLUE RIDGE SCOUT RESERVATION GYPSY MOTH ALERT
In 2008 we anticipate a serious threat to the Reservation forest from gypsy moths. In an effort to “slow the spread” of gypsy moths into and out of the Reservation, the council has adopted procedures to keep gypsy moth damage to a minimum.
April 1 to June 1
If you are coming to the Reservation from a gypsy moth quarantine area (virtually all states north and east of the Reservation), anytime during the period April 1–June 1 and plan to spend at least one night on the Reservation, please inspect your vehicle and camping equipment for gypsy moth egg masses. Inspection stations have been setup at the entrances to both camps Powhatan and Ottari for your convenience. Vehicle inspections must include the underside of the wheels, wheel wells, and axles to be effective.
June 20 to August 15
If you have been on the Reservation for one or more nights anytime during the period from June 20–August 15, please inspect your camping gear before packing and recheck your vehicle as you leave the property.
If you find gypsy moths, egg masses, or caterpillars
Please scrape the egg masses off and dispose of them in a tightly sealed plastic bag placed in a garbage container. Moths and caterpillars may be disposed of in a similar manner but remember to kill or squash them after placing them in the plastic bag.
Thank you for helping us slow the spread!
Gypsy Moth Management Plan
Addendum 1
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
Hemlock Wooly Adelgid
All over the Eastern United States, an insect invader called the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid is killing Hemlock trees. This is most noticeable if you go hiking along any of the Reservation's streams and bottomlands. Native to Japan, the first occurrence of the HWA in the eastern U.S. was near Richmond in the 1950's. By the 1980's, significant problems were apparent from Massachusetts to North Carolina, with the insect spreading 10-20 miles a year (Click Here To View Infestation Map). HWA has infested more than 50% of hemlock's native range and is in 17 of the 24 states in which hemlock grows. New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine have imposed strict quarantines in an effort to prevent the arrival of the critter in their states. Both Carolina and eastern hemlock are susceptible to HWA.
Like most Adelgid, HWA has a complex life cycle. There are two parthenogenic (all female and reproduce without mates) generations of HWA's a year. In October, the over-wintering generation (sistens) begins to feed on new hemlock needles. In February and March, the sistens lay between 100-300 eggs. They lay two types of eggs – some will hatch into winged migratory adelgids, which need to reproduce on spruce, although they have been found in areas with heavy HWA infestations and severely stressed hemlocks. These are generally not considered pests. The rest of the eggs hatch into wingless adelgids (progrediens). These crawlers are dispersed by wind, people, animals and birds. Eventually they settle at the base of hemlock needles and develop a white woolly waxy coating around their bodies this is what we usually see on infected trees. The settled progrediens, under the waxy coating, are black with a white fringe around the perimeter of their bodies. The progrediens lay eggs in June and July, which hatch out and become the sistens generation. The sistens also develop a waxy coating and are dormant at the base of the needles until October, when they begin feeding and the cycle goes around again.
You can identify infected trees simply by looking for white woolly sacs at the base of the needles. The adelgids damage hemlock by sucking the sap from new needles, first causing a grayish hue, then premature needle fall. They may also inject a salivary toxin into the needles. The stress of premature needle fall eventually leads to death in as little as four years, although some infected trees can survive up to 10 years or longer.
Why Are Hemlocks Important?
Viginia's forests have survived throughout the millennium by maintaining wide variety of biodiversity. In other words, if something attacks one plant then other resistant plants take its place (remember the American Chestnut tree?). Hemlocks occupy an important niche along Virginia's riparian zones (the areas around rivers and streams). Hemlocks are extremely important to aquatic animals because they provide shade that keeps the water cool and inhabitable while dropping rot resistant limbs into the water that provides shelter and spawning structure. In addition, hemlocks support a wide variety of microorganisms that survive beneath their sheltering boughs.
What are we doing to preserve our Hemlocks and maintain biodiversity?
Currently, the Blue Ridge Scout Reservation is protecting two stands of hemlock located at Hemlock Grove and Achgetum campsite. The trees have responded well to treatment and our hope is that they will outlast the infestation and eventually be able to reproduce and spread again in the future.
Timber Harvesting
RATIONALE FOR TIMBER CUTS ON THE BLUE RIDGE SCOUT RESERVATION
As a part of the developing forest management program on the Blue Ridge Scout Reservation, the Council Conservation Committee has begun two timber cuts on the property.
In order to mitigate the damage caused by the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid, the Council has purchased a new sawmill to turn salvaged Hemlock into lumber for future construction projects. Look for this rot resistant wood on the new Adirondacks at Camp Claytor Lake.
One of these cuts, the "Jersey Ridge Cut" is a salvage cut designed to provide for user safety, resource protection and retention of economic value. The other cut, the "King Ranch Area Cut", has been prescribed to improve the ecological health of the existing forest vegetation within the area. Both cuts will greatly improve the health of our forests and hopefully enable our trees to better survive the approaching wave of Gypsy Moths.
JERSEY RIDGE CUT
The Jersey Ridge cut is a salvage operation to remove trees felled or damaged during the storm of June 8. Standing trees damaged by the winds or by falling trees that present a hazard if left standing shall be included in the cut. This cut is designed to reduce user safety hazards thereby making the area useful for program purposes (the primary reason for the cut), reduce potential insect infestations that could spread to nearby healthy trees, and will enable the Council to retain some of the economic value of the timber.
KING RANCH CUT
The King Ranch area cut is a "shelterwood" cut designed to remove over-mature and inferior trees to release existing reproduction (primarily oak species). Approximately 50% percent of the existing trees – those deemed to be vigorous – shall be retained as "shelter" for the existing reproduction and as potential seed sources for future reproduction. This cut will remove over-mature, diseased, deformed and other undesirable trees from the ecosystem, leaving healthy, viable trees to continue growth and nurture reproduction. The specific trees to be cut have been marked by our MeadWestvaco forester, John Cheynet. Mr. Cheynet, Greg Harmon, and foresters on the Conservation Committee will monitor the logging as it proceeds to assure both a high quality operation and adherence to the Virginia Best Management Practices.
LOGGER SELECTION
Based on a positive site visit and the recommendations of our State Forester and Mead Westvaco Forester, the committee has selected Mr. Ben Martin of Martin Logging to contract for these two cuts. Mr. Martin has a reputation for responsible logging and is noted for his adherence to the Virginia Best Management Practices developed by the VA Department of Forestry. As a small operation, his work can be easily monitored to assure compliance with the contract provisions. We feel that Mr. Martin’s flexible attitude and extensive logging experience will enable our council to meet its forest management objectives.
