One of the most scenic spots, in our Finger Lakes Region, is the beautiful gorge, formed by Townsend Creek, at the south end of Seneca Lake, known as Watkins Glen.  We got to enjoy this spectacular scenery recently, hiking on the Finger Lakes Trail, from the west, to the east end of the state park.

A great addition, to the scenery, is the mature forest along the trail.  The great majority of the trees, in this forest, are eastern hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis) and, therein lies the impending disaster to this park and trail.  Entering the west end of the park, the hemlocks looked fine and healthy.  However, when we reached the east end, a different story unfolded.

As mentioned earlier, an unfortunate by-product of international commerce, is often the introduction of weeds or insects from other countries which, in the absence of their natural enemies, have multiplied unchecked, and caused havoc here.  In 1951, an adelgid from Asia (Adelges tsugae), that infests hemlocks, was discovered near Richmond, VA, and has been steadily spreading wherever hemlocks grow.  Exploding populations have already killed huge numbers of trees.

At the east end, we saw many hemlocks dying, with fluffy, white ovisacs, showing what was killing them.  Contractors, hired by the state, were busily injecting systemic insecticides into the trees, or in the soil near them, in a desperate attempt to kill the adelgids, and save the trees.  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist, or entomologist, to see that this is a very labor intensive, and expensive, procedure and yes, there are, as has been in the news, government funding issues.  If this project doesn’t succeed, hiking this trail, in future years, will be much less pleasant, looking at mostly dead trees.  The whole forest ecosystem would be affected, such as salamanders, who depend on the trees for shade and moisture.

I would like to know, if you feel that Watkins Glen is too far for one of our Sunday hikes.  Not only is this one of the most scenic trails but, it would also be a useful service project, for our group, to check the hemlocks at the west end of the park, to see if the adelgids have spread there.  Late March or early April is probably the best time to do this.  You have seen how abundant hemlocks are on the trails we’ve hiked around here.  If we don’t stop them, it’s just a matter of time till the hemlocks around here, are also gone.

In the meantime, if you’re hiking on trails east of Steuben County, try to avoid contact with hemlocks.  The adelgid crawlers are very tiny, barely visible without magnification, making it difficult for you to see them, if they got on you, especially on dark clothing.  You could spread them to a new tree, without even realizing it.  All of these insects are females, and reproduce asexually.  Multiplication is extremely rapid.