Ultimately, Georgia could be faced with losing the hemlock as a
forest species — an ecological catastrophe that would equal the
loss of the American chestnut tree during the last century. The
long-lived, shade tolerant hemlock provides food and shelter for
many species — including the red breasted nuthatch and
Blackburnian, Swainson’s and black-throated green warblers.
Georgia’s hemlocks often grow to stately heights along streams,
where their deep shade helps keep water temperatures cool enough
for trout. The roots and canopy help prevent soil erosion.
Hemlock stands are also preferred habitats of rare amphibians,
including the green salamander. The hemlock wooly adelgid, a
native of Asia, was first identified in the Eastern United
States in the early 1950s in Virginia, where it was brought in
by a plant collector. As an introduced species, it came without
the natural enemies that keep it in check in its native setting.
The adelgid has moved steadily into the southern Appalachian
forests. In 2002, it was dis