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Save Georgia’s Hemlocks is a non-profit organization of concerned citizens dedicated to saving endangered Hemlocks through educational and charitable service.
Save Georgia’s Hemlocks is a non-profit organization of concerned citizens dedicated to saving endangered Hemlocks through educational and charitable service.
VISION...
Preserve, conserve and restore Georgia’s Hemlocks for future generations
North Georgia’s hemlocks are in danger of almost total extinction due to a rapidly spreading infestation of the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), an invasive insect from Asia with no local natural predator. Hemlock stands are of vital importance to wildlife, water and air quality, local economy, and basic quality of life, and their loss would create problems of enormous scope and dire consequences.
Private property owners have the option to save as many hemlocks as they desire, but organized efforts to raise awareness, promote action, and provide assistance have been extremely limited in most north Georgia counties. To address this urgent need, SAVE GEORGIA'S HEMLOCKS has established Hemlock Help for Homeowners, a statewide program of education and charitable service for all the counties where hemlocks are threatened.
The Stakes...
Aesthetically, these beautiful trees contribute greatly to the enjoyment of those who live, work, and play among them, as well as the many people who come to north Georgia for tourism and recreation. What would your special place in the mountains look like without hemlocks?
Environmentally, hemlocks play a key role in providing food and habitat for about 120 species of vertebrates and over 90 species of birds, shade for native plants, cool temperatures for trout streams, and protection for watersheds and water quality. How many environmental dominoes might fall if the hemlocks fall?
Economically, healthy mature trees such as hemlocks can add as much as 7-10% to homeowners' property values, provide the net cooling effect of 10 room-sized air conditioners running 20 hours a day, perform as much as $4,000 dollars worth of water purification per mature tree along our waterways, and save billions of dollars a year by filtering CO2 and other pollutants from the air as they produce oxygen for us to breathe. Can we afford to lose these valuable trees?
Some of Georgia's hemlocks have already died due to the woolly adelgid, and the majority of them are infested. Their decline here in the South is progressing more rapidly than many scientists originally predicted, with infested trees dying in as few as 3-6 years! 2010 and 2011 may be the "tipping point" years in which aggressive action can still make a difference.
To learn more, please visit our web site at
http://www.savegeorgiashemlocks.org/.
1. Educate - Enhance public awareness of the hemlock woolly adelgid problem and the available controls.
2. Enable - Easy access to information, advice, low-cost solutions, and direct assistance for homeowners
3. Motivate - Establish a clear understanding of the aesthetic, economic, and environmental reasons for homeowners to save their hemlocks