Dozens of department employees recognized for project to save trees that “get in people’s hearts.”

“The project was very complex and difficult.” That’s just part of the way Robert Trickel with the N.C. Forest Service described a project that prompted a recent award for 41 Forest Service employees. Their success in rising to the challenge earned them the NCDA&CS Excellence in Team Accomplishment Award. After the nomination and selection process, … Read more

A Second Chance for Hemlocks

N.C. Forest Service Nursery & Tree Improvement Program makes hemlock seedlings available to the public. In 1995, the hemlock woolly adelgid was found in North Carolina for the first time. Although tiny, this invasive insect can kill a massive hemlock in four to ten years. The devastation caused by the hemlock woolly adelgid is hard … Read more

Caring in Cary: Protecting unique hemlocks from a tiny tree-killing insect

Nestled in Cary, Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve is home to an isolated population of more than 200 eastern hemlock trees. Hemlocks, primarily found in the mountains, are long-lived evergreens prized in nature for their vital role in the ecosystem and valued in landscapes for their graceful appearance and response to pruning. Remnants from an era … Read more

News Roundup: April 28 – May 4

News Roundup

Each week we round up the latest N.C. agricultural headlines from news outlets across the state and country, as well as excerpts from the stories. “PRUITT APPLAUDS INTER-AGENCY COOPERATION,” Southern Farm Network: EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt says the cooperation between federal agencies is something that is friendly and ongoing in the Trump Administration. He also stated … Read more

News Roundup: July 30-Aug. 5

News Roundup

Each week we round up the latest N.C. agricultural headlines from news outlets across the state and country, as well as excerpts from the stories. “Local nonprofit declares war on the hemlock woolly adelgid,” Mountain Xpress: Since its accidental arrival here from southern Japan about two decades ago, the hemlock woolly adelgid has killed hundreds of … Read more

Become a Hemlock Hero!

The Hemlock Restoration Initiative brings hope to hemlock’s future For years, the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid has slowly but surely eaten away at the native hemlocks gracing our state’s beautiful mountain landscapes. Many of these once stunning and elegant trees are now gray ghosts, killed by an insect not much larger than the period at … Read more

Protecting the ‘Redwoods of the East’: Hemlocks treated on state-owned property

The distinctive forests of Western N.C. are prized and enjoyed by many. Evidenced by the fact that Great Smoky Mountains National Park boasts the most visitors of all National Parks, visitors flock to the area to take in mountainous vistas or navigate trails winding through forests and past waterfalls. The area truly is a gem for … Read more