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Bluegrass TU Conservation Projects
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
(Adelges tsugae)
As most of you know by now, the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) has expanded its range into eastern Kentucky and is now in the Daniel Boone National Forest. Hemlock trees are common in riparian areas and are very important in maintaining cool water temperatures in streams. The hemlock also plays a substantial role in preventing erosion of stream banks and providing shelter for wildlife. The implication is that widespread hemlock loss could result in rising stream temperatures and loss of habitat suitable for trout.
What can we do to stem the spread of this non-native insect pest, you ask? The Department of Entomology needs our help in identifying locations of the pest. When fishing locations throughout Kentucky in spring and fall be on the lookout for telltale signs of the pest. Take a photo of the tree and the infestation, use your GPS to establish the location, take a sample of the branch and place it in a zip-lock bag, return the whole kit to Lee Townsend, Department of Entomology, S-225 Agriculture Science Center north, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546.
Please clip the accompanying Adelgid report and identification picture and place it in a zip-lock bag to carry in your fishing vest. The only way to fight back is to identify the locations and then proceed with eradication.
Click here to open the Adelgid Report
Click here for a great article on the Rock Creek Restoration Project
Scott County - Royal Springs Project
TU's Bluegrass Chapter in Lexington has adopted a project in Georgetown to restore Royal Spring, a little stream that runs about a mile through the heart of the city before its joins the north fork of Elkhorn Creek. Nearby is a tourist attraction known as the Japanese Gardens and the Scott County Courthouse is in the background. It's a good example of government teaming up with private organizations like TU and others for a greener, cleaner environment.
City officials have budged $1 million for the project and there are plans to partner with more that a dozen government agencies and volunteers groups. A TU crew lead by Dick Kielar, who is spearheading the restoration project on behalf of the chapter, cleaned trash and debris on a cool spring morning from the creek and banks. That effort may be repeated before really cold weather sets in. And the chapter held a field day there which featured food, fly casting and a chance for the broader chapter membership to learn more about Royal Spring and the potential it holds. Georgetown officials this fall will apply for grants from a number of sources including the Fiscal Court and Corps of Engineers. When finished, Royal Spring will be fully accessible to the public, featuring a number of native plants and grasses along with annual stockings of rainbow trout.
Such projects are ideal for urban areas regardless of their size. They provide wildlife habitat, picnicking, walking trails, fishing and overall a fertile place to play, explore and learn. Kids who otherwise would have no opportunity for bonding with nature can search for frogs, and crawfish – and their parents need not worry about some strange and dangerous bacteria because of poor water quality. The project fits very nicely with the notion of doing something for the environment that no one would argue needs all the help it can get.
