NS Hemlock

10/14/2026

LOCAL RESEARCH HILITE - Pesticides and Bees

09/28/2026

VOLUNTEERS WANTED!

Donna Crossland will lead the volunteers to treat hemlocks at Hobby Horse Farm, 1061 Spittal Road, Coldbrook, NS on Saturday October 10, 2026.

Rain date is Sunday October 11.

Safety measures will follow provincial guidelines. No experience is required.

To register, please contact Donna at [email protected]

09/22/2026

The MARC (Municipality Activity Recreation Complex is closed for pesticide treatment starting Monday, September 21, and will reopen Saturday, September 26.

During the closure:
• Please do not enter treatment areas during application or within 24 hours after treatment is complete.
• Children and pets should remain outside closed areas until the park has reopened.
• Signs and barriers will be in place; please follow all posted instructions.

This treatment is part of ongoing efforts to protect hemlock trees from hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), an invasive insect that can cause hemlock trees to decline and die. Medway Community Forest Cooperative will complete the work on behalf of the District of Lunenburg.

Health Canada has registered the pesticide products for use, and certified pesticide applicators will apply them according to label directions.

Treatment depends on the weather, and the schedule may change. Updates will be shared if needed.

🔗 Learn more: engage.modl.ca/hemlock
📧 Questions? Contact Kayla Winsor, Climate Action Coordinator, at [email protected]

09/21/2026

On Thursday, September 24 from 12 - 1 p.m., we'll be hosting a webinar on the use of biocontrol to address infestations of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, or HWA.

HWA is an aphid-like insect from southern Japan that infests hemlock trees. It was first detected in the Halifax region three years ago. HWA can kill up to 95 per cent of the trees in an infested forest, so we have to move fast or most of the municipality’s hemlock forests, and the species that live in them, could be badly damaged.

Many hemlocks in municipal parks are being protected with chemical (or medicinal) injection. For longer-term protection, the municipality’s Environment & Climate Change team is collaborating with the Canadian Forest Service and other partners to introduce specialist predators (also known as biocontrol) to combat HWA in Sandy Lake Regional Park.

To keep residents informed about the use of biocontrol, we are hosting a webinar that will feature presentations by Shauna Doll, Environmental Specialist with Halifax Regional Municipality and author of the municipality's Hemlock Wolly Adelgid Treatment and Management Plan, and Dr. Lucas Roscoe, Research Scientist with the Canadian Forest Service.

Register to attend our biocontrol webinar at halifax.ca/invasive

09/14/2026

WANTED!!! HRM HWA Treatment Volunteers

Halifax Regional Municipality’s Hemlock Protection Program is having their third and final (for 2026) volunteer training on September 20th, with support from the Nova Scotia Invasive Species Council, and a few intrepid volunteers with their pesticide applicator licenses (thank you!).

Training will be from 10AM-3/3:30PM at the Bedford Hammonds Plains Community Centre and Hemlock Ravine Park.

10AM – 12PM - Classroom training at Bedford Hammonds Plains Community Centre - Innovation Room ( 202 Innovation Dr, Bedford, NS B4B 0G4)

12PM-1PM - Lunch (on your own) & travel to Hemlock Ravine Park

1PM-3:30PM - Treatment at Hemlock Ravine Park

If you are interested in attending, please register here: https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/environment-climate-change/nature-biodiversity/hemlock-healers-volunteer-registration

Please note that there is a maximum of 20 spaces for volunteers. If you are unable to make it to the training this time, we hope to host an additional training this summer, so this won’t be your last opportunity! Once you have registered you will receive a confirmation email with additional event information.

Please note that if you have already participated in MCFC’s Hemlock Heroes training, or if you already have attended a training with HRM, you can register to join us for the treatment portion of the event without attending the morning classroom session.

09/07/2026

Biocontrol Webinar - Thu Sep 24th - free, open to all.

This webinar is being hosted by the Halifax Regional Municipality and focuses on their efforts. However, it will be of interest to anyone interested in HWA Biocontrol.

For more information, go to a724977f-99e9-47df-811c-aa14aaa99943@05b7e7d6-b71b-47da-93ef-aac7223f89e5" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/a724977f-99e9-47df-811c-aa14aaa99943@05b7e7d6-b71b-47da-93ef-aac7223f89e5

08/09/2026

The following presentation will include information about hemlocks.

PhD Oral Examination - Robert Vaughn
10AM (ADT) August 12, 2026 - MS Teams

Physiological Responses to Warming in Acadian Forest Region Conifers and Their Implications for Forest Modelling Under Climate Change

Research Summary

As climate change continues to reshape forest ecosystems, understanding how tree species respond to warming temperatures is critical for predicting the future of Canada's forests. Robert Vaughn's research examined how key conifer species in the Acadian Forest Region respond to increasing temperatures and atmospheric dryness, and how these responses can improve forest modelling under climate change. Through controlled warming experiments and advanced forest modelling, this study found that tree species differ substantially in their ability to tolerate heat stress. Some species, such as eastern hemlock and balsam fir, were more sensitive to warming, while others demonstrated greater resilience. The research also revealed important physiological differences between balsam fir and white spruce, two species often treated similarly in forest models, showing that they respond to warming in markedly different ways. By incorporating species-specific physiological data into forest simulation models, this work improves our ability to predict forest growth, productivity, and resilience under future climate conditions. These findings provide valuable insights for forest managers, researchers, and policymakers working to prepare Canada's forests for a warming world.

Chaired by: Dr. Kevin Englehart, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies

Examiners:
Dr. Robert Buchkowski, Biology, Western University
Dr. Paul Arp, Forestry & Environmental Management, UNB
Dr. Mark Sherrard, Biology, UNB
Dr. Steeve Pépin Plant Research and Innovation Centre, Université Laval

Supervisor :
Dr. Anthony Taylor, Forestry & Environmental Management

Teams link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/266586163011866?p=2hVKraCjTyfxs2Pq2G

07/09/2026

The latest confirmed sightings of HWA in Nova Scotia.

If you see cotton-like balls on the underside of hemlock branches where the needles meet the stem, please take a pic and let us know! Thank you.

07/07/2026

Halifax Regional Municipality’s Hemlock Protection Program will conduct their second volunteer training on July 19th, with support from Medway Community Forest Cooperative, the Nova Scotia Invasive Species Council, and a few intrepid volunteers with their pesticide applicator licenses (thank you!).

Training will be from 10AM-3/3:30PM at the Bedford Hammonds Plains Community Centre and Hemlock Ravine Park. A schedule of activities can be seen below.

10AM – 12PM

Classroom training at Bedford Hammonds Plains Community Centre - Innovation Room ( 202 Innovation Dr, Bedford, NS B4B 0G4)

12PM-1PM

Lunch (on your own) & travel to Hemlock Ravine Park (meet at the parking lot at the end of Kent Avenue)

1PM-3:00PM

Tree assessment, measurement, and treatment at Hemlock Ravine Park

If you are interested in attending please register here: https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/environment-climate-change/nature-biodiversity/hemlock-healers-volunteer-registration

Please note that there is a maximum of 20 spaces for volunteers. If you are unable to make it to the training this time, we hope to host an additional training this summer, so this won’t be your last opportunity!

Once you have registered you will receive a confirmation email with additional event information.

Please note that if you have already participated in MCFC’s Hemlock Heroes training, or if you attended the May 24th training with HRM, you can register to join us for the treatment portion of the event without attending the morning classroom session. Please let us know if this will be the case at : [email protected]

06/20/2026

Can you help Tree Measuring-Marking at Hobby Horse Farm – June 23–25?

Help protect a rare old-growth hemlock forest in the Annapolis Valley! If you enjoy slowly walking among magnificent trees, spending time in nature, or contributing to conservation, we'd love your help.

Sign up: Email- [email protected]

Location: 1061 Spittal Rd., Coldbrook, NS

Meet at the horse barn.

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Volunteers are welcome to stay longer to explore the trails or observe (and possibly participate in) basal bark treatments that may be taking place elsewhere in this forest on the same day.

Why we need you: These old-growth hemlocks urgently need protection from the invasive Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA). Volunteer help with marking trees will reduce treatment costs and support ongoing efforts to preserve this remarkable forest until long-term biological control measures take effect. Join us in helping safeguard this habitat for wildlife and generations to come.