Truro on the lookout for bugs that kill hemlock and ash trees
The Truro Urban Forest Committee is proactively trying to prevent and identify the possible arrival of the hemlock woolly adelgid and emerald ash borer to Victoria Park. These two nasty bugs have become well-known and much-feared pests as they can wipe out hemlock and ash trees in a relatively short time.
Victoria Park is a valuable natural gem of Truro and Colchester that is enjoyed by all who visit. It has become an attraction and gathering spot for thousands of people – young and old. One can enjoy a multitude of activities such as hiking, biking, running, dog walking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, photography, picnicking, water activities, kids playground, and more. Many people travel from other communities to participate in group activities such as bike races, kids biking events, evening snowshoeing, weddings, music, and various other special events.
A very important part of the experience is the forest of Victoria Park and the town watershed. This forested area, like most forests, is generally taken for granted; partly because it does not appear to change much on a week-to-week basis.
Hurricane Fiona reminded us how quickly things can change due to a single storm. Similar to Hurricane Juan, during one night, hurricane winds devastated sections of Victoria Park and the watershed forest. If you have had a chance to visit the park lately, you may have seen the remarkable cleanup work that has been completed by town staff, Silviculture Contractor Charlie Baird, and Mitch Jamieson and his Atlantic Tree Solutions arborist crew. In areas along Hemlock Trail that were completely blocked by large amounts of downed trees, leaning haphazardly in all directions, one can now walk, for the most part, on the original trail routes.
Based on the spread of hemlock woolly adelgid eastward from southern Nova Scotia, it is important that Truro be on the lookout and try to protect the invaluable old-growth hemlock forest of Victoria Park. Similarly, emerald ash borer infestations have killed many millions of trees and cost hundreds of millions of dollars in cleanup costs due to the infestation and eventual killing of ash trees both in urban and rural settings across 34 US states and southern Ontario and Quebec. It was first found in the Maritimes in 2018 in a Bedford area park. Sadly, it
has been spreading throughout the Bedford area since then.
With that in mind, the Truro Urban Forest Committee is hosting a special information session on Feb. 15 at the Douglas Street Recreation Centre to provide information that will allow citizen volunteers to keep an eye out for both hemlock woolly adelgid and emerald ash borer in the Truro area. Anyone who is interested in helping to protect the hemlock and ash trees within Victoria Park and the town’s urban forest is welcome to attend.
Leading the information session will be Ron Neville, plant health survey biologist
of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and Jeff Ogden, a provincial entomologist with the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables.
The session will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 15 at Douglas Street Recreation Centre, 40 Douglas St, Truro in a classroom setting for approximately 90 minutes. This will be followed by a field visit to Hemlock Trail in Victoria Park where participants will inspect hemlock trees for any sign of the dreaded adelgid.
For more information, call 902-893-6415.