WNY Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Collaborative
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) is an invasive insect that is increasing in abundance throughout Western New York. As one of our only native coniferous tree species, hemlock is essential for providing habitat for insects and animals but also for preventing erosion along the streams where it commonly grows. Unfortunately, Eastern Hemlocks do not have any natural resistance to this rapidly spreading pest. Infestation by Hemlock Woolly Adelgid can result in tree decline and death within a few years.
Trees displaying early signs of infestation can be saved through treatment. The Land Conservancy recently received a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant to form an alliance with local partner organizations to monitor for and treat newly detected HWA infestations at properties throughout Western New York, and we are thrilled to do our part in preventing the spread.
Although you're more likely to spot HWA in the winter, when branches are covered in snow, it's good to know the signs. You too can help prevent the spread of HWA. To learn more we encourage you to visit the New York State DEC's Hemlock Woolly Adelgid page on its website.
What We are Doing in WNY
Between Spring 2024 and Spring 2027, we will:
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Survey over 4,600 acres in the Great Lakes region of WNY.
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Strategically treat over 2,750 hemlock trees to protect them from this invasive pest (about 100 acres of municipal/private land).
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Educate our community about hemlock woolly adelgid, and what can be done about it.
How You Can Help
I love Western New York’s forests. How can I help?
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Prevent the spread of HWA by cleaning your clothes, boots, and tools before traveling to another site. Leave infested material where it was found. Do not travel from a site with an HWA infestation to a site without an HWA infestation on the same day.
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Community Science! Participate in the HWA Winter Mapping Challenge from Feb 1 - March 15, 2025. The iMap user who surveys the most sites for HWA during the challenge wins a prize from the NYS Hemlock Initiative. Click here to learn more about the challenge and register to participate. Check out the New York State Hemlock Initiative resources page such as the Hemlock Hunters guide to learn more about how to identify and report HWA.
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Get involved in HWA surveying events.
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Still curious? Learn more about Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, and efforts to protect our forests from this invasive pest.​
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Other Resources
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HWA Collaborative Partners:
Erie County, Cornell Cooperative Extension (Erie County), NYS Hemlock Initiative, WNY PRISM, LEWPA, Crane Ridge Homeowners Association, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.​
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As a Landowner, How Can I Protect My Forest?
​​The New York State Hemlock Initiative has a great webpage for landowners with lots of information about how to assess your property and treat it if applicable.
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Reduce the spread of HWA by cleaning your clothes, boots, and tools before traveling to another site. Leave infested material where it was found. Do not travel from a forest with an HWA infestation to a forest without an HWA infestation on the same day.
Survey your property for infestations. Winter is the best time to survey your trees for infestation as HWA is easily identifiable by their telltale white, woolly masses at the base of the needles. Furthermore, HWA is least mobile in winter, reducing the risk of spreading the insect to other forests on your clothes, boots, or vehicle.
Whether you find HWA or not, report it using iMapInvasives. This helps track the spread of HWA infestations. If you have found HWA in an area where HWA has not been found previously, you can report it to DEC Forest Health by following these steps:
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1. Take pictures of the infestation signs as described above (include something for scale such as a coin or ruler).
2. Note the location (intersecting roads, landmarks, or GPS coordinates).
3. Email report and photos to DEC Forest Health at foresthealth@dec.ny.gov. Photos are critical for helping us identify if it is HWA. You may choose to call the Forest Health Information Line at 1-866-640-0652 instead.
If you have a large population of hemlocks on your property, or if hemlocks are a dominant species along a stream corridor on your property, consider reaching out to us at info@wnylc.org (write "HWA survey" in the subject line).
We have a small amount of funding to survey for and treat HWA on municipal and private lands. Unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to treat every identified HWA infestation. We will use the NYS Hemlock Initiative's Regional Hemlock Prioritization Toolkit to prioritize stands for treatment. Additionally, we will prioritize treating hemlocks on land that is protected by a municipality, nonprofit, or is otherwise unlikely to change hands and be converted to non-forest uses. This protects the long-term impact of investing in treatment.
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