Photo by Halifax Regional Municipality

Halifax Regional Municipality@hfxmoments

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 ID: A photo of water running along a forest floor. Text reads 'Hemlock Woolly Adelgid and biocontrol webinar. Thursday, September 24.'