Forest land owners and managers are encouraged to join the St. Lawrence-Eastern Lake Ontario Partnership for Invasive Species Management (SLELO PRISM) and the New York State Hemlock Initiative from 1 to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 8, for an informative webinar on the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid.

The webinar will discuss short-term and long-term control options of the highly destructive pest as well as hemlock conservation strategies; approaches to secure funding for hemlock conservation that has worked in other parts of the state at a watershed scale; and regional and state-wide volunteer opportunities to help slow the spread of this threat to local forests.

The hemlock woolly adelgid has been confirmed present in Oswego County and is believed to be spreading along the Eastern Lake Ontario shoreline due to the warmer conditions along the water.

The invasive pest is expected to have a significant impact on area forests, which rely on hemlock trees as a key foundation species that provide many ecological benefits for people and nature.

“The good news is that there are conservation and management strategies you can implement to protect hemlock trees from HWA on your property or managed lands,” the SLELO-PRISM announcement said.

For additional information or to register, go online to: https://tnc.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcrc-GrrjMsGdRfVeX9GretCoVPSXa65TWe.