Hemlock Heroes
Help Us Save Nova Scotia’s Eastern Hemlocks
What are Hemlock Heroes?
Hemlock Heroes are trained citizens who volunteer to help save tall, dark hemlock forest ecosystems. Becoming a Hemlock Hero enables you to participate in a great cause to conserve some of the finest old-growth forests in the province. You will help to ensure that eastern hemlocks continue to provide the many essential ecosystem services required to sustain life and the health of many other forest species, as well as preserve the extraordinary beauty of hemlocks.
How do I become a Hemlock Hero?
To become a Hemlock Hero, everyone first must undergo training so you can learn how to properly take care of hemlocks and yourself (we promise it’ll be fun). After which you will join the Hemlock Hero Team!
Training will review:
Pesticide safety requirements and product labels
First Aid practices and contingency plans for working in remote areas with pesticides
Safe Work Practices
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Non-target risks associated with using pesticides
Interested in Taking the Hemlock Hero Training?
Sign up below to be the first to know about our next training session. You will also have priority registration when the dates are confirmed.
“Marked trees = Protected trees”
What to Expect
Hemlock Heroes venture into some of the most beautiful forests in Nova Scotia; featuring grand evergreen woods with moss-covered tapestries. You may visit areas that are rarely seen by other people. ‘Tree doctors’ is another way to think of Hemlock Heroes.
On tree-marking days, you help assess the health of each tree and whether it is sufficiently healthy to receive viable treatments. Tree diameter is measured, and the trunk is marked with a small tag or a paint dot to prepare hemlocks for treatment using life-saving chemicals.
‘Treatment days’ use two strategies.
1) Injection days: If hemlock trees are located within seven meters of watercourses, we use injections to treat them. On these days we want to bring as many trained Hemlock Hero volunteers as possible in order to speed up treatment efficiency.
2) Basal Bark days: The other method of treatment we use is basal bark spraying, using a handpump backpack sprayer. On these days, we are able to treat a lot of trees in a shorter time period and do not need to drill holes as we do with injections.
Hemlock Hero Volunteer Schedule
Register for tree-marking and treatment days
Note: A Hemlock Hero must have either completed Hemlock Hero training in Fall 2023, taken Hemlock Heroes training during June-July 2024, or volunteered with Sporting Lake hemlock treatments.
Tree Marking Days: Tree Marking Days require preparing hemlock forests for treatments. Tasks involve measuring tree diameters, flagging trees, and evaluating trees suitable for treatment in 1-ha treatment blocks.
Treatment Days: Treatment Days consist of tree injection treatments requiring a large team or basal bark treatments that require smaller groups.