Help Plant Red Spruce in the Savage River Forest

The Savage River Watershed Association (SRWA) is looking for adult volunteers to help plant 1,000 red spruce trees this spring on April 15th & April 16th from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm, and April 18th & 19th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.

Red spruce will be planted along high quality streams in the Savage River State Forest in an attempt to maintain conifer cover. By shading streams evergreen trees such as hemlock, pine and spruce help keep water temperatures low, a critical factor for native brook trout survival.

Unfortunately native hemlocks, Tsuga canadensis, are being killed by an exotic invasive insect called the Hemlock woolly adelgid. It is hoped that these native red spruce seedlings will ultimately fill in gaps where hemlock trees are lost.

For more details or to volunteer, email the Savage River Watershed Association at SRWAcoordinator@gmail.com or call Ron Boyer, SRWA red spruce planting coordinator, at 301-895-3686.