Town of Bolton - Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Control at Lake George Wild Forest (NW Bay area)

Negative Declaration

Warren County - The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC), as lead agency, has determined that the proposed Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Control at Lake George Wild Forest (NW Bay area) will not have a significant adverse environmental impact. The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) (Adelges tsugae), an invasive forest insect, was detected on numerous Eastern hemlock trees in the vicinity on Northwest Bay Trail during surveys in 2024. Without intervention, HWA can cause a marked decrease in tree health, eventually leading to mortality. Hemlocks comprise approximately 10% of Adirondack forest cover and provide important ecosystem benefits such as shade for understory plants and streams, erosion control, and habitat for numerous animal species. The loss of hemlocks would have a devastating effect on the local ecosystem. Additionally, hemlocks provide important aesthetic value because they are dominant in parts of the overstory and blanket steep slopes near scenic vistas. This project will apply insecticides to infested and uninfested hemlock trees on approximately 200 acres (within 500 foot of the infested trees) to halt or slow the spread of HWA at this location and at other locations in the Adirondack Park up to five years with control of EHS an ancillary benefit. Most trees will be treated via a basal bark application, but some may be treated using direct injection instead, in order to avoid using the basal bark method near surface water. Application will comply with all pesticide labels. It is anticipated that insecticides will need to be applied annually, beginning with the first application in October 2024 and continuing as needed until 2028.

Public comments on the proposed work plan will be received until October 9, 2024. To view the work plan, please visit: https://dec.ny.gov/nature/forests-trees/forest-preserve/project-work-pl…

The project is located in the Lake George Wild Forest, in the vicinity of Northwest Bay Trail in the Town of Bolton, New York.