Category: Outdoors

Check Your Hemlocks For Invasive Insect

5/14/2018

Hemlock woolly adelgid Photo courtesy of Bugwood.org ©

Please check your hemlocks NOW for the hemlock woolly adelgid! The hemlock woolly adelgid, an invasive, aphid-like insect, attacks North American hemlocks. They are small and often hard to see, but can be easily identified by the white woolly masses they form on the underside of branches at the base of the needles.

If you see anything that looks like the picture to the right, call Jimmy Stewart at (423) 413-6420 to discuss your treatment options. If you do nothing those trees will DIE!

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Celebrate EarthDayz at Rock City

4/18/2018

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Rock City's Earthdayz celebration is April 20-22.

Rock City Gardens hosts its 10th annual EarthDayz event, daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. April 20 through April 22, for an experience in nature surrounded by the beautiful outdoors on Lookout Mountain. Scale the climbing wall at Lover's Leap, learn how to use recycled materials for an innovative make-and-take project, and see remarkable Birds of Prey shows.

Hosts John and Dale Stokes with Wings to Soar return for Rock City raptors shows as they interactively present majestic rescue birds at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. in Critter Classroom.

Guests of all ages can learn how to build a rain barrel and try the EarthDayz fudge in the Fudge Kitchen. Kids can dig for a geode and meet Rocky, the attraction's beloved mascot. They also receive an adventure passport upon arrival filled with coupons and activities.

Café 7 is now open for the season! Enjoy breathtaking views during lunch while savoring southern cuisine such as the Seven States Burger, Choo Choo Nachos or a Fried Green Tomato BLT. The outdoor restaurant is also featuring "Love the Earth Lemonade" with fresh fruit-filled ice cubes. Café 7 is open Thursdays through Sundays from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., then daily beginning Memorial Day weekend. Big Rock Grill, open year-round, is also offering chocolate dirt cake with gummi worms in honor of this event!

EarthDayz revolves around Rock City’s commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle, its stewardship of nature and its commitment to education and the environment. Rock City is partnering once again with Orange Grove as they provide park-wide recycling pickup for the attraction.

Remember, Lookout Mountain residents can get a Resident Pass to Rock City for the cost of one visit. Just show proof of residency to obtain the pass. The pass can be renewed every three years. Visit the Rock City website for more info.

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Visit Point Park for Free

4/18/2018

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As part of National Park Week, admission to Point Park is free on April 21.

On Saturday, April 21, to encourage all Americans to visit their national parks, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park will waive the entrance fee to enter Point Park, atop Lookout Mountain. This fee free day is part of National Park Week, a celebration of America's treasures with the National Park Foundation. NPF is the official charity of our national parks, and National Park Week is a time to explore these amazing places, discover stories of history and culture, volunteer and more.

On this fee free day, visitors can contemplate the reasons soldiers struggled along the mountain slopes during the 1863 "Battle Above the Clouds," while also taking in the majestic views of Chattanooga and the surrounding area.

Ranger-guided walking tours of Point Park will be given at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. These tours begin just inside the Point Park entrance gate and last approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

For more information about upcoming programs at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, please contact the Lookout Mountain Visitor Center at (423) 821-7786, the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at (706) 866-9241, or visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/chch

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Help Wrangle Weeds on April 7

4/2/2018

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Connie Higgason, Tay Sailes, Margaret Anne Haley, Micah Coleman, Lee Moore and Imani Rowe at Rockmont Park

Don’t forget, Saturday, April 7, is the Weed Wrangle at Rockmont Park, just above Chattem at 1835 Old Wauhatchie Pike. Under the guidance of the Lookout Mountain Conservancy’s Robyn Carlton, the fabulous Howard School interns will lead the pack in wrangling invasive weeds from 9 a.m.-noon.

This one-day, statewide volunteer effort will help rescue our public parks and green spaces from invasive species that, unstopped, will destroy trees, shrubs and any and all native plants nearby. Look around you. Our area is being consumed by kudzu, honeysuckle vine, porcelain berry, English ivy, euonymus and privet, and these invasive plants are choking out our native plants.

The Lookout Mountain Conservancy’s Rockmont Park is reason enough to volunteer a few hours. The vista overlooks the Tennessee River and the city, and there are fascinating remains of the former elegant homes in this early Chattanooga neighborhood. The stone “refrigerator” beckons one to peep in and imagine the thick rock house full of eggs and vegetables and milk, and ancient stone steps beg one to walk them, or even take a little rest on one.

The Howard interns have taken an area unrecognizable because of decades of invasive undergrowth and trash, and restored it to its former beauty. Volunteering for one morning, we might not match the Howard interns in everything they have accomplished – they have rescued quite a few garage-size boulders that were completely covered with ivy – but we can certainly match their dedication to combatting invasives and reclaiming a jewel in our city’s crown.

Wear your gardening cloves, bring clippers if you have them, and prepare yourself for a very rewarding day.

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LLLT Announces Conservation Ambassador Program

3/27/2018

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Matthew Hubbard, LLLT director of development and communications

Lula Lake Land Trust is launching the Conservation Ambassador Program designed specifically for young professionals ages 21-30. Spearheaded by Matthew Hubbard, the new director of development and communications, this program will focus on teaching the conservation efforts of Lula Lake Land Trust.

Selected individuals will tour the core property of Lula Lake Land Trust in addition to on-site visits with other conservation partners, such as Tennessee River Gorge Trust and Lookout Mountain Conservancy, to better understand how conservation organizations work together. Hubbard, a fundraising expert, will also provide experiences in the fields of fundraising and marketing that will directly tie into conservation and the nonprofit sector.

"It is our duty to preserve the wonders around us," Hubbard states. "Both the engagement of young professionals and the teaching of conservation initiatives are important. The future of conservation relies on choices made today. This comprehensive program is a great resume builder for those looking to gain experience in the environmental or nonprofit field; I’m excited to lead it. Together, we will work toward a better understanding of conservation. I can guarantee it will be eye-opening."

The Conservation Ambassador Program is now open for young professionals to apply. Space is limited and only a select number of applicants will be chosen. Interested parties should send resumes to [email protected] by April 13.

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Explore Life on Lookout, 1857-1920

10/25/2017

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Explore Lookout history during a 4-mile ranger-led hike starting at Cravens House at 9 a.m. on Saturday, November 4.

On Saturday, November 4, at 9 a.m., Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park will conduct a 4-mile, ranger-guided, hike on Lookout Mountain beginning and ending at the historic Cravens House.

Each year, thousands of people escape the bustling city of Chattanooga to hike through the quiet forests of Lookout Mountain Battlefield. However, these quiet woods were once bustling with human activity, and upon close inspection, modern hikers can still find traces of our past along the trails. Explore the history of Lookout Mountain on this ranger-guided hike along the Hardy, Mountain Beautiful, Bluff and Cravens House Trails.

This 4-mile hike will cover nearly 600 feet of elevation change over rocky and uneven terrain. Participants should dress appropriately for the weather, wear supportive footwear, bring water and are encouraged to bring a day pack and light trail snacks.

For more information about programs at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, contact the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at (706) 866-9241, the Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center at (423) 821-7786, or visit park website.

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Workshops Will Teach You How to Save Your Hemlocks

4/11/2017

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Jimmy Stewart tagging a hemlock tree that is infested with the hemlock woolly adelgid

The hemlock trees on Lookout Mountain are in danger of totally disappearing because of an infestation of the hemlock woolly adelgid, a small aphid-like insect that covers itself with a white woolly coating for protection. The larva attach themselves to the undersides of needles and branches on hemlock trees, and remain there their entire lives, sucking sap 24 hours a day from the needles. The needles then fall off, depleting the flow of nutrients, which causes the tree to die. The woolly adelgid can be recognized by what appears to be tiny cotton balls at the base of the hemlock needles. Their numbers increase exponentially and rapidly because both the male and female are capable of laying 300 eggs three times a year. These insects have been present on Lookout Mountain in small numbers for about two years, but the population has exploded this year because the trees were stressed and weakened by the drought last summer.

The pests originally were brought from Asia to Canada and have been spreading south rapidly because there is no local natural predator. The insects cannot fly, but spread by floating on the wind, and hitching rides on birds, animals or people.

“Trees that are infested can live around two years, and that is where we are now,” said Jimmy Stewart, a professional garden designer and community volunteer. If not treated, it is inevitable a tree will die, he said. The good news is that there are effective treatments that can save a tree even after it is covered in the insects. It is important to treat trees that already have the adelgid, to kill them, and to treat the ones that are not yet affected, to help prevent the spread. Once treated, he said, results can be seen within months. It is the responsibility of homeowners to treat trees that are in their yard, and of the towns of Lookout Mountain, Tenn., and Ga., to treat those on municipally-owned property. “Everybody needs to do their part,” Stewart said.

To help the community identify and become aware of the quantity of diseased trees, Stewart plans to mark some of them with yellow caution tape. A note to homeowners who find their trees flagged will be left near mailboxes to explain the yellow streamers. He also is planning to conduct two public meetings, on April 15 and April 29, where he will demonstrate how homeowners can adminster the treatments themselves. The April 15 lesson is at Temple Park from 9 a.m.-noon. On April 29, he’ll teach another class at Fairyland Club from 9 a.m.-noon.

The attempt to eradicate the hemlock woolly adelgid can be done by either professionals or homeowners. Stewart said there are two very effective systemic products that are recommended if individuals want to treat the hemlocks themselves. One is sprayed on the lower 5 feet of the trunk and will be absorbed through the bark. The other is applied as a soil drench. Both are safe for humans and pets once they dry and when used as directed, he said. The spray he recommends is not harmful to bees as long as it is sprayed directly on the trunk of the trees. These treatments offer protection from two to five years. Stewart said trees should be checked each year, and the ones where the insects are still present should be treated again yearly.

The hope for a long-term solution is that a predator beetle can be found to create a natural balance. Beetles have been bred and released in other areas around Chattanooga, but this method is not working yet because the beetles have died. The University of North Carolina and University of Georgia are both actively trying to breed beetles that will survive here. There is an experimental breeding station now at the Lula Lake Land Trust.

Flyers about treatment options that include a list of licensed contractors for treating the hemlocks will be available at the post office, at both town hall buildings and from the garden clubs on the mountain. Recommended companies that service both Tennessee and Georgia include: Lawn Doctor (423) 708-7900; W.D. Scott Company (423) 622-0320; ABC Tree Company, (423) 344-8732; and Green Tree Specialists (423) 508-5883.

The website www.SaveGeorgiasHemlocks.org is recommended for additional and reliable information. The Hemlock Help Line number is (706) 429-8010, or you can email [email protected] for more information. Jimmy Stewart is also available and willing to talk to homeowners and can be reached at (423) 413-6420.

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Lookout Mountain
Happenings

Check Your Hemlocks For Invasive Insect

Celebrate EarthDayz at Rock City

Visit Point Park for Free

Help Wrangle Weeds on April 7

LLLT Announces Conservation Ambassador Program

Explore Life on Lookout, 1857-1920

Workshops Will Teach You How to Save Your Hemlocks

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Check Your Hemlocks For Invasive Insect

Celebrate EarthDayz at Rock City

Visit Point Park for Free

Help Wrangle Weeds on April 7

LLLT Announces Conservation Ambassador Program

Explore Life on Lookout, 1857-1920

Workshops Will Teach You How to Save Your Hemlocks

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