The Friends’ efforts to save our hemlocks from the woolly adelgid: We have learned that Governor Paul Cellucci’s veto of the $60,000 budget item we requested to grow and release ladybugs to safely combat the adelgids was overridden late on Monday, July 31, 2000 by the State Legislature!

This means that the money needed to grow the natural predator of the adelgid will be available to the Metropolitan District Commission.

The Friends plan to work with the MDC, the Department of Environmental Management, and the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs to achieve the end for which the funds are intended– control of the adelgid and rescue of trees.

On behalf of Brian Yates and all the Friends of Hemlock Gorge, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who lobbied on behalf of this effort. We cannot help but believe that your phone calls and emails made a difference! We also want to extend our special thanks to all those legislators who supported this effort, and in particular we thank Kay Khan and Cynthia Creem for their leadership in sponsoring this legislation. We suggest that you contact them to let them know that these efforts are very much appreciated.

We want everyone to know that the Friends will keep keep you abreast of this effort to save the trees.