Learn to identify, survey, and report hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) through a unique learning series running from December 2025 to March 2026. HWA is an invasive insect that kills hemlock trees. Hemlock trees are a large majority of our forest tree species and provide many ecological benefits. You can help protect hemlock trees by surveying for and reporting sightings of HWA.
The HWA Learning Series gives you the knowledge and skills to identify HWA, understand its impacts, and confidently survey and report your findings. The series includes a webinar, a field trip, and guided survey sessions. For the best experience, participants are encouraged to attend Sessions 1 and 2 before joining the guided surveys. If you can’t attend live, please watch the recorded webinar beforehand.
After completing the training, you’ll join our Volunteer Surveillance Network as a Land Protector—a community of dedicated volunteers committed to surveying for HWA at least once each winter and reporting observations to iMap. Surveys can be done on any public land with hemlock trees, and volunteers may also adopt a trail through our sign-up form.
Before attending any of the sessions, participants should follow these steps:
- Make a Free iMapInvasives User Account
- Download the Free iMapInvasives Mobile App
- Watch this video tutorial
**Registration is REQUIRED to attend, important updates will be sent out to those who register.
HWA Learning Series Schedule:
Session 1: December 5th, 2025, 1-2:30 PM: HWA and iMapInvasives webinar.
Topics Covered:
- HWA overview, impacts, and distribution in the SLELO region
- iMapInvasives mobile app and desktop version tutorial
- Adopt a trail to survey for HWA
Session 2: December 18th, 2025, 12:45-2 PM: Field trip to view HWA at Independence Park, located off Rikers Beach Road in Oswego, NY. (Google Map)
- See HWA in person
- Practice using the iMapInvasives mobile app
- Learn about HWA biocontrol efforts in the SLELO region
Session 3: Guided HWA Surveys
Held from 10 AM to 12 PM on the following dates. Join one or more surveys. Please watch the webinar recording before joining if you didn’t attend session 1.
- January 22, 2026– Salmon River Falls, 185 Falls Road, Richland, NY (Google map)
- This event has been tentatively POSTPONED until further notice.
- February 5, 2026- Trenton Greenbelt Trail, 7905 Wood Rd, Holland Patent, NY 13354 (Google map)
- In the event of bad weather, we’ll postpone this hike to 2/6
- March 5, 2026- Forest Park, Ripley Rd, Camden, NY 13316 (Google map)
- In the event of bad weather, we’ll postpone this hike to 3/6
Contact megan.pistolese@tnc.org to list your events on our events page or to share social media posts.
Partner meetings are held in the winter, spring, and fall; to receive partner meeting announcements, please fill out the form on our Partners Webpage or email brittney.rogers@tnc.org.
The PRISM Network hosts a monthly Speaker Series on the last Wednesday of each month (except July, August, and December). To receive invitations, please sign up for the SLELO PRISM listserv.
iMapInvasives holds training webinars after the PRISM Speaker Series from 1 pm-2 pm. Visit the iMap website for details and to register.
View Events Pages of the PRISM Network