2007 Blozan/Sillett North Carolina Climb

After a few days visit in the greater Greensboro area of North Carolina, everybody on the left side of this photo went to meet with the guy on the right. The guy on the right drives this large diesel-powered business-card of a Dodge designed to scare the bejesus out of slow-driving tourists not paying attention to oncoming traffic on narrow roads. Will Blozan (as named by his parents) has single handedly slaughtered more Wooly Adelgid than any other single man… make that married man. We just call him “Will.”

About any view of the forest in this part of the Appalachian mountain range reveals the destruction taking place to the largest conifers in the eastern United States.

Dr. Steve Sillett and his wife Marie Antoine are professors of biology at Humboldt State University in California. Professor Sillett, Kenneth L. Fisher Chair in Redwood Ecology, is recognized as the foremost expert on redwood trees.

The Appalachian mountains in this region of the US is know for diversity in plants, birds and geology.

Like all epic adventures, this one ended way too soon… …we hardly did any fishing!!!

Sadly, Will’s micro-sized enemy sucks the life from small to giant Hemlock trees through the needles. This non-native pest introduced from Europe is wreaking havoc on eastern Hemlocks and will soon be moving into other delicate habitats, perhaps those near you. The good thing is that the pest can be suppressed rather inexpensively if caught before the tree is killed. Learn more by visiting www.nativetreesociety.org

Scott Sillett boldly and shamelessly described he and his younger brother Steve as science dorks. I wasn’t clear on the depth of his comment until I caught them both shooting close-ups of lichen on this fence post at our first overlook, and virtually every overlook there after.

Marie Antione (An-twan) not only poseses concentrated interest in mosses and lichens but… …is formidable tea drinker.

On day two Will, Steve and Marie climb up one of Will’s favorite recovering patients. This particular 160-foot Hemlock was about 3 miles from civilization and…

This image shows the white puffy egg casing from which the Adelgid (2nd image, above) emerges to attack the Hemlock leaf (needle).

T. Scott Sillett is an ornithologist (bird expert) working for the Smithsonian Institute in Washington. When my wife Anne asked if he might be able to identify any bird we come across he responded “I don’t mean to brag but probably so.” Scott’s wife Chris is also very knowledgeable about birds but a biologist by trade (specializing in zooplankton).

Following Will to the base of giant trees within the park required a fair amount of bush-wacking through thick Rhododendron.

…about 30-feet from the tree I climbed!