The Environmental Committee

Formerly known as the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid Committee

As of September 1st, 2014, the Environmental Committee, in the Fairfield Glade Resort Community, was established. As such, the term environmental allows us to be more generalized to assist our residents with other conditions as they appear. This expansion now extends the growing season from March thru November rather than just Spring and Fall allowing for treatment of other known horticultural problems, currently present, as well as those that are anticipated. The expansion also means "we" need you to volunteer in an assortment of capacities from administrative to the "Boots On The Ground," also known as field representatives. In order to expand our efforts we must also expand our personnel. Here's what we need starting with field representatives:

Observation/Recording Personnel to assist the computer officer.
(6) New team treatment Captains plus (2) assistants per team. (18) people in all.
A Horticultural Specialist to replace me. And if necessary an assistant.

In terms of Board personnel we also need the following:

A Publicity Officer to write monthly periodicals to keep our residents informed.

A Secretary and an assistant recording Secretary.
A Purchasing Officer to procure the necessary treatment materials.

No, we're not the Horticultural Police, but simply volunteers willing to assist our friends and neighbors (residents) throughout the Resort Community to identify, determine intensity, recommend action and provide any other information that may help to resolve their concern.

Here's what we expect to do in the next two months beginning in mid October: The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, having two life cycles per year, will become active again. Realizing every female adult can lay up to 300 eggs per life cycle means a large number of nymphs will be crawling and feeding on the nutrient filled needles of our precious Hemlocks. If uncared for, in two to three years, the infested Hemlock will be so depleted of needles it will soon die. Try to picture what our properties and/or those in the common areas of our community would look like without Hemlocks. Not only would they be an eyesore, but they would equally generate a loss of value to the property they're on. Regulations allow a maximum of 256 inches of trunk development, measured at breast height, per acre can be treated each year. This means precise recording of treated trees in specific areas is a must. The best part of this scenario is that each treatment lasts between 5 - 7 years before it has to be retreated, so even in a large grove of trees almost all can be addressed over that same period of time.

Now for the reason we switched from HWA to Environmental. During this previous year, some of the following conditions made a showing: interior needle drop caused by Spruce Rust Mite, a microscopic insect that also sucks the life out of the needles. Many thought the problem was winter related because of the severity of this past winter. Another problem was a disease known as Cercospora Needle Blight on the Leyland Cypress, which also caused interior needles to brown and fall to the ground, quite profuse in some plants. Please keep in mind many healthy evergreens that suddenly begin to lose their needles IS NOT always due to adverse weather conditions, but that severity of cold drying winter winds can contribute to the ill health of many as we have all experienced. The personnel of the environmental committee are quite knowledgeable in identifying problems, so if you're one who knows the trees and shrubs here in Tennessee, give me a call, I can use your help.

If you're not sure you qualify, call me (931) 707-9314 or email me at , and I'll be happy to chat with you to determine where you can fit in. Remember, there's no "I" in the word team, and everyone's participation makes for a successful resolution.

Respectfully yours,

Thomas M. Covino

Chairperson