At Nantahala Outdoor Center, we know that some of the greatest adventures happen in a healthy forest, and in Western North Carolina, few trees are more vital to that forest’s health than the Eastern Hemlock. These evergreen giants are sometimes called the “redwoods of the East,” and for good reason. Towering over mountain streams and ridgelines, they can live for hundreds of years and reach heights of over 150 feet. But their real magic happens underground and overhead, by stabilizing soils with their roots and keeping our rivers cool and clean with their dense canopy.
Eastern Hemlocks are essential to the ecological balance of the Southern Appalachian region. They regulate stream temperatures, provide year-round shade, and offer critical habitat to native birds and wildlife. In Western North Carolina, species like brook trout, the Carolina northern flying squirrel, and the black-throated green warbler all depend on Hemlock-shaded ecosystems to thrive.
But this iconic tree is in crisis.
Since the early 2000s, the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid, a tiny aphid-like insect, has been decimating hemlock populations across the Southeast, including many of the forests surrounding NOC’s home in the Nantahala Gorge. Without intervention, entire stands of these trees could disappear.
That’s why this Arbor Day, NOC is taking action. In celebration of our connection to this region and its forests, we’ve partnered with the Hemlock Restoration Initiative (HRI) to support their mission of protecting and restoring Eastern Hemlocks in North Carolina. For our guests staying in The Hemlocks, our cozy mountaintop bungalows, we have made a donation to HRI, helping fund treatments, research, and education aimed at saving this critical species. So when you stay with us, you’re not just waking up to 360° views of the Smoky Mountains or sipping coffee under a canopy of green, you’re helping protect the very trees that make our forest so special.
How You Can Help:
- Learn about the Hemlock woolly adelgid and what’s being done to stop it. Start here ▶ The Importance of Hemlocks – Hemlock Restoration Initiative
- Visit a hemlock-rich trail like Deep Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park or Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.
- Volunteer with local conservation efforts through groups like HRI or MountainTrue.
- Support native tree replanting projects and sustainable tourism practices.
This Arbor Day, we invite you to pause beneath the hemlocks, listen to the river, feel the shade, and remember that even the smallest adventure, like a stay in the woods, can help grow something bigger. Together, we’re planting the seeds of a wilder, more resilient tomorrow.
Come see these gems for yourself and join us in exploring Nanthalal National Forest on your next adventure.