Hemlock wooly adelgid

[bkellyvtme]

What do you guys think of this??
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20110705/NEWS02/107050310/-1/NEWS/University-Vermont-professor-develops-hemlock-pest-control

[Ron Scott]

Hopefully it will be a viable control at reasonable cost.

[KBforester]

Oh those UVM hippies! What will they think of next? Using Vermont Cheese bi-products to fight forest pests gets my approval if it works. I'll need all the help I can get once it gets as far north as me.

[Phorester]

"Organic" control measures for insects and diseases are rarely as effective as chemical pesticides. 

[Jasperfield]

Phorester is exactly right. I believe the "cheese whey" solution, at useful scale, is a stretch at best. The researchers may be onto something that could be developed commercially and become widely useful, but I doubt it. Most of the organic / university projects are just that. University projects. It may be like wind or solar energy... a good idea, but not dependably practicle.

I am, however, pleased to know that finding a solution to the adelgid problem hasn't been abandoned. Even so, our euphoria should be tempered by the emphasis on "organics".

The pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers that we have, and are known to be effective, are absolutely Godsent. Without them we would (this day) be eating single-hand portions of tiny wild corn ears with our blighted wild sweet potatoes in quantities insufficient to feed a family of three. (But, maybe enough for two after the third was disabled following the fight for the day's harvest).

Despite all I've said, here, I do believe that "all organic" has its place and will be broadly implemented when (if) the U.S. economy fails completely and totally. Following such an event we will all become quite familiar with organics.

This is just my humble opinion...Feel free to make it yours.