Etowah Library Speaker Series: Renewed Hope for Hemlocks

Date: September 17, 2025

Time: 10:00 a.m.

Location: Etowah Library

Speakers: Olivia Hall, Communications and Educational Outreach Manager, and Ayla Busch, AmeriCorps Project Conserve member serving as Stewardship and Conservation Education Associate, with Hemlock Restoration Initiative (HRI)

Discover hemlocks’ foundational ecological role, learn about the invasive Hemlock Woolly Adelgid and the challenges it presents, and explore the latest management practices to restore hemlock health. Whether you’re a landowner or an environmental enthusiast, you’ll learn about what you can do to preserve hemlocks on your property and beyond.

Olivia Hall is the Communications and Educational Outreach Manager for HRI. She graduated with her Masters in Biology in May of 2023 from Northern Michigan University and moved to the Asheville area in July of the same year. Being from the north country, she holds a particular affinity for conifers, and she loves the ecological value and beauty they hold.

Ayla Busch is an AmeriCorps Project Conserve member serving as Stewardship and Conservation Education Associate with Hemlock Restoration Initiative. She grew up in upstate New York, and attended University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she learned that she loved connecting with new people through environmental outreach. Ayla is excited to be serving in Western North Carolina to collaborate with her community to restore hemlock health.

*Space is limited and pre-registration is required by visiting the Etowah Library’s calendar of events at this link! 



The Etowah Library Speaker Series programs are made possible thanks to our partnership with the Henderson County Public Library.

Contact Pam Torlina, pam@conservingcarolina.org, with questions or for more information.