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Aim  The hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA; Adelges tsugae Annand), a small, aphid‐like insect native to Japan, is currently migrating northward through eastern North America and threatens to eliminate eastern hemlock [Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carriere], one of the most abundant, long‐lived shade tolerant species, across its range. The major objectives of this study were: (1) to characterize the pre‐HWA distribution, composition, and structure of hemlock stands; (2) to characterize the spatial patterns of damage generated by HWA across southern New England since the time of its arrival in 1985; and (3) to examine environmental and stand factors that are associated with declines in crown vigour and mortality of hemlock.

Location  Our study was conducted in a 4900‐km² study region extending from Long Island Sound northward to the Massachusetts border and including the Connecticut River Valley in Connecticut …