Firewood and Invasive Insects
Don't Move Firewood - you could be killing our trees!
Note: DEC Emergency Regulation - Firewood Restrictions to Protect Forests from Invasive Species, September 4, 2008. If you have any questions regarding this emergency firewood regulation, that are not answered by the Frequently Asked Questions page, please call toll free: 1-866-640-0652.
In short, the regulation...
- Bans importing firewood into New York unless it has been treated (kiln-dried) to eliminate pests
- Prohibits the movement of untreated firewood within New York more than 50 miles from its source
To protect New York's trees, please:
- Leave firewood at home - do not transport it to campgrounds or parks
- Only buy firewood that has been harvested locally or treated for pests
- Burn all firewood brought to the campsite
click on the above poster
for a larger imageNew York's forests are under attack from numerous invasive exotic insect pests. In years past, we have been hit with Chestnut blight, European gypsy moth, Dutch elm disease and Beech bark disease, all with devastating results. Recently, we have discovered Asian long-horned beetles, Hemlock wooly adelgids, Pine shoot beetles and Sirex woodwasps infesting New York's urban and rural forests and killing thousands of trees. Other, potentially devastating insect invaders such as Emerald ash borer and Asian gypsy moth loom just over the horizon.
Invasive insects transported on firewood are killing
trees in our favorite campgrounds
One common way many of these insect pests are moved around the country - beyond their natural rate of spread based on biology and flight potential - is on firewood carried by campers, hunters and other users of our forests. This firewood may come from trees killed by insect pests and taken down wherever the visitors came from. The users are frequently not even aware they are moving eggs or larvae of these pests, which may be hidden on or under the bark or buried deep within the logs. A casual observation of boaters and campers checking in at any campground will reveal trunk loads or boatloads of firewood being brought in, often from far distant states.Once transported to new locations, eggs may hatch, or larvae may mature and emerge to attack host trees in and around the camping areas. Too often, these new infestations are not detected until numerous trees start to die, and the infestation has spread beyond our ability to eradicate it or control it effectively.
Vehicle transporting firewood which may contain
tree-killing insects
In the Lake States, the exotic, invasive Emerald ash borer (EAB) has caused great destruction of all native species of ash trees (which are also common across New York). In Detroit alone, over 70,000 city trees have been lost. This pest has also spread throughout Michigan, and into Ontario, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. In numerous occasions, this pest has shown up far removed from previous known infestations, in "outlier" occurrences, at or near campgrounds and forest recreation areas. New York State is now less than 150 miles from the nearest EAB infestations.
Federal emerald ash borer quarantine regulations restrict the movement of ash wood and trees from regulated States (MI, IL, IN and OH), in an attempt to limit the spread of this one pest.
The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) was first confirmed in New York State in 1996. Areas of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Nassau and Suffolk Counties are also under Federal quarantine which prohibits the movement of firewood and wood products of all hardwood species out of these regulated areas.
In addition, several other states and the province of Ontario, have bans or regulations in place concerning the importation or movement of firewood, of any species, as a means to prevent introduction or limit spread of any of the insect pests known to live in or on cut firewood. In addition, many States and Federal agencies, including United States Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and USDA Forest Service, have begun extensive outreach and public education campaigns to explain the dangers posed to forests from the movement of firewood, and encourage recreational users to "not move firewood." Many of these States and Federal agencies have found it necessary to take stronger measures to protect forest resources and have imposed bans on firewood movement.
More about Firewood and Invasive Insects:
- Frequently Asked Questions for Firewood Regulation - Questions and answers to help the public to understand the September 4, 2008 Emergency Regulation prohibiting the importation of untreated firewood into New York State and restricting the movement of untreated firewood within New York State.
- Don't move firewood poster large image - Invasive insects could be spread by moving firewood.
