BERLIN – -This fall, communities across the country are raising awareness about the importance of responsible firewood use. The cooler weather is the perfect time to remind everyone that moving campfire wood for long distances can unintentionally spread forest pests that threaten the health of local forests.
“Buy it where you’ll burn it” is one of the tenets of the Arrive Clean, Leave Clean campaign, launched earlier this year by UVM Extension; the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation; and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. The campaign is designed to inform and educate Vermonters about preventing the introduction or slowing the spread of harmful pests such as the emerald ash borer by not moving wood for campfires.
Many people take wood from their own property as they head out to camp or hunt, without realizing the wood might be hiding the eggs or larvae of forest-damaging insects or the spores of disease-causing fungi. These pests cannot travel far on their own, but they can travel hundreds of miles a day on someone’s campfire wood.
“Most insect eggs or diseases are too small to see,” says Ginger Nickerson, University of Vermont Extension forest pest education coordinator. “Logs that look healthy can still have tiny insect eggs or fungal spores, so anyone moving firewood may unknowingly introduce a forest pest to a new area.”
Outbreaks of emerald ash borer, Asian longhorned beetle and oak wilt have all been found near campgrounds and traced to people moving wood for campfires.
When camping or hunting this fall, instead of bringing wood from home, buy firewood locally or gather it near it is burned (if permitted). Also purchase certified heat-treated wood that has been treated for pests.
The “Recommendations to Slow the Spread of Emerald Ash Borer” factsheet (go.uvm.edu/movingash) gives detailed information about the times of year it is least risky to move wood from ash trees. To learn more about the campaign and measures to control invasives, go to vtinvasives.org/arriveclean.
