USDA urges outdoor enthusiasts to help stop the spread of forest pests

Washington, D.C. (August 30, 2012) — As the summer traveling season draws to a close, millions of Americans will hit the road for a final family vacation before the kids head back to school. While national parks and campgrounds will once again prove to be a popular destination, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is urging outdoor enthusiasts to help stop the spread of invasive pests by leaving firewood behind.

“Camping is a wonderful tradition with many families. Often, it makes the memories that last a lifetime,” says Sharon Lucik of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). “We need to ensure future generations enjoy these excursions by helping to stop the spread of destructive forest pests such as the emerald ash borer.”

Firewood is a vehicle for the spread of forest pests and diseases, including the emerald ash borer (EAB). The EAB lives in firewood, and people can unknowingly spread the beetle hundreds of miles when moving infested firewood.

Tens of millions of ash trees, from forests to neighborhoods, have been killed by the emerald ash borer. Since it was first detected in North America, the pest has been found in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Connecticut recently became the 16th state to report the detection of EAB.

The emerald ash borer is a very small but very destructive beetle. It can fit on the head of a penny, and is hard to spot in the wild; thus, it is critical not to assume that piece of firewood looks pest-free.

“The bottom line is, don’t move firewood when you travel; however, if you must, only purchase certified treated and labeled firewood,” says Lucik. “Although treated firewood is safe to move, calling ahead to your destination is always advised.”

USDA urges travelers to buy firewood where they burn it, and to burn it all on-site.

Make it a pest-free July 4th, urges USDA; be aware of the risks of moving firewood

Washington, D.C. (July 2, 2012) — Over 35 million Americans will travel by automobile for the July 4th holiday, according to AAA estimates. Since most will travel more than 50 miles from home, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) cautions travelers, “Don’t pack a pest, leave firewood behind.”

“Firewood may look harmless, but it’s a vehicle for the spread of forest pests and diseases,” says Sharon Lucik of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). “For example, the emerald ash borer beetle lives underneath the bark of ash firewood, and when it’s moved from one place to another — say, from your home to your campsite — you’ve just given the pest a free ride to a new location.”

With the holiday falling midweek, the traveling public will likely parlay Independence Day into an extended vacation. Campgrounds will overflow with tents, travel trailers and RVs, and typically that means campfires. Before leaving the driveway, outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to know the firewood rules of the road. There are federal and state regulations in place that prohibit the movement of firewood; plus, numerous state and local recreational areas ban outside firewood altogether.

USDA encourages the public to be stewards of their environment and be aware of the risks associated with moving firewood. Don’t move firewood when you travel; however, if you must, only purchase certified treated and labeled firewood. Although treated firewood is safe to move, calling ahead to your destination is always advised.

“We need the public’s help to stop the spread of the emerald ash borer and other invasive pests,” says Lucik. “Changing our behavior is key. This July 4th holiday, buy firewood where you burn it, and remember to burn it all on-site.”

What Happened to the Cool Shade in Summer?

USDA marks EAB Awareness Week (May 20-26) with a call to help protect trees from a destructive forest pest

Washington, D.C. (May 20, 2012) — It’s a simple plea that could protect countless numbers of ash trees from a devastating pest: Don’t move firewood.

Firewood might look harmless, but it’s what you can’t see that is most concerning. The emerald ash borer (EAB) beetle is a devastating forest pest. It lives in firewood. People unknowingly contribute to the spread of this pest when they move EAB-infested firewood.

Tens of millions of ash trees, from forests to neighborhoods, have been killed by the emerald ash borer beetle. Since it was first detected in North America, the beetle has been found in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

“The risk doesn’t end at the borders of these infested states,” said Sharon Lucik, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). “The adult beetle doesn’t fly far on its own, however it can be transported hundreds of miles when people move firewood. EAB larvae live underneath the bark of ash firewood, and when it’s moved from one place to another, EAB can hitchhike to a new location.”

Forest pests contribute to the destruction of critical habitat for wildlife and negatively impact our quality of life and leisure. EAB is a serious threat to North America’s urban and rural forests and is so aggressive that ash trees may die within two or three years after becoming infested. The damage caused by the beetle is irreversible.

Federal, state, and local governments are marking EAB Awareness Week with an urgent call to citizens to leave firewood behind. This simple action can make a tremendous difference in the fight against this destructive pest.
USDA recommends the following guidelines to help stop the EAB:

• Burn firewood where you buy it.
• Don’t take it to your campsite,
• Buy it at your destination.
• Don’t bring it home, burn it all on site

Purple Traps Are Set Across the Country

Washington, D.C. (May 23, 2011) – May 22 to 28, 2011, is Emerald Ash Borer Beetle Awareness Week and the public is being asked to not move firewood as part of the campaign.

Federal and state agencies are fighting to protect the nation’s ash trees from the EAB, a small but destructive beetle that has killed tens of millions of these trees since being detected in 2002 in Michigan. Typically, the EAB does not travel far on its own; it’s known as a hitchhiker catching rides in cut wood.

In fact, the EAB has spread across 15 states. The spread is attributed to people moving EAB-infested firewood. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is asking everyone to buy and use local firewood, and to never move firewood across a county or state line.

One tool in the USDA’s EAB-fighting arsenal is the purple trap. This device is being set across the country by the USDA and its state partners to monitor for the presence of the EAB. The beetles are attracted to the color, as well as a scented lure used to bait the traps.

As the weather gets warmer, EAB adults emerge from under the bark of ash trees and fly around, nibble on ash tree leaves and look for a mate. If one lands on a purple trap, it will get stuck in the glue. The traps are harmless to the environment, pets and other wildlife. They do not bring the beetle into an area, but they do help detect it if it’s already present. When the beetle is found in a trap, a series of actions are triggered, which could include county and/or state restrictions on the legal movement of firewood.

Ash trees are important to the nation. Wood from the trees are used to make furniture, tools and even Louisville Slugger baseball bats, and ash trees provide shade and beauty to neighborhoods, cities and forests. Tree damage comes from the EAB larvae, which eat the wood under the bark. This starves the tree of water and nutrients, slowly killing it over one to two years. There is no cure for the devastation caused by the beetle, which is why federal, state and local teams are reaching out to the public for help.

The goal is to alert all citizens about the danger that the EAB poses to the country’s ash tree population. The EAB is moving across the country and has currently been detected in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Because many people are unaware of the consequences of their actions can cause when they move firewood, here are guidelines they can use to help stop the beetle:

• Purchase firewood locally and burn it where you buy it.
• Know the source of firewood, make sure it’s local.
• When you camp, picnic or vacation, purchase firewood at your destination.
• Never take leftover wood from your campsite or cabin back home.

For more information, visit www.stopthebeetle.info.

Federal and State agencies are waging war against the EAB, a small but destructive beetle that already has killed tens of millions of ash trees since being detected in 2002. Typically EAB does not travel far on its own, but it can live in cut wood and it has spread across 14 states, because people have moved EAB-infested firewood.

The damage comes from the EAB larva, which eats the wood under the bark and starves the tree of water and nutrients, slowly killing the tree over one-to-two years. Trees in neighborhoods, as well as forests and campgrounds are affected. EAB infestations already have cost municipalities, property owners, and industries tens of millions of dollars.

Research is being conducted by the USDA and at universities to understand the beetle’s life cycle, to find ways to detect new infestations, control EAB adults and larvae all to try and contain the infestation. However, there is no cure yet for the devastation caused by the beetle, which is why federal, state and local cooperators are reaching out to the public.

The goal is to alert all citizens but especially those who live in the 14 infested states – Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin – about the severity of the issue. A significant number of counties in these states are under quarantine, thereby prohibiting the movement of firewood. Some locales are enforcing the quarantine with fines for those found transporting ash trees, logs or firewood from EAB infested areas.

The scope of this problem could reach the billions of dollars nationwide if not dealt with. State and federal agencies have made this problem a priority and are working together to educate citizens about identification of ash trees and EAB, and about options for protecting valuable shade trees. Homeowners can also help by carefully monitoring their ash trees for signs and symptoms of EAB throughout the year.

Because many people are unaware of the deadly results of their actions when they move firewood, here are guidelines to help stop the beetle:

• Purchase firewood locally, and burn it where you buy it.
• Know the source of firewood, make sure it’s local.
• When you camp, picnic or vacation, purchase firewood at your destination.
• Never take leftover wood from your campsite or cabin back home.

What to know about EAB:

• It attacks only ash trees (Fraxinus spp.).
• Adult Beetles are metallic green and about 1/2-inch long, and this small size makes them difficult to spot.
• Adults leave a D-shaped exit hole in the bark when they emerge in spring.
• Woodpeckers like EAB larvae; heavy woodpecker damage on ash trees may be a sign of infestation.

One of the most important things people can do is to never move firewood. It may contain the beetle, its larvae or eggs.

For more information, visit www.stopthebeetle.info.
State Plant Health Directors
If someone suspects EAB damage, they are encouraged to report it to their State Plant Health Director. For a complete Plant Health Directors’ list, click here

Illinois – Steve Knight
State Plant Health Director
2300 East Devon, Ste. 210
Des Plaines, IL 60018
Phone: (847) 699-2414
stephen.a.knight@aphis.usda.gov

Indiana – Gary Simon
State Plant Health Director
1305 Cumberland Avenue, Ste. 102
West Lafayette, IN 47906
Phone: (765) 497-2859
gary.w.simon@aphis.usda.gov

Iowa – Rob Meinders
State Plant Health Director
6000 Fleur Drive Des Moines, IA 50321-2871
Phone: (515) 285-7044
robert.d.meinders@aphis.usda.gov

Kentucky – Jason Watkins
Acting State Plant Health Director
12921 West Highway 42 Prospect, KY 40059
Phone: (502) 228-8224
Jason.J.Watkins@aphis.usda.gov

Maryland – Matt Travis
State Plant Health Director
2200 Broening Highway, Suite 104
Baltimore, MD 21224
Phone: (410) 631-0073
Fax: (410) 224-1142
matthew.a.travis@aphis.usda.gov

Michigan – Craig Kellogg
State Plant Health Director
11200 Metro Airport Center Dr., Suite 140
Romulus, MI 48174
Phone: (734) 942-9005
craig.kellogg@aphis.usda.gov

Minnesota – Kevin Connors
State Plant Health Director
BHW Federal Bldg., Room 288
One Federal Drive St. Paul, MN 55111
Phone: (612) 725-1722
kevin.j.connors@aphis.usda.gov

Missouri – Mike Brown
State Plant Health Director
715 Southridge Dr.
Jefferson City, MO 65109
Phone: (573) 893-6833
michael.e.brown@aphis.usda.gov

New York – Yvonne DeMarino
State Plant Health Director
500 New Karner Road, 2nd Floor
Albany, NY 12205
Phone: (518) 218-7540
yvonne.m.demarino@aphis.usda.gov

Ohio – John Birch
State Plant Health Director
USDA APHIS PPQ
8995 East Main Street
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068
Phone: (614) 322-4700
john.m.burch@aphis.usda.gov

The Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture
Phone: (866) 253-7189
Email: badbug@state.pa.us
or
Pennsylvania – Coanne O’Hern
State Plant Health Director
401 E. Louther Street, Suite 102
Carlisle, PA 17013
Phone: (717) 241-2465
coanne.e.o’hern@aphis.usda.gov

Virginia – Bernetta Barco
State Plant Health Director
5657 South Laburnum Avenue
Richmond, VA 23231-4536
Phone: (804) 771-2042
bernetta.g.barco@aphis.usda.gov

West Virginia – Jason Watkins

State Plant Health Director
Route 1, Box 142
Ripley, WV 25271-9724
Phone: (304) 372-8590 Fax: (304) 372-8592
Jason.J.Watkins@aphis.usda.gov

Wisconsin – Joann Cruse
State Plant Health Director
1 Gifford Pinchot Dr., Building 1, Room 204
Madison, WI 53726
Phone: (608) 231-9545
joann.m.cruse@aphis.usda.gov

Get the Fireplace Ready

Past fires may have left soot deposits inside your chimney, so it is always a good idea to have it swept in the fall. Also, take a look up the flue.  Make sure that it is clear of obstructions and debris.

If you notice any cracks in the mortar or crumbling cement, this is warning sign that the chimney may need repair and you should contact a professional.  Another area to check is the fireplace damper – make sure it works properly and fits snugly so that your fireplace won’t allow cold air in or heat out.

Choosing Firewood

Now is also the time to replenish your wood supply.  Well seasoned firewood is easier to start, produces more heat, and burns cleaner reducing the amount of dangerous buildup. There are a few things you can look for to tell if wood is seasoned or not.

Well seasoned firewood generally has darkened ends with cracks or splits visible, it is relatively lightweight, and makes a clear “clunk” when two pieces are knocked together.  “Green” wood has a much higher water content, making it harder to start and less efficient when burning.

Buying Firewood

Firewood can harbor insects, like the Emerald Ash Borer Beetle, that feed on ash trees and have already killed millions of trees.  Because of insects like these, it’s important that you not move firewood, but rather purchase it close to where you plan to use it.  And make sure that the firewood you purchase is from local resources.

At the end of the season, be sure to burn all of the wood that you have ordered, so that any insects or larvae in the wood do not have the chance to spread.  For more information about this insect, visit StopTheBeetle.info.

Choosing the Perfect Spot

With a little research you should be able to find a campground not too far from home. Many offer hiking trails that appeal to different ages and levels of experience, from beginner to advanced. State and national parks often provide nature maps for self-guided tours, and some even have nature centers with formal programs provided by rangers who can teach you about local plants and animals.

Many parks include rivers and lakes for additional recreation. Fishing and canoeing are popular pastimes, so inquire ahead about fishing licenses and boat rentals. For the more adventurous, you might want to try rafting or even kayaking, which may be provided by nearby touring companies that will arrange day trips, complete with instruction and gear.

For overnights, you can choose between parks that offer cabins for shelter or designated spaces for tents. Both types of sites will often have “comfort stations” nearby with running water, restrooms and open pits for campfires. Sitting around a campfire at night, telling stories and roasting marshmallows, can be a truly memorable event.

What to Bring

Before you go, think like a boy scout and “be prepared.” Check local weather reports and be ready, whether that means possible rain or cooler than usual temperatures. A first aid kit is well advised, if only for minor scrapes and unexpected blisters.

Some things to take along on the trip to make you feel at home include the basic necessities of a tent, sleeping bags, appropriate clothing, food and cooking utensils. Many camping supply stores provide specialty items, such as kerosene lamps, propane stoves and other conveniences.

One item you shouldn’t take along with you is firewood. Buy it when you get there and burn it all or leave it in the camp ground. Don’t bring it home: moving firewood spreads the Emerald Ash Boorer beetle, a nasty pest that is killing Ash trees at a rapid rate. To keep the woods healthy and available for all to enjoy, people and critters alike, promise not to move firewood. For more information, visit www.stopthebeetle.info.

Most state parks can be found online through your favorite search engine, or to research national parks, visit www.nps.gov/findapark/.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to increase your safety without sacrificing the fun. Here are some tips:

Plan Ahead

• Start by checking the regulations of the area to make sure you are permitted to have an open fire and identify sources to purchase local firewood.
• Find a flat, open area, away from tents and cabins, that doesn’t have a lot of overhanging branches.
• Clear the area of any leaves or other debris.
• Make a ring of stones to surround the fire area or, if you’re on a beach, dig a hole a foot deep.
• Have a bucket of water, a shovel and a fire extinguisher handy in case you need them.

Choose Good Wood

• Don’t move firewood, but burn it where you buy it. Firewood can introduce destructive insects, such as the Emerald Ash Borer beetle, if the wood is moved from an infested area. Some states have restrictions on people traveling with firewood to help stop the spread of invasive pests. Play it safe and purchase your firewood from a local vendor.
• The wood for your campfire should be dry. Don’t try to burn green wood.
• For more information on stopping the spread of invasive pests, visit www.stopthebeetle.info.

Build a Safe Fire

You need three types of materials so your campfire will burn properly:

• Tinder—dry leaves, grass, pine needles, shredded bark, wood shavings or even dryer lint. Use these materials to start your fire. Never use flammable fluids to start your fire;
• Kindling—small sticks or twigs, no bigger than a pencil;
• Fuel—pieces of wood about the size of your upper arm;
• Remember, once a fire’s begun, never leave it unattended.

Clean Up

• Burn all your wood or coals to ash.
• Wet down the fire area with water and then scatter the cooled ashes. Make sure everything is cold and that you have completely extinguished the campfire before leaving the campsite. That way, both you and this campsite will be ready for the next visitors and the next campfire.

Winter Clothing

When camping in cold weather, dress in layers so that you can easily adjust to changes in temperatures.  Wool and synthetic materials, like fleece, are best for layering.  And it is important to have a waterproof and windproof outer layer.

Boots should also be insulated and have a waterproof outer shell.  Make sure gloves are not too tight on your hands or they might constrict blood flow making it harder to warm your hands.  And consider bringing an extra pair in case they get wet.

You can lose up to 70% of your body’s heat through your head, so wear a hat when outdoors.  A scarf will also protect your face and neck from the cold and wind.

Food and Water

Dry winter air dehydrates, so drink plenty of water even if you don’t feel thirsty.  Keep water bottles from freezing by putting them in a wool sock or insulated bottle cover.  And allow extra time for chemical water treatments to work in cold water.

To fuel your body for outdoor activities, eat plenty of carbohydrates, like cereal, rice and oatmeal.  Carry a small insulated bottle of a hot drink or soup to snack on and warm up.  Snacking before going to bed helps your body generate heat during the night.

Setting Up Camp

A three-season tent will work for mild weather camping, but consider a four-season shelter in harsher conditions.  Select a camp site that is sheltered from wind, or hang a tarp between trees to block the wind from your tent.

Sleeping bags for winter camping should be rated to temperatures below what you’ll need to ensure you’ll be comfortable.  A sleeping bag made of down can be useful because it keeps you warm and is easily compressed for packing.  An insulated pad under your sleeping bag can protect from the cold ground.

If you plan to build a fire at camp, be sure to buy your firewood locally; do not bring it with you.  Firewood can harbor insects, like the Emerald Ash Borer Beetle, that kills millions of trees each year.  The bugs are transported to new areas by those who move firewood.  For information about not moving firewood, visit StopTheBeetle.info.