firewood - emerald ash borer

popeyemth wrote:
People appear to be unaware the EAB has wings and is not afraid to use them.

Yup, it has moved up through Wisconsin to Minnesota. Over the next few years I expect many of the ash trees in our woods to be infected. The city of Superior is already cutting down the boulevard ash trees.

People appear to be unaware the EAB has wings and is not afraid to use them.

It is very simple. Use scrap lumber for camping wood. It is usually kiln dried, has no bark on it, it is cleaner and easier to split, and it is readily available from construction sites, cabinet shops, etc!

dodge guy wrote:

Just last year our town lost thousands of trees due to the EAB. we are no where near a campground or any firewood vendors. it spreads how nature wants it to spread, no matter how much we think we can stop it!

So you know for a certainty then that no one living in town or nearby transported wood from an an infected area? Not to mention it is believed that EAB may have hitched a ride on wooden pallets/crates. But I suppose there are no pallets in town either? EAB can also travel great distances on its own. What about surrounding areas? Could it have come in on its own? Lots of possibilities, not just camp fire wood.

HappyKayakers wrote:

Salty Dog wrote:
I truly believe that campers hauling their own wood is a scapegoat for the spread of EAB...

Maybe, maybe not. But it's such a simple measure to take if it's true. Unfortunately, too many people believe that if it inconveniences them, it must be bad/false/a government plot/etc.

Exactly! Some people feel that its only a small amount of wood. But multiply that by hundreds of thousands of campers.

Here locally we carry three fire logs from home to get the first fire started. These three fire logs just fit under my portable firepit that is stowed upsidedown I always take on my tips. It is usually dark when we arrive leaving King George in the late afternoon. Then I get firewood the next day from the camp ground or local area.

Our county is not on any banned firewood list... I know I shouldn't carry-in my firewood like that but sure is nice to get the first fire going as soon as we get there. Takes the pressure off of us finding firewood real quick.

We usually go to a campground less than fifty miles away and sometimes go to the Skyline Drive Loft Mtn maybe 100 miles away doing this.

Every time we go to the Smokys in NC it is quite visible now for the dying out trees in the higher elevations. Brings tears to your eyes to see what is happening to our scared place there...

Roy Ken

It's illegal to transport firewood a ross the Macanaw Bridge to the UP of Michigan, but I get stuck in slow traffic behind a loaded log truck on that bridge all the time.

dalejiw25 wrote:
EAB is short for Emerald Ash Borer.
The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) is a green beetle native to Asia and Eastern Russia.[2] Outside its native region, the emerald ash borer (also referred to as EAB) is an invasive species, and emerald ash borer infestation is highly destructive to ash trees in its introduced range.[3] The Emerald Ash Borer was first discovered in America in June 2002 in Michigan. It is believed to have been brought to America unintentionally in ash wood which was used to stabilize crates during shipping.

Thanks...my brain was ticking off various gov't agencies, LOL.

We had 3 green ash trees in our yard. The were beautiful, almost perfect trees. They became infested two years ago. Last year I had to have them removed. I almost wept. They are now replaced with tiny swamp oak trees. We will probably move out before the oaks mature.

Unfortunately, whether they are spread via firewood or not, I think their spread is unstoppable. At least until they can find an economical way to tree the trees. (we were quoted $300 per tree to treat and they have to be professionally treated every few years)

Salty Dog wrote:
I truly believe that campers hauling their own wood is a scapegoat for the spread of EAB...

Maybe, maybe not. But it's such a simple measure to take if it's true. Unfortunately, too many people believe that if it inconveniences them, it must be bad/false/a government plot/etc.

I truly believe that campers hauling their own wood is a scapegoat for the spread of EAB. A camper hauling wood to a campground spreads the insect but the log trucks hauling huge loads of timber to mills miles away do not? If we spent the same energy looking for ways to eradicate the insect as we do placing blame on it's spread, we would be years ahead of where are with finding a resolution.