firewood - emerald ash borer

Dakzuki wrote:

westend wrote:


FYI, the USDA has inspection done prior to any cutting and transport. The USFS administrates the harvest.

The USFS can only regulate what it controls. "Any" is a very big word and it doesn't apparently apply in my neck of the nation when logging. Logging trucks are going all over the place long distances in this state.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture.

Biological control organism. Any enemy, antagonist, or competitor used to control a plant pest or noxious weed.

Interstate commerce. Trade, traffic, or other commerce

(1) From one State into or through any other State or

(2) Within the District of Columbia, Guam, the Virgin Islands of the United States, or any other territory or possession of the United States.

Ash Utilization project. Any transported Ash trees for lumber are either treated or inspected.

Not to say I know anything about the furniture business in Atlanta, but most of the furniture i see from the SE US is usually local species.

jfkmk wrote:
Every place we've camped warns against bringing in outside wood. Yet I see it happening all the time.

I've seen posts on this forum and some folks think it's their God-given right to haul firewood, rather than pay for "local". But in all fairness - ash is a popular wood. I'd like to think that all the ash trees cut in our area (I'm guessing 90% of our trees are affected by EAB), for example, have remained here to be processed? But what if some of that lumber-to-be gets hauled to Atlanta, for example, to be used for furniture?

Roman Duck wrote:
You can transport wood safely as long as you follow the guidelines. Have a receipt showing location of wood,
wood needs to be kilm dried at a specified temp. for a required lenght of time.
Complete guidelines are available on DEC/DEP web sites.
NY DEC site evens offers a form that can be downloaded and filled out for the diehard DIYs.

That may all well be true, but why go through the hassle of being stopped and having to prove your wood is OK - never mine the expense and time of all that wood treatment. I'd rather just spend a couple of bucks for firewood and enjoy myself!

Dakzuki wrote:

westend wrote:


FYI, the USDA has inspection done prior to any cutting and transport. The USFS administrates the harvest.

The USFS can only regulate what it controls. "Any" is a very big word and it doesn't apparently apply in my neck of the nation when logging. Logging trucks are going all over the place long distances in this state.

True, but if you look at my post, it was in reply to concerns with trees being cut and transported from a National Forest, hence the reference to USFS.

If you're concerned about logging in your area, contact a local mill and ask them about disease restrictions and transport. Not all trees being cut and transported are diseased or affected by pests. I'm not familiar with logging in your area but I would assume the bulk of it has nothing to do with Ash, most likely Spruce, Pine , and Fir.

westend wrote:


FYI, the USDA has inspection done prior to any cutting and transport. The USFS administrates the harvest.

The USFS can only regulate what it controls. "Any" is a very big word and it doesn't apparently apply in my neck of the nation when logging. Logging trucks are going all over the place long distances in this state.

dalejiw25 wrote:
I've been to CGs that prohibit outside wood yet they don't sell it. I've been to CGs that prohibit outside wood so they can charge 3-4 times what you'd pay for it anywhere else. I've been to CGs that sell kindling that they refer to as firewood. I've been to CGs that have fire wood somewhere on the property but they don't deliver it. I've been to CGs that have run out of wood well before sunset. Not that I condone bringing your own firewood, but I can see why it happens.

I've noted in Michigan, where a lot of trees have been destroyed by bugs, they ban wood from out of the area. they sell the bugwood for camp fires, that would make a walnut tree blush.

Our highways are for sure the biggest mover of most all invasive pests whether they are bugs, plants, or aquatic. Loggers, RV's, off road vehicles, firewood users, construction equipment, boats and other watercraft to name a few. We all need to be careful and use common sense. Hard to put up with the methods to try and control the pests but that has to be done. Infested tree cutting, spraying, boat check stations, not moving wood or plants, proper cleaning of dirt moving and logging equipment and ORV's, etc. Just staying in a motel can start another infestation of roaches or bed bugs or worse.

Until you can catch each one and clip their wings its going to spread plain and simple. Blame whomever you would like but its nature doing what it does.

Calif has their Bark Beetle. Wrecks thousands of trees a year.